Special report “The new rhythms of fashion”: Nellie Partow The 10 November 2020 - Première Vision Paris

“We live at a time when tenacity has become
the driving force to work and overcome the
challenges we face. Designing my latest
collection during the lock-down was one
such example… We tried to juggle between
the closings – and re-openings – of the Italian
and American factories and had to deal with
their limitations, and their deadlines, because
their calendars had been totally turned upside
down. Manufacturing the collection was
also a real challenge. We had to select the
materials virtually – even though the actual
experience is so eminently physical and tactile,
the very essence of my job as a designer.
We developed a close collaboration with
suppliers who were able to work, using virtual
platforms to move forward. But this experience also gave me time to think. I thought a lot about how fashion works, and in particular about the wastefulness in production methods.
There’s just no reason today to multiply the offer. Our fashion house stands behind this firm belief: we create carefully honed collections four times a year and produce on demand.
We’re always learning and adapting. We will
continue to reflect on all this as we celebrate
the brand’s 10th anniversary. I wanted to
become a designer to empower people through
clothing. I created my business on my own,
from scratch. Now I want to speak about
diversity and inclusiveness. My goal is to give
the best of myself to become an example and
give support to the younger generations, with
one absolute conviction: even in the Covid
era, even in adversity, there is always a way.”