Many named it the climax event of the 2017 Milan Fashion Week. It is the first edition of the Green Carpet Fashion Awards, Italia organized by Eco-Age with the Italian National Chamber of Fashion. Our ECONYL® yarn was present both as the ingredient of a unique green carpet that decorated “Piazza della Scala” on the 24th of September and also the yarn used by two of the finalists attending the Awards.

One of them is CO|TE. We decided to interview the two designers to discover the philosophy and inspiration behind their brand.

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CO|TE brand was born in 2010 out of the friendship and collaboration of Tomaso Anfossi and Francesco Ferrari, the two young designers who founded it. From that moment on, the brand started its journey, always devoted to the traditions of made in Italy. Geometric shapes represent the point of departure for the creation of each garment. For this reason, the choice of fabric is of primary importance to help maintain the desired volumes during the process of designing the silhouettes and also once the garment is ready to be worn.

CO|TE designers: TOMASO ANFOSSI AND FRANCESCO FERRARI

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HOW DID EVERYTHING START?

It all started from our friendship and from the passion for our work that we always had in common. With our collection, we wanted to share our vision and philosophy for fashion.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO PARTICIPATE TO THE GREEN CARPET AWARDS BY ECO-AGE?

Because we love challenges, and we believe in a fashion system that is more connected to the world around us.

WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEW COLLECTION YOU ARE LAUNCHING?

We used natural fabrics, such as a lot of cotton and poplin together with jersey to create a daywear look with a Street Couture style.

WHO IS YOUR TARGET CONSUMER?

We always think about a real woman that lives in the present and loves to feel at ease wearing garments that distinguish her.

WHAT IS PUSHING YOU TO INCLUDE SUSTAINABILITY IN YOUR CREATIONS?

We would like to promote a message for the young generations and to all people who like to do emotional shopping and that are willing to hear why a certain fabric was chosen compared to another one. It is important for us to include in our collection some pieces that can stand to sustainability standards.

REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, WHICH DOES YOU THINK ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES IN THE FASHION WORLD AND HOW CO|TE IS FACING THEM?

The biggest challenge is to bring the message to the final consumers so that they can understand the importance of some decisions made that respect the environment.

WHY IS TRANSPARENCY SO DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN IN THE FASHION WORLD?

We do not think it is that difficult. Everyone can be transparent if they want.

HOW DO YOU CHOOSE MATERIALS? IS SUSTAINABILITY PART OF THIS PROCESS?

Research is the baseline of all the creative process. We choose materials based on our intuition and what the fabric conveys.

WHERE DO YOU LOOK FOR NEW MATERIALS?

Mainly industry exhibitions or visiting companies.  We check the process from beginning to end.

HOW DID YOU FIND OUT ABOUT OUR YARN? WHY DID YOU CHOOSE IT AND HOW WAS TO WORK WITH THIS MATERIAL?

Researching online, we discovered ECONYL® yarn, and we loved the idea and the story behind it. So, we decided to use it, and we are very satisfied with the result.

DID YOU NOTICE AN INTEREST AMONG CONSUMERS FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF GARMENTS THEY BUY AND USE? DID YOU NOTICE CHANGES IN THESE YEARS IN THE BEHAVIOUR OF FINAL CONSUMERS REGARDING SUSTAINABILITY?

We noticed some changes, but like with all things, time and perseverance are needed. In a world where everything speeds up very quickly, we need to stop sometimes to ponder and listen.

WHAT WAS THE CREATIVE SPARK FOR THE GARMENTS YOU ARE PRESENTING AT THE AWARDS? WHERE DID THE IDEA COME FROM?

We wanted to use materials together that could represent our idea of eco-sustainability. We then mixed biological silks with fabrics made with ECONYL® regenerated yarn! Two different worlds that perfectly match together.

WHAT IS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS NORMALLY? WHERE DO YOU GET INSPIRATION FROM, AND WHERE DO YOU START?

What inspired us for this collection is the playful aspect hidden behind every woman. We wanted to give a very contemporary character, as we usually do, studying volumes and geometries and mixing everything with polished fabrics that support shapes once worn.

DO YOU HAVE A MODEL DESIGNER OR BRAND?

We love the creations of Walter Albini.

WHAT SUGGESTIONS WOULD YOU GIVE TO A YOUNG DESIGNER THAT WANTS TO START A CAREER IN THE WORLD OF SUSTAINABLE FASHION?

Believe first in your ideas, keep your eyes and ears open to see and listen to what the market requires in that specific historical moment and never lose your identity.

WHO ARE THE OTHER PEOPLE BEHIND CO|TE? HOW IMPORTANT IS COLLABORATION?

In our work, collaboration is fundamental. It is essential to create a winning team and collaborate.

WHAT TRENDS DO YOU SEE FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON?

Fashion is made of every kind of trend, and we try to always be very coherent with ourselves and always support a fashion grounded on the principles of respecting the whole supply chain.

ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON A NEW PROJECT?

We are always working on new collections and projects. We never stay still for long!

WHERE DO YOU SEE THE WORLD OF FASHION IN 5/10 YEARS?

The world of fashion changes very rapidly, so it’s difficult to imagine far into the future. We can say we are very much involved and we will keep going with our project.

On Sunday 24th of September, at the Teatro La Scala, CO|TE with other four finalists presented their creations for The Franca Sozzani GCC Award for Best Emerging Designer. Naomi Campbell and Sara Sozzani Maino awarded designer Tiziano Guardini.