https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SilviaMonetti
Introduce yourself, whats your name and how did you choose your shop name?
My name is Monica, I am a fashion designer living in London. Six years ago I met another designer, Silvia, and our styles and visions absolutely clicked. My friends often call me Monetti as a nickname, so when Silvia and I decided to start our own brand, Silvia Monetti just came naturally as a name!
What skills do you think are important for a successful career in fashion design?
You have to be really passionate about your work and feel strongly about it. So many times have I had people give me suggestions that try to make my style more like other brands, and I used to give in easily to try to please everyone. I learned that you have to go for what you like and trust your instincts if you want to create something different!
How did you get started on Etsy?
I was a little bit intimidated at first, to be honest, but I did some research and saw that there isn’t really another store that has the style and feel of Silvia Monetti. I have been on Etsy as a buyer since forever, but Silvia is the one who made me confident that we should go for it - so we went for it!
What are your qualifications as a fashion designer?
I started off as a child model for Benetton and I think it was the lights and cameras that dazzled me at first! When I grew up a little I realised I would prefer to be behind the scenes putting together the dresses and tops that I would always look for in stores but never find. I have studied fashion and graphic design and worked with a few small boutiques before I started my own.
what inspires your design process?
I am very driven by my instincts. You know when you go looking for, say, a dress for a wedding you are attending, and you know exactly what you want, but you can’t find it? That’s me alll the time, so it’s only natural in the end I sketch it out and make it! I love looking at Vogue and Bazaar too, the style of those photographs is just so perfect!
In what general area of design do you enjoy?
I LOVE making women’s coats and dresses. Coats have a peculiar challenge - you have to keep it warm and practical and somehow find a way to make it look elegant and beautiful at the same time. And I love dresses because you have so much freedom and so many choices to make when putting together a dress!
How do you stay up to date with fashion?
I don’t try to go too crazy with staying up to date - I check out some of my favourite magazines occasionally (already mentioned Vogue and Bazaar), but other than that I try to distance myself a bit or I might get lost in other people’s collections and muddle my own style.
dress - vintage shop