NJF TeamA fashion designer that does not follow references
Not Just Fashion Magazine interviewed Sol Mirabella, an argentinian girl in constant search of new ideas for her fashion designs not having references that could modify her creative vision. Let`s learn more about her and her brand.
Tell us about you. Your country of origin and your education in the fashion world.
I am from a small city in the south of Argentina in the Patagonia. It is a very pretty city, very cold, surrounded by mountains, lakes and woods. Its name is Esquel and every time I think of it leaves me a sensation of nostalgy, silence and life.
I left when I just turned 18 years-old to study in Buenos Aires. I love the city, growing up in such a small place made me dream of living in the city. Full of lights and people everywhere, things to do every day and a lot of movement. I studied a short career on styling and then fashion design at the University of Palermo.
I worked four years with a fashion producer who taught me a lot. He made me realize what fashion is all about. Then I spent a year working as a freelance pattern maker. Pattern is what I like the most followed by confection but the fact is that this work did not give me the satisfaction that I thought it would give me. So I began to assemble clothing for me and that led me to start my own small project.
I always wanted to travel. Coming here to Europe was the next step. I thought there was still time and without realizing I had a ticket to Barcelona. I had traveled to Europe before but I did not know anything about Spain so I came for three months to see what was there for me, and well, I have a year and a half here and I’m not thinking about leaving yet.
Did you always think about fashion as a profesional career?
I am not going to lie, my mother convinced me a lot. She always motivated my siblings and me to follow a more creative career. During my career I did not know where to go to, the work on production made me realize I enjoyed it a lot but it was not what I wanted to do forever. This changed. Nevertheless, I follow my project as a process of self-discovery and draining, not as something commercial.
How would you define your style as a fashion designer?
I do not know how to define myself. I keep discovering new things and it is a process. I can tell you that is directly related to my emotional side and whatever happens to me. I try to generate new patterns. As you can see super basic clothing, there are also some that have a pattern development a little bit more complicated, generating cuts and new frames.
What are your references in the world of fashion?
I try to look as little as possible because I do not want to be influenced when designing. I can say that there are designers that I like a lot. But I remain far away from what is fashion in general. I do not pay attention to the media, shows and journalists. Some say it’s not ideal because it actually helps but it’s my way of being and seeing what I do as something more personal.
Tell us about NASIF
NASIF was born in a moment in which I needed a little bit more of energy, of disconnecting from work and search for something that would motivate me. I dedicated Sundays to create something for me. When I started receiving comments about the things I wore I realized that making things for others could be an option. My friends finally convinced me and here is the result.
NASIF is the last name of my mother. I feel very identified with her, for not saying that we are equal. She always encouraged me a lot to develop my creative side and inspired me when getting dressed. NASIF is a Lebanese last name and Arab blood runs strong in us. I feel that all this is much reflected in the clothing I make.
What I look for is to reflect my more emotional side and generate emotions in people who use it. I try to make treasures for women who buy it, that each item they purchase is special. Something very important when making this clothing is that they are as beautiful inside as outside, confection is very important.
How would you define the style of NASIF?
NASIF is characterized by unique timeless pieces, with a design focused directly on pattern, each one of them handcrafted, paying attention to confection, seeking new ways to combine genres and always emphasizing the female silhouette.
NASIF garments have a combination of simple cuts, focused more on the details of construction. It reflects a mixture of vintage with oversized clothing, always paying attention on being very feminine.
Is this your first collection?
This is my fifth collection.
The first one was called Frágil (Fragile). My favourite. It took me months to assemble it and the campaign reflects perfectly my emotional state. My twin is a photographer and we have an unique connection, she understands exactly what I want when we take pictures and that campaign is beautiful. The collection was perfect and was the one I brought with me to Barcelona a year and a half ago and was very well received. It marked a change there and marked a change here.
The second one is called Fardo (Bale). It is not noticeable to the naked eye but it is what reminds me of my childhood in the countryside with my grandparents.
I made the third one in Barcelona. It was named Fases (Phases). It reflects my emotional change and the discovery of new fabrics and shapes. The change is noticeable in the clothing and the campaign. Very bright compared to the previous ones.
The fourth was called Frío (Cold). I never published it because it happened in the middle of a very strong internal change. I made the pictures with my sister who came for visiting and they are darker as the first ones, but they have more “light” to put it in some way.
The actual one is the fifth, Fracciones (Fractions). It represents a piece of every part of a year and a half that has been assembling what I am today.
I have a probleam with letter “F” and I did not realize it until the last collection.
How lond did it take you to confection the last collection?
I never finish the collections. In fact, all of them are part of a single process. There is no stop from one collection to the other. The assembly of a collection starts when the campaign from the previous one goes out. Modifying past silhouettes, improve them, adapt them to weather and think about the new campaign.
What materials did you use for the designs of this collection?
I never include stamps on the collections and if there is, it is a little bit. At this time the campaign image is a stamp. I mutate because I never know what I’ll use until I see it and I fall in love. But I always move along with cotton and in winter, I use a lot of tapestry and wool.
Fashion in Argentina or in Barcelona?
As I said before I do not pay much attention. They are so alike and so different at the same time.
Argentina has super talented people (designers, journalists, stylists, bloggers and all around the fashion word), it has the platforms for them and the willingness. But Barcelona, besides all that, has people interested in learning even if they do not belong to that environment, tourists and people from here. There is more inclusion for those just starting and a larger market.
I came here thinking it would be impossible but they have opened the doors for me everywhere and are ALWAYS willing to give you a chance.
Where can we find your designs?
By now at LANTOKI (C/ Doctor dou 15), an incredible co-working space. Their owners are pure love.
And at Plhi ( C/ Comtesa de Sobradiel 10), a beautiful store that sells its own designs and independent brands. The owner is also Argentinian.
What are your projects and future aspirations?
I do not think much in the long term. Realizing that always my things change from one day to the next one my idea now is to grow here, make my brand known and stablish. Regarding Argentina, my intention is to keep happy the few customers I have and later on grow there as well. I know is ambitious but one can always dream right?
We invite you to take a look at a video of her last collection, Fracciones (Fractions).