Vancouver Fashion Week S/S 21 - Interview with Designer Filomena Saltarelli of Feelomena (Turin, Italy)

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Feelomena - Showing on Sunday October 25th

Description -

Feelomena by Filomena Saltarelli is a brand that allows women to “feel” feminine, unique and unconventional with their style.

Feelomena clothing is immediately recognizable: exclusively handmade in Italy, using only the finest textiles, focusing on quality, artisanship, and creativity. Feelomena combines the comfort of a sharp and clean look of everyday living with the luxury of Italian design and textiles.

Juxtaposing Italian style with glamour and minimalism, Feelomena epitomizes the personality of its founder, Filomena Saltarelli, and of today’s women: elegant, contemporary, charming, yet still cool though embracing several concepts of femininity.
The core of our company’s values? Femininity, Italian style, Charm, Innovation, Art, Craftsmanship, Sophisticated Trends, Minimalism, Natural textiles, Respect for Environment, Sustainability, Elegance, Personality, Difference.

Bio -

After attending IED (European Institute of Design) in Turin, Filomena Saltarelli moved to Antwerp (Belgium) to study at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. After graduation, she worked for some famous international fashion designers, and in 2014 she decided to pursue her dream by setting up her own company to become a new symbol of Italian style and elegance in the world.

Interview -

Please share about your journey to embracing fashion design as a career. Did you love it from a young age or was it a passion that developed as you grew older. 

Since I was 5 years old I dreamt about having my own clothing line: I was already drawing outfits with prices on top! After my studies and work experiences, I decided to follow up my dream and make it come true.


Why drew you to study fashion design at IED in Turin? What was hard for you as a student? What came easy?

I started my fashion design study at IED in Turin when I was only 18 years old. It was clear in my mind that I had to follow my dream and passion. I never had hard times there: I enjoyed every subject with enthusiasm, curiosity and persistence. The hardest time came with the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, where I graduated in 2007: a new city to live completely on my own, a new language to speak and never endings rainy days to spend working. Even if that was hard in the beginning, it was one of the best experiences I have ever had in my life.

What would you like readers to know about your brand? Who is the customer you design for? Where can they be purchased?

Feelomena combines the comfort of the sharp, clean look of everyday living with the luxury of Italian design and textiles. Juxtaposing Italian style with glamour and minimalism, Feelomena epitomizes the personality of its founder, Filomena Saltarelli, and of today’s women: elegant, contemporary, charming, yet still cool though embracing several concepts of femininity. 

You can purchase Feelomena outfits at Feelomena's Showroom in Turin: opened in April 2019. The first Feelomena Flagship is a ‘treasure chest’ containing dreams and desires, an incubator of style and creativity combining fashion design and art in the hearth of Turin. Feelomena’s Showroom is a reference point for women looking for a unique outfit, custom-made clothing or an exclusive wedding dress. The Flagship Boutique is a timeless place, where ideas and emotions take shape.
Feelomena is also available in Milan (@DressYouCan) and online ( @NotJustALabel).

We'd love to know about the SS 21 collection you'll be showing at Vancouver Fashion Week. What was the inspiration, fabrics, palette, etc?

FEELOMENA collection 2021 is inspired by nature and primarily by pangolins. These solitary nocturnal animals are easily recognized by their full armor of scales. A startled pangolin will cover its head with its front legs, exposing its scales to any potential predator. If touched or grabbed, the pangolin will roll up completely into a ball, while the sharp scales on the tail can be used to hurt.


Research went deeper to Rajasthan in 1820, when George III showed a coat of armor made of gilded pangolin scales. George III, King of Britain and Ireland, became dangerously ill after the death of his youngest and favorite daughter. He died insane, blind and deaf at Windsor Castle.

The shy, harmless pangolin could be compared to George III, both strong and protected by their armor, though extremely sensitive and inoffensive. The collection reworks those aspects, reaching a perfect balance of softness and sharpness at the same time.

Different shades of green, grey and black together in harmony. Ethereal silk crashes on heavy cotton and wool, giving every outfit an individual shape.


Can you share any teasers about the fashion film you created for this event? What can viewers expect to see?

Viewers are going to see the last show that Feelomena had only a few weeks ago. Despite the hard times we are having with Covid19, Altaroma was able to organize an event for young fashion designer and gave us the chance to show the fashion world will never stop!

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