Meet Celebrated Italian Fashion Designer Marta Ferri, whose work is a reflection of her life.
Milan-based fashion designer Marta Ferri is rocking with her new collection called Isola. Before starting her own beachwear collection, she was a visual merchandiser with Prada. She feels Italian women are daring and playful in beachwear. She talked about her collection and her future plan:
Q. How have you started?
A. I always wanted to be a designer, and my association with Prada helped me become a businesswoman.
I used to be a photographer with my father and grew up with my mother, an interior decorator. Therefore, lights and colour were a significant part of my life. It all started when I fell in love with the fabrics and thought, let’s try to make some dresses for myself.
When I designed clothes for the wedding, people started noticing, and soon my friends encouraged me to design dresses. I have gowns, skirts, and beachwear.
Q. Tell me about your style statement?
A. I always keep my style simple and feminine. For me, selections of fabrics are essential, and linen and cotton are my favourite.
Q. What about the inspiration for your beachwear collection, Isola?
A. I travel a lot, and my inspiration comes from it. For this particular collection, I have inspired the beauty of Pantelleria Island in Sicily. Most of the summers I spent there as it inspired me to do a lot of new things.
Q. Who is your favourite celebrity to wear your beachwear?
A. My beachwear is for those women who are independent and strong, and I love to see it on Beyonce, the great artist.
Q. Tell me about your relationship with customers?
A. They come to my studio with an open mind. We discuss their latest fashion trends. Accordingly, taking their interest in mind, I alsoI design clothes for them that are simple and not loud. I enjoy the challenge of working with a strong personality. When I see a beautiful woman in the street at dinner, I get real inspiration.
Q. How different are you from other designers?
A. I never insist my clients wear my dress only. I always encourage them to wear one from me with something of their own. I believe in mix and match. My collection is superior in quality and does not fade away quickly. I’m often asked what kind of dresses I make. The style always stems from the person in front of me. They bring their own to the project, and I provide them with choices and suggestions.
Then I made ‘dresses at a distance,’ another fun challenge.
Q. About the latest trend in beachwear?
A. 70’s style is back. Emphasis is on bright colours and floral prints.
In an interview given by Vogue Italia, Marta Ferri was asked where she sees herself in the Fashion world. She subtly answered, “I’m working on it. I don’t recognize myself in the system so much because what I do is different from what everyone else is doing. I’m looking for a formula that will allow me to expand while preserving the quality and exclusivity of my work.
This interview was from 2012. It has been 10 years, and Marta Ferri is in the business and very relevant. She defined herself as a Female version of Your Traditional Men’s Tailor. Today, she is serving more than 15 products under her line, from bridal to jewelry, Ferri has all that should be in your closet.
