Anyone who knows it knows: Pina is Pina, capable of being minimal and eccentric, innovative and traditionalist, capable of continually inventing new trends and preserving the most ancient memories. A woman who, for those who work in fashion, it is impossible not to have crossed paths. Journalist, creative director and fashion editor, now Pina Gandolfi has launched his own collection: the label is Pina G and proposes shirts, shirts and shirts.
Pina, however, does it in her own way, without bothering to follow trends, if anything, trying to create timeless stories, to rediscover the style of those who have been her myths, from Lee Miller to Coco Chanel, from Carlo Mollino to Jacque Henri Lartigue. And the whole is enriched by an important social project: his shirts are materially produced by the seamstresses of the Alice Cooperative, the first Italian manufacturing company guaranteed Fair Trade, which, working with the Milanese prison sections of San Vittore, Bollate and Monza, deals with job reintegration of women in difficulty.
How did you come up with this idea?
«I immediately state that the shirt is a fundamental piece for me: I always wear a white shirt at the beginning of the week and from all my travels I have always brought home a shirt as a souvenir. And so I started doing some pieces for myself and maybe I used it for shooting, on the models. They then started asking me where to buy those shirts… And so the Pina G collection was born ».
What does this collection consist of?
«First of all it is a conscious purchase: to make a non-industrialized shirt, therefore without an assembly line, it takes 8/10 hours and this means that everything is more accurate, more careful, certainly more durable. It is a collection out of fashion, not tied to the seasons: it follows the trend of good taste, attention to detail: it is designed as if it were an interchangeable suitcase, with eight pieces that, if well mixed, could have 16 different ways to interpret them “.
What differentiates your shirts from other shirts?
«They are sewn one by one by the skilled hands of the Alice Cooperative women and this is already a big difference: unique pieces with great tailoring, to be kept for at least 15 years and then perhaps passed on to their daughters. Then I look for material in stock, forgotten in warehouses, so as not to produce and put other things on an already overflowing planet, another way to be sustainable and not throw away an avalanche of clothes. And then the attention to detail, the buttons made in fabric and everything is handled by women. I hope you feel all the love that is inside ».
These shirts are made by the women of the Alice Cooperative, women who are in prison and who are trying to rebuild their future: can you tell us how it works?
«We are a social cooperative. We have a space in the city, which is beautiful, among other things, and the work takes place like in a classic laboratory: it opens at 8.30 and ends around 18. Inside it all women, artisans who are members of the cooperative, work regular salary. We meet once a week, on Wednesdays, to share projects and new orders, which from time to time require specializations. In the Monza prison, for example, we studied how to treat and work leather: we have a retired, voluntary consultant who teaches us the secrets of leather goods. I started getting to know the cooperative through Rosita Onofri, designer and pattern maker, currently responsible for collection and industrialization designs, as well as responsible for the training project. It is a very active reality, which follows many jobs: for example, it is here that the magistrates’ robes are sewn, all smocked ».
But where are Pina G’s shirts located?
“In the meantime, we have an online shop or in Milan, making an appointment in the atelier, filling out our form on the website and then we are on tour, often guests of shops that embrace our philosophy, at friends’ homes and in art galleries. I really like the direct contact with those who buy one of my shirts, I like to tell the story and transfer my enthusiasm for a supportive and glamorous project at the same time ».
.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
