Cinzia, when was your passion for fabrics born? Do you remember your first creation? And when was your clothing brand born?
For my first handcrafted product, I forced my mother to do a tour de force with crochet to put together a multitude of flaps with which I made a miniskirt. I still have it.
I was twenty-five, so let's talk about forty years ago. And with a knitwear factory, which is still the same today, I made improbable sweaters of my inspiration.
My brand was born by chance: with a group of exquisitely creative friends we organized a day among artisans. I exhibited iron frames... and together with three friends we also put together a small collection of dresses, 250 pieces. We sold 249 in two days.
So why not continue?
How is your work done? Do you have something to tell us about your creative flow?
I like to surround myself with creatives and collaborate with them , insert their ideas and their skills in my creations. So, in my one-of-a-kind pieces, you'll find fabrics dyed in water with the Ebru technique, shibori, rusted, microwaved or made with complicated Japanese stitching.
My creative process involves an idea born from what I see: photos, paintings, films. Around, on the road, on the road.
Reworking, creation and sloppiness.
I define my style as cialtronchic and my workshop is a living room where to chat and always find creative innovations. Not just mine, of course.
You talked about your bosses. Who are they meant for? Who do you think is your ideal client?
The added value of my clothes is that everyone can wear them. Fat, skinny, tall, short women... all have to fit in well.
I think this has always been one of my main goals as a "stylist". I dress all women.
What do you think about fashion and its impact on the environment? Do you do anything in your business to reduce it?
I don't like the word fashion. It is restrictive and provides for a time limit. I produce the same model of trousers thirty years ago and they still want it.
In my atelier I reuse sheets, those from old kits, which cannot be eliminated for emotional reasons and are stored in the cellars by my client-friends, and tablecloths, patches, strips of wool...
And then, my productions are very limited, and there is no waste in my laboratory! In fact I have created a series of 'hanging extravaganzas' with fabrics and other materials left over from various other creative processes.
Tell us about your atelier, Tornosubito&Ester in Corso Como 8 in Milan, what more can you tell us?
As mentioned, my workshop is above all a place for chatting, a place for friends and a place for creative ideas.
I'll be right back, I thought of calling myself that given my passion for coffee breaks. Ester is my daughter, with whom I share the atelier, which creates unique jewels in bronze and silver.
Also there are the creations and jewels of my brother, Furio Agiman. And now we have decided to continue what we did with ZamaLabz, here in the shop.
Let's take a step back. ZamaLabz was born from your idea, what did you have in mind? And now will you exhibit the works of the creators of ZamaLabz live?
Yes, let's say that ZamaLabz was born from my proposal. In the midst of the pandemic, with many activities and with many creatives still due to the restrictions, I thought I'd start proposing a "Christmas shopping guide" made up only of artists, craftsmen and creatives I know.
I wanted to offer friends and acquaintances an alternative to amazon for gifts, basically. Then one thing led to another and with my son we created ZamaLabz, an instagram page, then a website, then e-commerce.
And now finally also live! We have decided to exhibit a selection of unique products from the ZamaLabz online catalog in our atelier. We will always have new creations, we will introduce you to new creators and we will help you with advice or ideas to find the unique piece that's right for you.
Obviously not all the products in the online catalog will be on display, but all of them can be ordered from the shop!
You said yours are customer friends. Can you tell us more?
Certainly. Over the years my clients have been so much more than that. We have had fashion shows, events and performances with my clients at the centre.
The performances in which I really enjoyed were many: a fashion show with my clients as models in the deconsecrated chapel of Sant'Ambrogio in Milan, surrounded by magical photos of Furio.
A striptease to the sound of Nine and a Half Weeks, always with my clients as protagonists, who wore as many pieces as I'll be right back, one on top of the other... the winner? He had 169!!
A video comparing Us and Barbie dressed alike (no comment). A mythical generational parade: grandmothers, mothers and daughters with the exact same clothes... a demented Tai Chi in the Venice park in woolen dressing gowns.
Contrasts between 80 and 40 kg, 180 and 150 cm, 20 and 98 years old. I really dressed them all, and beautiful relationships and friendships were born.
I still haven't stopped having fun and surrounding myself with artists and craftsmen, my workshop is a cross between Shulz's Lucy Van Pelt psychiatrich help stall, Claire Bretécher's restless housewife and myself, a sure borderline of fashion design management stylist trend mode image consultant..... or not?
