Interview with Antonio, Founder and Creative Director of Vaderetro

Vaderetro: a brand that oscillates between fashion, art, culture and research of the past

We met Antonio and Hanna, Founder and Creative Directors of Vaderetro who told us about the birth and the quick affirmation that the brand has had in less than a year from its birth.

Vaderetro is not only fashion, it is also art and culture; it is a lifestyle that selects, rediscovers and rethinks what was once the essential of the wardrobe by reinventing the past to create a new present.

Do you want to tell us about your background?

Let’s start by saying that we have never studied fashion. Hanna studied languages and business management in Paris, worked at Yves Saint Laurent and French brands as a buyer and assistant product manager. I worked for 11 years in the fashion retail sector in London, covering various roles in various departments (from administrative, to commercial, to logistics) for Armani, Prada, Vivienne Westwood, Louis Vuitton.

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Where does the desire to create a brand come from?

The idea of a project together was born in London, where we met. Later, the seed sprouted in total “isolation” in Morocco, where we moved for about one year, to fully materialize in Italy, where we launched the Vaderetro brand last August.

Bringing a brand to life was almost natural. In the end, we grew up in the clothing environment and as a result we had already imagined what our line, our world could be like.
Having always worked in contact with the actual “product” itself, we always have a fairly cynical and decisive relationship when it comes to creating and developing garments.

By carefully analyzing the sector, we have increasingly realized that too much effort is often made in the search to “create the new trend”, the “never seen before” thing. With the Vaderetro project we have simply chosen to bypass this “ephemeral” part, where everyone exalts himself for something that in reality, often, he has not created and simply based on something that already exists and proposes it according to your vision.

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“Vaderetro” is the name you have chosen for your brand … Where did the choice of this name come from?

Vaderetro, from the Latin, “go back” is a name that summarizes the essence of the brand. Our world brings to life elements of the past, both leaders and cultural and historical movements. We do not proclaim ourselves as a “retro-garde” brand since the past is a source of inspiration but it is also important for us to keep an eye on the present.

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What are the main inspirations of your collections? Which target do you want to reach?

Before making our capsules, we also spend months analyzing, studying the chosen era and its sub-cultures, artistic movements, significant historical events to ensure that the final realization can immerse the observer as much as possible in the zeitgeist of the chosen epoch. Without forgetting the personal cultural enrichment that is acquired during the study and creation process.

For example, in the second Chapter of our “Memories”, the SS21, we explore and deepen the theme of immigration – a very current theme in the world panorama that does not spare Italy, and we have explored more precisely the history of Italian immigration in the United States. The capsule focuses on the flourishing of Italian-American culture in the 1950s / 1960s. To do so, we rethought the persistence of ethnic identity among second-generation Italian Americans through a fictitious family trattoria in the center of Little Italy : Ria Rosa’s. The message they wanted above all to spread with this mini collection was simply to remember, and hence the title of the campaign “Do not forget about it”, that we live in a context where there is immigrant hunting, in him the cause and problem of our daily malaise is recognized, but we have forgotten that we too, not so long ago, set off on the adventure, aboard boats to seek a better life.

Or like the theme addressed in the latest AW21 collection, LA BONNE AVENTURE, where we developed the entire mood on the uses, customs and traditions of the Rome culture. Another ethnic group that unfortunately, due to the bigotry present in our society, has only negative connotations and totally distorted and unfounded prejudices.

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You have been the protagonists of various events such as Who is on next, Altaroma and Pitti Award… What benefits did they bring? Did they change your brand?

We have had these fantastic opportunities during a rather dark world time. They gave us the opportunity to share our work and our vision. It has certainly allowed us to establish ourselves as an emerging brand in Italy and in the world. After only one year of “life” we are proud to have established ourselves quite strongly in the Asian market, especially in Japan and South Korea.

What are your future projects?

We dream more every day. We have so many. A short term project would be to be recognized and affirm ourselves also on the European scene, especially at the commercial and distribution level. A long-term future project would not only be limited simply to the development of clothing, but also extend and develop the project in other fields (furniture, art, gastronomy, etc.)

Three tips for young designers who want to establish themselves in the fashion world?

1. Believe in yourself regardless of what is said around. Many will have opinions, advice to give you. But there is no more righteous voice than the one inside. You just have to listen to it.
2. Dreaming is beautiful but you have to act. Work hard, sacrifice a lot. Luck and talent are 1%.
3. Surround yourself with professional and competent figures.

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INFO AND CONTACTS

Sito Web: www.vaderetrolab.com

Instagram: @vaderetro_

Posted By

Camilla Bianchi

Studentessa di comunicazione presso l’università IULM di Milano. Da anni attratta dall’high fashion e da tutto ciò che gravita intorno a questo mondo, con particolare interesse al tema "scottante" dell’ecosostenibilità. Fortemente determinata e curatrice dei dettagli.