Many times we are asked where do we get the inspiration for our creations.
We always feel so honored when asked this question, because we get to share what was going on in our mind while creating each piece of a collection. There are times that we can't really materialize our inspiration.... sometimes it comes from a feeling, a mood, something we saw but can't even remember. Sometimes, it's complete chaos and for your sake, it's best not to go there at all!
My mom is notorious for having a night brain... her best ideas always come to mind at night after she's processed all that she's experienced and seen throughout the day. Like a flash of bright light she will have the most brilliant design while sleeping... and sure enough she will wake up and go to the studio and make it.
I personally come up with things in the most inconvenient moments - either right before falling asleep, at which point the last thing I remember is, "I hope I remember this idea in the morning", or during meetings, conversations, events... basically every time I can't drop everything and start felting. That is why, I keep a notepad always handy
No matter when we get our "aha!" moments, we both feed off the natural beauty around us. While in Rochester, NY, we were astonished by the amount of greenery. The woods, the flowers, and the colors of the sky were such a delight to reproduce on soft silks and wools. Now we've taken our admiration for nature one step further, with our new technique of "eco print", in which we transfer the colors and shapes of leaves, branches, and flowers directly on the wool.
Next time you're on a walk, notice that nature and your surroundings always create the most peculiar color combinations and textures. A brick wall with dark green foliage growing around it, and a touch of small purple flowers. Reddish/brown with dark green and purple? Would you ever pick that out of your closet? Maybe not. But on a scarf, the colors blend in perfectly and the shapes create harmony.
Since we've been going back and forth from Italy a lot lately, we get to enjoy our city surroundings as well. In this upcoming spring collection, you will notice more dull colors; a lot of tans, whites and grays, colors that remind us our our ancient buildings and traditional architecture. Designs will be more linear and shapes resembling some baroque style. As summer approaches, we will take a complete 180 and focus our attention on the sun, the sea, and the wind of our land. Our foods and agriculture. Our spontaneity and warmth. We will start sharing with you details of what each of these inspirational pieces mean to us and how they've influenced our collection.
We hope you'll enjoy this journey with us!
Jasmin