Hibourama...a young, fresh emerging brand that affirms itself more and more each day. A curious name - but it doesn’t sound new to you? Well, you’d be right! Because if we take a step look back in our posts, we’ve already talked about Hibourama and about the story of Rachele Macini and Maila Ferlisi. Today however, we present them in a new way because they themselves are here to tell it to you. Ob-Fashion interviewed the two friends, who were at first connected by a teacher-student bond, then going on with determination and talent to realise a dream, and their brand.Hibourama, is a brand of bags that distinguishes itself for its character and high quality. But how did this project come about? And the name? “HIBOURAMA comes from the term ‘hibou’, owl, and Rama which are the first two letters of our names, put together. The project began in 2011 when we met at the Koefia Academy, and decided to bring life to a bag collection, thus realising our big dream."Hibourama is a growing reality - how so, how does it evolve over time? “Lots of activity and novelty is developing around Italian fabrication and the hand manufacture of bags characterised by embroidery, an Art handed down to us from many generations. One example is the recent opening of the atelier in Rome, a large space of 400m2 with annexes for styling, design, embroidery, research and development. Thanks to the advent of a group of social investors, Hibourama has activated a growth program on the market, both internally and externally.”How would you define Hibourama’s style? “A traditional made in Italy style, but with international hints that unite masterly Italian manufacture with high fashion trends, always with its own interpretation and never without its absolutely identifiable stylistic figure. The Hibourama style parts from the concept of demi-couture revisited: iconic bags that are versatile, for everyday use. It seeks to overcome the concept of ‘one for every occasion’, aiming to make each bag unique and suitable for all occasions. In order to do this we use fine material of absolute quality, hand worked, contrasting with the symbols and embroidery that make a unique product of every bag.”Where does your inspiration come from? “From nature, from our curiosity about different countries and the cultures that offer to us the possibility to wander, discovering new forms of expression. The latest collection, presented in Milan and Paris for Autumn 2019 for example takes inspiration from Armenia, with its warm tones in juxtaposition with cool, decisive shades, all enriched with weaves of leather and embroidery on resin and canvas.”
Hibourama creations really have a difference. Where are the bags produced? Which materials do you prefer? “Hibourama products are 100% made in Italy. The entire process is undergone in Italy by craftsmen and professionals. Fine leathers, semi-precious stones and frame embroidery are favoured, with careful refinery, advocating high quality.”What advice would you like to give to emerging talented young designers who want to get noticed, especially within Italy? “Young talents must know that it’s important to have a solid base, made up of study and experience in the field; they must be humble and believe strongly in their dream. They must then be able to form a complementary team of professionals that covers the scope, that even the greatest talented individuals cannot do alone. Only in discovering one’s own limits can one then understand at which point they need the help of a team, to keep moving forwards and achieve their bigger goals.”How can the concept of luxury be described today? How do you interpret it in your collections? “The concept of luxury is to create an object of desire that can accompany the beautiful moments of whoever wears it. It’s to enrich the product with all that attracts visual attention, tactile and sensitive to whoever comes near and discovers it. It thus means uniting memories, those unique, unforgettable ones, to that bag you chose because it made that occasion unique.”For the woman the bag is...“The most important accessory of the everyday that distinguishes her life, her style and the various occasions in which she participates, keeping her secrets safely enclosed.”What are your objectives, your future projects? “The business aims to expand to the United States, the Arabic Emirates and China. Our strategy for this sees the opening of pop-up stalls in the most important department stores on a global level; also in luxury hotel chains, events and trunk shows in locations that are hot on trend. Today the brand confides in international show-rooms that cover the European, Arabic Emirates, Russian, Chinese, Japanese and American markets. In Italy we already collaborate with Rinascente and Coin Excelsior with whom we distribute exclusively in other markets”. Discover theri bags here.