Fashion is not only a career path, it’s also a path of growth, a way of life, a way of thinking and respecting the values of one’s society. Silvia Barbieri is well aware of this. Silvia is very young and she is really determined and focused on her purpose. She grew up with the passion for tailoring and craftsmanship but her inspirations go beyond the classic idea of fashion, because actually fashion can’t be suffocated in some stereotypes. Fashion is something you can feel, you can breathe. From scientific movies to the world of theatre and opera, Silvia’s artistic vision is
something very dynamic.
Hello Silvia, you have approached the world of tailoring since you were really young. Does the passion of tailoring run in your family?
When my mom was 23 years old, she attended an annual class of tailoring which was her hobby. She transmitted this nice hobby to me and over the time it became a real passion. For this reason, she enrolled me in a professional tailoring class that I attended during the years of high school, and at the end, I got my degree.
How would you describe your experience at the IUAD Academy of Fashion in Naples
which you attended?
I joined the Academy because I wanted to understand if I could have a future in this field. I had the pleasure of meeting very talented professors and had many experiences that allowed me to grow up. Everyone has their own academic record, it’s something subjective. These three years have really enriched me.
Your collection “Shot in the dark” is really interesting. To realize it you took inspiration from the Marvel movie “Venom”. How would you describe your connection with cinematography?
I love everything that belongs to the oneiric and science fiction world. I observe everything around me. I love experimenting the way materials from different “realities” perform in different situations. I develop new ideas and then look at the results from a critical point of view. Actually it’s really important to learn from different personal experiences, I think it’s something crucial. I’m always looking for new experiences, new situations that can allow me to learn and never get hung up on what I’ve already known.
How did the idea of the Cavatina capsule collection, inspired by the world of theatre, come about?
It is dedicated to a special person who introduced me to the world of opera and theatre, but this project is also for all the feelings and emotions I have experienced in the backstage and for all the work, preparation and commitment prior to the performances, that last for months. This is a tribute to the unique beauty of the theatre, its colors, its shapes and greatness. Details that make the difference: they have the power to make everything magical and underline the beauty of the opera, of its famous characters, of its costumes and direction.
You are so young and so full of ideas! Where do you imagine yourself in five years?
While I’m studying for my last exams and preparing my thesis, I started working on a new particular project. I’m starting to look at the world from a different point of view. I would like to enter the Olympus of fashion in a different way from the previous ones, trying to give importance to the real fashion and empowering it. I want to quit all those negative and useless values that the fashion system uses nowadays.
What did you feel when you saw one of the garments you created exposed in the Salotto di Milano during Milan Fashion Week?
Milan Fashion Week is a huge goal for everyone and being part of the project, especially in hard times like these, gave me a very big satisfaction.
At the Italian Fashion Talent Award you presented a dress which represents the connection between the world of fashion and theatre. In your opinion how are the worlds of theatre and fashion connected?
I think that since the XX century we have seen the combination of these two worlds: so different but so complementary. Actually, the first place in which artists expressed themselves, and their creativity, flair and fantasy was theatre. The perfect union!
Regarding your works I saw that the desire to escape and go beyond reality is recurrent. In your opinion what is the main purpose of fashion?
I have always been fascinated by fashion and the power it possesses in particular situations. I don’t really like some negative values it has assumed over the years, for this reason I like to elaborate my idea of fashion observing it from another point of view. Fashion belongs to people’s lifestyle, I think it’s a way to show personality but at the same time it’s like a hiding place. Fashion is a great communication tool that it can be the perfect business machine.
Is there anything impossible to design?
A complex system like nature. We are all constantly sampling natural processes anyway. Sometimes we should ask ourselves what should be reimagined or designed and what should be preserved, instead.
To know more about Silvia's work, click here.
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