Global Fashion Collective NYFW SS24 - Interview with Eva Rorandelli of Evaro Italia (Italy)

Please share a bit about your journey to embrace fashion design as a career.

I come from a family business of made in Italy fashion. My grandfather began making leather outerwear and footwear in Florence and Venice in the 1940s. I grew up in Florence and helped my father in the stores after school, as often happens in generational businesses, so fashion has always been part of my life.

Growing up in such an extraordinary city was an incredible source of inspiration and it led me to pursue studies in both fine arts and fashion design. I was also a model for several years and spent a considerable amount of time in Milan, Paris and New York. During these travels, I had the privilege of meeting many incredible designers and the opportunity to learn more about the fashion industry.

So when I started my women’s wear brand almost a decade ago it was a natural continuation of the family business and my creative and artistic work. Evaro Italia makes luxury ready-to-wear women’s garments and outerwear using traditional hand sewn techniques, and more recently we have expanded the brand with our custom-made couture line, Evaro Alta Moda, and our accessory and jewelry line.

How did you learn your skills?

I learned my design skills early in life through my art studies and the hands-on work in my father’s stores. I also took highly intensive technical courses in art and fashion design both in Italy and the US. And, of course, through the years I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate and learn from so many wonderful and talented artisans and designers.

Who are you as a designer? Aesthetic? Customer? Brand?

I design for the modern and elegant woman. Elegance will never go out of style and it cannot be put in a box or restricted to just day or night. The Evaro woman dresses beautifully from morning to night, and everything has our signature style from the casual separates to the couture gown, from the perfume to the jewelry. I am very proud of my background and Italian heritage and I treasure our tradition of Made in Italy craftsmanship. We create each collection with the utmost attention to detail, traditional processes, and limited in-house production that uses only the highest quality materials and locally sourced Italian fabrics.

What comes easiest for you as a designer? What is hardest?

The creative vision and expression piece comes easiest for me. I am always drawing and have lots of ideas, and this sometimes makes it hard to funnel all the different pieces into a single collection instead of a multifaceted dreamlike experience. I love fashion shows because they allow me to express some of this vision and push it further with additional media like music and video and more whimsical production. The hardest thing for me is to moderate my creative process into the practical timeframes and requirements of marketing and of running a business. Still, I find the challenge exciting!

Where do you find inspiration for new collections? How important is colour to your design process?

Colors are very important for me since my background is in painting—they drive the mood and vision of each collection. Usually I’m inspired by something I see in nature or the richness and beauty of an experience in my hometown in Italy or somewhere I’ve traveled. In some cases this translates directly into the fabric selection and colors or shapes of each design, which become the protagonist of the collection as I work with the texture and reflectiveness of the materials.

Readers would love to hear about the collection you will be showing on the runway at New York Fashion Week SS24 in September? Inspiration, fabrics, pallette, etc.?

The new collection “Miraggi” is inspired by the fusion of the many diverse cultures and landscapes within the Italian tradition and aesthetic, transporting viewers on a safari through the wonders of Italian scenery and history. I never cease to marvel at the beauty of Italy, and how its history has influenced and intertwines with the diverse cultures of the Mediterranean and surrounding regions. From the north to the south of the peninsula, from the coastal towns to the light-filled southern countryside, the collection reflects the richness of this astonishingly beautiful country.

We have some gorgeous bold prints and silks in this season’s collection, and of course our stunning signature Florentine lace and bright leather pieces in completely new and very-chic colors. It will transport viewers into an Italian summer dream filled with olive trees, sun drenched hills and romance. Our jewelry and accessories complement the collection’s style and elevate each look to a higher level of luxury and elegance.

Do you have a favorite look in this collection?

There are several looks I love, and my favorites are often the simplest designs that are just purely elegant, or separates that are versatile and can be dressed up and down.

I love our Ambrosia dress, which is a modern take of the classic Hepburn midi dress but is combined with our incredible floral silk print and adorned with a touch of organza that creates a flirty yet super chic silhouette.

Where can readers purchase your designs?

Our Spring / Summer 2024 collection will soon be available to pre-order on our e-boutique at www.evaro.it. We also do shows and sales events internationally that you can learn about by following us @evaroitalia.

What's next for you as a designer and your brand?

Evaro Italia has been expanding slowly and steadily in both the clothing and accessory sectors, and we will continue to grow internationally as an Italian luxury fashion house. We are committed to our ongoing heritage of Italian craftsmanship, and each season we create limited edition collections using hand-sewn couture techniques and the utmost attention to detail. So even as we continue to grow and evolve, the core of our business is maintaining the outstanding quality of this Made in Italy tradition.

Fashion is very much a reflection of culture, and it’s an incredibly exciting time right now since the world is changing so quickly. The challenge for me is to look deeply at what’s happening in the world, which is drastic yet fluid, and continue to find ways to embrace and respond to this change while supporting our local artisans, sustainable principles, and tradition of Made in Italy craftsmanship. And of course all of this while staying true to the core of the brand and maintaining the essence of timeless beauty.

Links -

• Website - www.evaro.it
• Instagram - @evaroitalia
• Facebook - www.facebook.com/EvaroItalia

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Evaro Italia will be presenting their latest collection in the Global Fashion Collective show at NYFW SS24 on Sept. 11, 2023 at 4 p.m. This show is by invitation only. Please contact Global Fashion Collective for more information at info@globalfashioncollective.com