Milan Fashion Week has just started and with it the usual criticisms about well-established Italian designers and brands not allowing young people to emerge and come up with more experimental and cutting-edge designs as it happens in London. But thanks to the “Fashion Incubator” project launched by the Camera Nazionale della Moda (National Chamber of Italian Fashion) six young designers and brands had the chance to present their collections in Milan. Among them there was also Elena Pignata and Valentina Vizio’s a.Ve. The brand received excellent feedback for its Spring/Summer 09 collection prevalently characterised by neutral colours such as grey and black, with just a splash of dusty lilac and characterised by an imaginative use of materials - sheerer and opaque fabrics - that created a relationship between the dress and the body of the wearer, while liberating at the same time the forms.   

DD: How did you and Valentina meet up?
Elena Pignata: It happened by complete chance. I was teaching at the Istituto Seller, a fashion school based in Alba, near Turin, and Valentina was among the students. She had just finished her degree in architecture in Milan and decided she wanted to become a fashion designer. We realised we got along really well and decided to took part in the “Next Generation” competition, launched by the National Chamber of Italian Fashion. We were selected and showed our first collection at Milan Fashion Week. Then we were included in another project again by the National Chamber, called “Fashion Incubator” that was started to promote up-and-coming Italian designers. Six designers and brands were selected among 120 candidates and we were offered the chance to show first at the Tokyo Fashion Week and last week in Milan.

DD: Is a.VE your main fashion project or do you also collaborate with other designers and brands?
EP: I have my own atelier in Turin, called Ombra di Foglia, where I sell my own creations and Valentina designs Iceberg’s collections. Working as consultants for other brands and designers gave us the financial stability to work also on a.Ve which was originally born as a side project, though, so far it has done rather well, also thanks to the support of the National Chamber.   

DD: Your label has an unusual Latin name, how did you come up with it?
EP: We were looking for an Italian name and we both liked the sound of the word ‘Ave’, though we didn’t want people to link it exclusively to expressions such as ‘Ave Maria’ (Hail Mary) or ‘Ave, Caesar’ (Hail, Caesar). So we transformed the word into an acronym for ‘Ante Vesperum Edicta’ that means ‘made before the sunset’.

DD: Is there an element you use as a constant inspiration for your designs?
EP: We often use as main reference stones, because they are eroded by time and are therefore constantly transformed in their forms and shapes. We see our garments as something that can be worn every day, though by mixing some garments with others you can create elegant outfits to wear on special occasions or on a night out. To achieve this look in constant transformation we play with different materials, juxtaposing rougher and smoother materials, creating in this way interesting effects.  

DD: Which event did enjoy best, the fashion week in Tokyo or Milan?
EP: We had great expectations for our Tokyo experience since we potentially saw the Japanese market as more interested in our designs and products. The fashion show in Tokyo was perfectly organised and everything was absolutely impeccable. Yet it didn’t generate a great media interest in our brand as Japan seems to be more attracted by more traditional Italian designers. In Milan instead, though the organisation of the show wasn’t as impeccable, we received a lot of attention from the national and international media.  

DD: Where do you sell your creations?
EP: In my atelier in Via Catania 16, Turin, and at a showroom in Milan. Our site will soon be updated and it will be possible to buy items from it as well.  
      
DD: Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
EP: We would like to see our creations being sold also abroad, maybe in Great Britain and America as we feel our designs would fit in the fashion scene of such countries. In the meantime, we will have our next fashion show in Milan in February as the National Chamber is giving us this opportunity again. We do not aspire to become rich and famous, but we would like to see our collections in a few shops all over the world.