Meet fashion’s rising stars

Housed in a beautifully vibrant boutique in the heart of Fidenza Village, a curation of the world’s most anticipated designers showcased their collections at The Creative Spot, a pop-up dedicated to The Bicester Collection’s continued support for emerging designers.

Following their debut in the Village, we spoke to Priya Ahluwalia of Ahluwalia, Eileen Akbaraly of Made For A Woman, Niccolò Pasqualetti of his namesake label and Francesca Monaco and Salar Bicheranloo of THEMOIRè to hear about their journeys so far.

Tell us about why you decided to launch your brand…

Ahluwalia: “I appreciated the beauty of clothing but didn't find anything that connected with me on a personal or cultural level. This led me to explore vintage and surplus clothing, giving them new life through textile and patchwork techniques. I use my brand to learn more about my cultural background, as my Western education in London left gaps.”

Made For A Woman: “From a very young age, I knew my purpose would be to find a way to improve the lives of people in my home country, Madagascar, combining my love for fashion with my desire to generate impactful change. This is how Made For A Woman started in 2019. It’s the country’s first woman-led and women-centred responsible fashion brand - currently home to over 350 artisans.”

Niccolò Pasqualetti: “After I graduated, I moved to Paris to work for a fashion house. The experience really gave me an insight of the inner workings of the industry and expanded my idea of what is possible. But after a few years, I felt there was something I needed to express in my own way. So, I started my namesake brand in 2021.”

THEMOIRè: “THEMOIRè was born in 2019 with the aim of generating a positive change for people and for our planet. Just as the Moirae – the three ancient Greek goddesses – orchestrated the destiny of people, THEMOIRè would like to sew the seams towards a more responsible future.”

How would you describe your creative style?

Ahluwalia: “Deeply rooted in my heritage, drawing inspiration from the heirlooms and hand-me-downs of my Indian and Nigerian families. I aim to bring that same emotional connection and sense of history to modern clothing, creating pieces that resonate on a personal and cultural level.”

Made For A Woman: “Eclectic, contemporary and vibrant, reinterpreting tradition with a modern twist. I draw lots of inspiration from Malagasy artisanal techniques, using them to create the organic, textured shapes that characterise all of Made For A Woman’s design.”

Niccolò Pasqualetti: “I like when opposites come together, like masculine and feminine, solid and fluid, or nature and culture. I’m very inspired by organic sculptures, but also by bold, geometric architecture and furniture from the twentieth century.”

THEMOIRè: “Our products have a certain past-oriented allure but remain strongly contemporary. However, before design comes the materials. For us, it’s essential that all our products are environmentally friendly. The shape of our bags is influenced by the processing of the recycled materials and vegan fabrics we use.”

How do you engage with issues of sustainability in your work?

Ahluwalia: “Having a responsible business is a fundamental principle and is ingrained in everything we do. For example, our Spring/Summer 2024 collection continued our use of recycled, vintage and organic fabrics. We also partner with the London-based social enterprise Making For Change, which provides prisoners with employment skills and opportunities in fashion production.”

Made For A Woman: “Sustainability runs through all our practices, from our supply and production chain to the finished product. From locally sourced, certified raw materials to plastic-free products and packaging, everything we do aims at reducing our carbon footprint and preserving nature.”

Niccolò Pasqualetti: “We make use of a lot of deadstock fabrics, and the majority of the textiles from our collections are drawn from the unused rolls of couture houses in Paris and in Italy. Ultimately, what we create is in small quantities and is often handmade. So, the nature of our business is really aligned with sustainability from the inception.”

THEMOIRè: “We’re continually on the search for recycled, natural or innovative materials. We also plant a tree for each product sold – as part of THEMOIRè Forest in partnership with TreeNation – offsetting almost 3,000 tonnes of CO2.

But sustainability for us means social responsibility too. We launched Together by THEMOIRè, a series of projects to enhance the craftsmanship of unique artisans around the world through the creation of a capsule collection in which 100% of profits support a charity project planned for that specific community.”

How much further do you think the fashion industry has to go in addressing the sustainability challenge? Have you noticed a shift in the industry?

Ahluwalia: “The fashion industry still has a long way to go in addressing the sustainability challenge. Big corporations hold significant power, and they need to reassess their supply chains and treatment of people. While emerging brands like mine are leading conversations on sustainability, our individual carbon footprint and impact on the planet are relatively small. Real change requires action from businesses that have a substantial environmental impact.”

Made For A Woman: “We’ve definitely seen a positive shift, in terms of both consumer awareness and industry commitment, with many brands starting to adopt more sustainable practices. But with ‘greenwashing’ still a significant issue at an industry level, credibility, transparency and accountability are key to being not only competitive, but truly responsible and able to generate impactful change.”

Niccolò Pasqualetti: “It starts with the product. If you’re going to create something, it should be made to last; both in terms of being timeless but also not falling apart after a few uses. I think people already want to consume in a more responsible way, and it’s about meeting them where they are.”

THEMOIRè: “We’ve witnessed a continuous increase in ethical and ecological awareness, especially in young people who are hungry for information and seek products which address the issue.”

Where did you turn for inspiration for your latest collection at Fidenza Village?

Ahluwalia: “'Acknowledgments’ was inspired by people who have been overlooked in history across art, music, culture and social justice. This idea was sparked by The New York Times’ ‘Overlooked’ obituary series, which honours individuals who weren’t properly acknowledged at the time of their deaths. It made me reflect on the many women, people of colour, and LGBTQ+ individuals who have been erased from history, and I wanted to bring attention to their contributions through my collection.”

Made For A Woman: “My collection pays homage to the bright, colourful shades of the flora and fauna of Madagascar, which are found nowhere else in the world – just like our creations.”

Niccolò Pasqualetti: “There’s always this idea of collage, of putting different textures from different places together in a kind of assemblage. The Spring/Summer 2024 collection took this quite literally, with some pieces looking like they had been cut out from construction paper, metallic foil, or cardboard. The cotton we used even had some paper in the composition, so it had a unique texture that was crisp to the touch.”

THEMOIRè: “Spring/Summer 2024 is inspired by the natural world’s seeds, exploring the beauty of responsible design crafted from innovative, nature-derived materials. Seeds come from life and bring new life again. Seeds, the essence of life itself, symbolise the everlasting cycle of renewal and transformation in nature.”

Looking ahead, what are your hopes for your brand in the future?

Ahluwalia: “As we grow, I see Ahluwalia extending beyond fashion into various realms. I can imagine the aesthetic of an Ahluwalia-designed room or car interior, and we're actively planning to explore these new avenues in the future.”

Made For A Woman: “We hope to continue sharing our story and the many beautiful, engaging and empowering stories of the artisans behind each of our creations – with their help, we want to continue weaving a better, more sustainable future for fashion."

Niccolò Pasqualetti: “Since the beginning, we’ve been trying to establish certain recognisable signatures, and each season has allowed us to focus more on what distinguishes us. Every show is a chance for a new proposal or a new combination.”

THEMOIRè: “The goal is to continue our commitment to environmental responsibility by partnering with manufacturers that prioritise research in ecological processes, but also to obtain more certifications for our company, in addition to the Approved Vegan certification awarded by PETA in 2023.”