We can always rely on young and emerging designers to bring fresh and innovative proposals to the show with a critical vision of the world we live in. Emanuele Carrera presents his first collection outside of fashion school and does so by mixing elements that refer to both the Renaissance and the Baroque, as well as social situations that have been talked about since the 1940s, where women want to get rid of gender roles and celebrate their femininity.
The Giacinta collection recovers hyper-feminine silhouettes as a symbol of power, moving away from the need to break gender roles by transferring masculine silhouettes to women's wardrobes, an unnecessary exercise when a skirt carries as much or more symbolic weight as a suit. Draped and gathered silhouettes and shapes that allude to the works of the great fashion houses of the twentieth century wish to recover the French savoir-faire along with the tradition of craftsmanship and the great craft of haute couture that is produced to this day in Italy, Carrera's country of origin.
Having graduated in fashion design from the Accademia Belle Arte di Napoli, and after a stop in Barcelona to broaden his horizons and references, his next destination is Paris. In this interview, he gives us details about his collection, his vision of the industry, and what we can expect from his promising future.
Having graduated in fashion design from the Accademia Belle Arte di Napoli, and after a stop in Barcelona to broaden his horizons and references, his next destination is Paris. In this interview, he gives us details about his collection, his vision of the industry, and what we can expect from his promising future.
Hi Emanuele! It’s a pleasure talking to you. Your career is just starting, so I would like you to introduce yourself the way you want to be known by your future audience.
My name is Emanuele Carrera. I am 24 years old and from Naples. Ever since I was a child, the best way for me to express myself has been through art, drawing, and colours. I attended the fashion design course at the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples. My academic path has allowed me to experiment with and approach many artistic branches that have enriched my knowledge and my vision as a designer. I consider myself an enterprising dreamer and a curious person. I am eager to gain new experiences in order to advance my career.
The process of building a collection while in fashion school brings out so many different emotions in the creators; some suffer and worry throughout the whole process, whilst others confront it with a very positive and optimistic mindset. I feel like when you’re already outside that space and working for the first time on your own, the process must be much more relaxed and liberating. How was it for you? Did you notice any difference between designing inside and outside school?
The creation process for this collection was something natural and instinctive. I was in charge of myself, making sometimes difficult decisions. During an academic path, one is always guided by a teacher, who can weigh more or less on your decisions. But when you are quote unquote alone in a project, I believe you have to be more scrupulous, even harsh, with yourself.
Before we talk about the collection itself, I'm curious about your process as a fashion student. Has your evolution in style and taste developed in such a way that this first collection feels consequential with the ones you did throughout your major, or are you more leaning towards exploring different aesthetics, and this one represents another point of view from you?
I believe that style is something that matures over the years and experiences. I have always had a very clear vision of my world and my aesthetics, but they have certainly evolved over the course of my creations. In my collections, there has always been a timeless image—dresses that for many were something old, but in my eyes, they were something well-made, an aesthetic that lasts over time. In this collection, this idea is still present, and I think it will always be. But I tried to open my vision and embrace more contemporary and fresh aesthetics.
This collection touches on some important topics related to the fashion industry. You highlight the idea of couture, which is losing its place against faster and more functional practises. Would you like to keep this premise in mind for your future collections and projects, being aware of the undeniable fact that the industry and consumers tend to favour brands that can produce more and faster?
I think it is undeniable that in the fashion industry, haute couture, artisanal work, etc. are the smaller slices of the pie. But I believe it is essential to distinguish oneself from large-scale production, which, yes, may be easier, faster, and more accessible to everyone, but at the expense of quality, the environment, and respect for the ideas of designers who also value the smallest detail that can make a difference. And that is why I will continue to prefer this vision of fashion.
The concept for choosing the colour palette of the collection is really beautiful—a range that evokes the shades of dawn, representing a return to life. I know the fabrics you used come from deadstock, which is great, but were you able to find exactly the types of textures and colours you were looking for? Do you work first on the colour or the materials?
When I work on a collection, colour is a dominant and decisive factor for me. I believe that colour has great power when communicating through images and clothes. In the case of this collection, I started with the choice of fabrics, deciding to use deadstock fabrics. Of course, this idea did not simplify the search for materials that matched the collection well. But with the right determination and research, I found the right compromise between the idea and practicality.
You include very prominent silhouettes that reflect a hyperfeminine aesthetic that, far from being vulnerable, celebrates power. Do you think we've passed the ‘women wearing suits to portray strength’ narrative?
We live in a social context where women are, in some ways, still seen as the weaker sex. I think there is still a lot to work on and change. Fashion, more than any other discipline, embraces and reflects cultural values and strongly reflects the historical-cultural context. There have been steps forward, of course, thanks to a lot of activism also done in the fashion world. Just look at the work done by Maria Grazia Chiuri for Dior—a continuous display of women not only through aesthetics but also and above all as workers, producers, and creators. I hope that one day, not too far away, fashion will be a form of self-expression and not a disguise to look like someone else.
You collaborated with the designer Merrfer on the footwear we can see in the lookbook from the collection, and it seems like you were able to reach a really good synergy. What's the value of collaborations as creators for you, especially in fashion?
I believe that collaboration is something that is mandatory. The fashion world is a system made up of many people, and I think that only when people work together and there is a mutual exchange of ideas and values, something beautiful is born. Collaborations are always valuable. A continuous comparison is a way to never fossilise in one's own ideas, a continuous enrichment. In fact, my experience with Merrfer didn't happen by chance. Starting from a common point, that is, giving new life to deadstock materials Then each one developed their own projects with a personal aesthetic that, thanks also to a bit of serendipity, met, creating a perfect blend.
You have presented your first collection, and after that, I'm sure there are many more to come. What are some concepts or themes you're curious about exploring in future projects?
There are many themes that I would like to explore, many ideas to put on paper, and many visions to take into consideration. I would like to focus on subcultures, giving them the right value and obviously my own interpretation. History and traditions are a source of knowledge and security for me, but I would like to blend these foundations with the new generation and the new micro-trends, creating a fresh and new approach.
Italy, Spain, and soon France: traveling is definitely a way of feeding yourself not only culture but also aesthetics, styles, and references. How is each country relevant to your life and reflect in your work, if they do?
If I am here today doing this interview and presenting this collection, it is also thanks to the cities where I have lived. Firstly, Naples, my hometown, is rich in history, customs, and a theatrical city that is chaotic but also full of contradictions and problems that led me to the decision to leave and move to Barcelona. A beautiful, wonderful city that adopted me and gave me many opportunities. It is inevitable for me to be influenced by this; it is a very important factor. I have an important emotional connection with the cities where I have lived, as if they were people with personalities that constantly inspire me. In the not-too-distant future, I would like to go to Paris, one of the fashion capitals, where I can challenge myself and see opportunities for growth.
Finally, what can we expect from you? You've already achieved the big part of successfully starting your career and releasing your first official and very interesting collection; what are the next steps after that?
This collection is the starting point for other adventures for me. I will undoubtedly continue to create, imagine, and work on my projects that are not limited to the design world, but I am trying to touch on more fashion disciplines, such as styling, to experiment and step out of my comfort zone. I'm putting myself out there now more than ever. I don't close any doors, so I couldn't say exactly where and what I see myself doing in the immediate future.
As I said before, I like to reinvent myself every day and let myself be carried away by the society that surrounds me, be it through music, architecture, city vibes, etc. At the same time, however, I cultivate a strong bond with classicism and timeless aesthetics. Therefore, I do not exclude the possibility of continuing my studies one day to enrich my cultural knowledge. At the same time, I am always working on my creations and bringing new collections to life.
As I said before, I like to reinvent myself every day and let myself be carried away by the society that surrounds me, be it through music, architecture, city vibes, etc. At the same time, however, I cultivate a strong bond with classicism and timeless aesthetics. Therefore, I do not exclude the possibility of continuing my studies one day to enrich my cultural knowledge. At the same time, I am always working on my creations and bringing new collections to life.
