Christian Ferrera is a young designer born in Chile, who lives and works in Italy, Trento. His passion for fashion creations has begun long ago; in fact, his family has a strong tradition of tailoring. After a one year journey in northern Europe, he opens the Lab.88 in 2006, his very first store in the city of Trento.
The strictness and the essential lines of Nordic architecture fascinated him very much; therefore, thanks to these influences, he started to create not only clothing lines, but also interior design. The predominant colours of his style are white, grey and black; his idea of woman is modern, strong and cosmopolitan. Take a look at the interview he kindly gave us.
Tell us about your interest in fashion and design.
I think of myself as an artistic and very imaginative person. As is often the case, it wasn't a planned or intentional path, it just happened. I felt like I had to make sense of my life, I had to find my way. For many years I'd come up with new ideas and projects, an incessant research through which I could express my creativity and perspective.
You travelled a lot and admire minimalism and Northern accuracy. How do you bring this idea into your creations?
My minimalist idea of fashion seeks to eliminate everything that is needless and unnecessary, because I've always thought that this superficiality means to deprive a woman of her natural movements and gestures. Therefore, I tried to create a style whose aim was practicality and simplicity together with elegance, without any kind of extravagance or whimsicality. So that brings to basic and geometrical cuts, plain, simple and linear clothes, that lead to one unmistakable and unique style. Everything seems essential and austere, but with great attention to detail and fabrics. I make full use of cotton and natural fibres that are transformed into distinctive aspects: voluminous dresses and skirts, elegantly shaped long-sleeved and three-quarter-sleeve blouses, characterized by decisive sets. The chosen colours- black, white, grey- are neutral, essential, without drawings.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
I try not to be influenced by the fashion world where, due to globalization, different styles coexist but, at the same time, they level out consumer choice, depriving them from their uniqueness and sophistication. Every creation comes from a remarkable journey. The first step to make it unique and exciting is to clear your head from all the fixed and preconceived ideas. I'd rather be distracted by the surrounding incitement: I observe people, their movements and gestures, and these give me the inspiration for every new creation.
How are your clothes created? How do you come up with a new collection?
There's great preoccupation and attention to detail, combined with willingness to experiment. New ideas in this job play a key role. As a stylist, I'm always looking for new concepts that, in many cases, are not so easily carried out. Every collection has its own history, its own development that starts after a long research. I don't spend so much time on drawing, normally everything is already clear in my head. There are many things to do but the time is not enough. There are various elements in the creative process - to which I personally supervise in order to produce something congruent with my point of view - that go beyond rationality and logic. So a new project can happen on a paper napkin or because of a sleepless night.
Sentence is your new brand. It appeared in a particularly imaginative stage of my life. I felt like I had to communicate my world and my style through my work. Inside Sentence there are all my life experience and ideas. Enthusiasm and passion are the main factors that characterised this long road. They may not be enough, but they certainly helped me.
How would you describe a typical "Sentence" woman?
I don't have an exact image, an idea, but just a feeling: a practical, dynamic, cosmopolitan woman, who doesn't forget about elegance. A contemporary sophistication.
Which artist/actress do you think would be the perfect embodiment of your idea of femininity?
I have a big collection of classic films, which includes "Breakfast at Tiffany's". I see Audrey Hepburn as a timeless style icon. It's impossible to forget her slight build in that Givenchy black dress. It highlighted her essential, unexceptionable and flawless style.
