They intrigue. They reveal. They identify. Accessories are a signature of our style and our personality. They manage to express what we don't say, with words but also with the same clothes. They leave us free to dare, to express ourselves, to be ourselves. They are that magical touch that colors our looks making them unique. Like the wearer. As you well understand, our Talk about today focuses on accessories, in particular those of two exclusive emerging and made in Italy brands: with us Cristiana Pellegrino and Giovanna Cascella founders of the brand of bags Beblasé and Viola Cajo De Cristoforis founder of the Arja Cajo foulard label.
A few short introductions and we are already immersed in a flow of words that bring us together to reflect on the exclusivity of the accessory, starting from the creation. Arja Cajo foulard, for example, are born from the photos that the photographer and designer takes of the flowers...
Viola, what led you to fashion?
Viola Cajo: “My approach to fashion is transversal. I am a photographer, I wanted to expand the world of photography by coming to fashion with a new approach. Romantic. I want to wrap, embrace people with my photographs and make them feel unique. With the macro lens, I enter the flowers and capture their essence, colors, messages. In the Nineteenth century people talked through flowers... I believe in the uniqueness of people, so each person chooses his scarf and therefore his message. To feel beautiful outside and good inside ”.
It is true that your creations convey messages, sensations, emotions. They are made with love, craft and time. Precious time. Destined to stay with us for a long time, sometimes a whole life, overcoming the barriers of the seasons and trends.
Giovanna, what led you to choose to found and launch Beblasé?
Giovanna Cascella: "As Viola also said, uniqueness. The will to create something unique and exclusive, playing with shapes, materials and colors. Our bags, which have also found an innovative aspect in the patent, and the accessories allow us to express the creativity that we carry with us every day ".
I find that your women have similar traits. They are delicate, feminine but independent and fighting. Graceful in facing everyday life, determined and confident in decisions: they can change, decide how to represent themselves every day.
Cristiana Pellegrino: “Yes, I agree, our woman is a nice little fight. The Beblasé are bags that last over time, are timeless, creations that can be worn from morning to evening thanks to the patent that allows turning the flap to change their look. During the day the woman changes many times, because of her mood but also because the commitments, the occasions and the needs change. The idea of having a bag that changes with you, which leaves us this freedom, led to the birth of the patent."
Viola Cajo: “Lightness, this is precisely the key word. The Arja Cajo woman protects herself lightly, that same lightness with which she manages to face everything. Arja Cajo was born from lightness, from the air. It is protection, it is courage ”.
Fashion is a fascinating but complicated world. Many different and contrasting aspects characterize it. What relationship do you have with fashion and its diversity?
Viola Cajo: “I am very determined. When I believe in one thing, in a project I persevere with constancy, in short I don't give up. Even in swinging moments I go ahead, tell, bring and spread this story, even on different channels. "
Giovanna Cascella: "The aspect that I feel closest to me is that the system. You can't do fashion alone, it's a group, it's a world. Let's think about the laboratories, the entire supply chain... What I feel further away is what has become over time, pure business, orientation towards large numbers."
Cristiana Pellegrino: "The moments of down are balanced by those of maximum creativity: I actively suffer, both sinking and re-emerging."
And how much do emotions, your emotions and your emotional state affect what you do?
Cristiana Pellegrino: “I am disconnected from the emotional state, I can still be creative even in difficult times. Even during the lockdown I never put creativity aside."
Viola Cajo: “I am immersed in emotions, I follow them, without limits. In this delicate period I created a lot: creating is a kind of therapy, it leaves room for the imagination, for the project ".
Giovanna Cascella: “Creativity is an escape from sadness, from the most difficult moments. In this period, for example, we had to adapt with difficulty: the mind, the human brain gives you the opportunity to find strategies, ways to not succumb. In the down moments, something activates that leads you to look beyond, to surprise yourself ".
Your accessories are vibrant, brilliant. What are your favorite colors?
Giovanna Cascella e Cristiana Pellegrino: “We can answer the fuchsia in chorus. And the whole palette of pinks."
Viola Cajo: “I love them in periods. I am going through the blue Klein period, coming from a white moment and entering a pink phase ”.
Well then as a lover of pink we can say that ours is a fil rose! But still tell me something. What will be the next project to pull out of the drawer?
Viola Cajo: “Among the various projects, collaborations and co-branding were born in this period, projects that join forces. I would like to break away from the classic circuit of the collection by offering many mini pills, capsules and thus generating direct and constant contact. Always be present in small drops. In the pot, other things are boiling but I still can't lift the lid and reveal them ..."
Giovanna Cascella: "Among the projects we would like to take up a discussion that has started and remained outstanding, enriching it: that is, to re-propose and reinterpret the concept of a work bag".
One last question, or rather a proposal: do you want to send a message to our readers?
Giovanna Cascella: "Yes, I would like to send a message, a starting point to think about. Over time, the gap between cost and value has widened more and more, also creating distrust in consumers. Just think of everything that is conceived with planned deterioration. Everyone, large and small brands, we should make an effort and realign these two aspects in order to also launch a positive message. If we think about the products of value, quality already have sustainability in them".
Viola Cajo: "This situation made us come back down to earth. To restore the right value and recognition to things, I think this is the message to be transmitted. Create with quality, recognize who creates but make sure that the product spreads ".
There is a need for clarity, transparency, to rediscover the true value of things. And you Cristiana, what do you think?
Cristiana Pellegrino: "I hope that the network that united us, made us united in this period now moved to the real world and remained alive ".
In some moments, often in the most difficult, we are led to focus attention on topics, themes, emotions not previously considered. Keep your good intentions, rediscover beauty, seek the true value of things. Always.