Lisa Tigano is a young designer, creator of the fashion brand EllemenTi , who with creativity and determination creates collections of clothes studied in detail and totally “made in Italy”. She told us how her models are born and gave us some important style tips, also anticipating next season’s trends. How the idea of your brand EllemenTi
was born EllemenTi was born from the resolution of female problems (almost non-existent, but annoying), both physical and aesthetic, found primarily on my body and subsequently comparing myself with my possible clientele: the woman.
The project focuses on the concept that most people when observing, notice details of their appearance that do not reflect the canons dictated by the 2.0 mass. Consequently, two cases coexist: continuing one’s life regardless of one’s defects or using the dress as a refuge where you can hide them. What follows is that the clothes, which cover certain parts of the body to make them invisible, transform them into the parts of the body where the gaze is most rested: “bringing out what’s inside”. So I decided to summarize this thought in EllemenTi, in which ELLE.TI are my initials and the insertion of the word “mind” (= the place where the activity of thought takes place) wants to underline that everything that is created and produced is researched and cared for in the minimum detail . In your collection Nascondiglio transparent copper you use particular materials such as PVC, for which reason
Nascondiglio transparent copper develops through the use of 100% natural fabrics , realizing the desire to maintain the idea of a time, in which the synthetic composition existed in reduced doses. In addition to eco fur and padding – doubled with cashmere and viscose – the collection integrates PVC. Since I was a child I used to have fun at my grandmother’s house, playing with cling film, directly on top of the clothes that my mother had patiently ironed for me. This plastic material , discovered in the now distant second year of university, allowed me to be able to create interesting overlapping concepts , being able to develop the idea of: “I’ll wear it anyway, even if it rains!”. Today it is really difficult to be able, only minimally to imagine, to create something ingenious, innovative and at the same time comfortable, using classic and synthetic fabrics. So I thought of combining my childhood with a well-known thought. This is how contrasting outfits are born: PVC skirt superimposed on a second one in 100% cashmere and combined with a sweater handmade by the grandmother. [One of the contrasting outfits signed by EllemenTi was worn by Martina Panagia at the last Venice Film Festival ed.] What inspires you in creating your EllemenTi models comes from careful observation of my way of dressing and the various problems I encountered in the fateful moment of dressing up my body.
My models are born from what I buy or what I have previously conceived; trying to best develop the modification to be made to make the garment more comfortable, or with a detail that can make it unique: for example the cover of the button in copper leaf or the buttonhole of the ribbon made by hand.
I would also like to add that I am easily attracted by everything that surrounds me, consequently I believe that the models I create can be born from the unconscious and constant research made by my eyes. In short, I can be inspired by the lady on the third floor while she is hanging out the laundry, from the latest collection by Jil Sander. Who are your masters of style Thanks to the thesis of 2015 in IED Moda_Milano, I had the opportunity to have Gabriele Colangelo by my side, which allowed me to understand and thus take part in a school of thought that is minimal, sophisticated and tailoring. My style masters are Celine, Jil Sander, Maison Martin Margela, Marni di Consuelo Castiglioni and without a doubt my grandmother . In addition to giving me the love of doing things, she taught me to observe and do anything in the best way.
In fact now, while we are decorating a simple cake together, she repeats to me (in Brianza dialect): “Don’t overdo it … you have become worse than me!” Hiding the defects of the body through the choice of clothes, this is your philosophy: you can give us some adviceKnowing how to accept your body is not easy, we live in a time when most people want to achieve relative perfection. I struggle every day to accept my body with its strengths and weaknesses. I believe that beyond the perfect subjective physicality, the woman needs a dress that makes her feel good , without the need to exaggerate. This is why EllemenTi tries to shape collections that allow you to build a refuge that makes women feel at ease. What is the most serious mistake a woman can make when she gets dressed I want to premise something very important to me: each of us must dress, not to follow the “trend of the moment”, but to feel goodand above all, expressing one’s identity. The most serious mistake is not combining blue with black, but wearing a garment – lately it may be the spotted coat – only because it has been seen in magazines. I am against the saying “dress does not make the monk”, considering that we live in a society where what we show is closely linked to our identity. The latter, on a social level, in many cases, is of fundamental importance, because it helps us to understand more than we imagine, avoiding, however, allowing ourselves to be influenced by preconceptions. It is really important, as it is difficult, to let our personality express itself through our clothing. What do you suggest for the Christmas and New Year’s lookI like to make the EllemenTi woman feel at ease. That’s why, especially for the cold Christmas I guess: a warm atmosphere with pure wool blankets lying on white sofas, cotton candles around the house, jazz music in the background and the EllemenTi burgundy dress with a trapezoid bow, worn with a turtleneck and comfortable platform shoes, without forgetting the sock, to move around the house safely.
Instead for New Year’s Eve other emotions invade my mind: wandering around the cold foreign city, the scent of the sweet and savory stalls, chaos in the background and high-waisted palazzo trousers in cashmere, silk organza top and padded coat with fur collar all over total black EllemenTi. I forgothat with ribbon and shoes that are not too high … You need to be ready to dance the night away! You can anticipate some trends of the spring / summer collectionThe S | S 2019 collection is realized through the observation, on a special December day, of Costanza, covered in a white wool dress, clearly hand-knitted, probably by her grandmother, intent on playing with her. The attentive four-year-old girl made me jump into the past and it occurred to me when in that magical night my mother handed me a large Japanese box, completely blue with inside: a tin of markers, pencils and watercolors, a stack of white sheets and a completely red coat, in waxed plastic. Regardless of the precise directives given to me, I decided to use those markers on my bare arms as white sheets and to draw numerous lines. I, infinitely happy with the gift, the mother furious with herself for the choice made.l white, cream, blue and red. The fabrics used are 100% natural, integrating, however, the choice of adopting contrasting fabrics such as coated cotton and PVC. Both knitted and hand knitted, with the use of needles, takes shape with the mix of BIO cotton and linen.
Which famous woman would you like to dress
To this question I would like to answer by saying that I would not like to dress a “famous woman”, on the contrary, I would like EllemenTi to make every woman feel famous in her daily life.
