Let's talk about collection Hensel & Gretel that you presented at the Portugal Fashion. Why you chose that color palette and type of lines ?
IC : That was my finalist collection at college. They selected some students to present their coordinates at a platform for young designers, I chose the story because I am inspired very often in this kind of writing, and this is one of my favorites. I picked a lot less obvious parts of the story which is what I like more, for example, the blue, red and white, in fact , almost the entire collection in these tones. The clothes that the brothers used in the original tale, are the traditional costumes of Germany. There is a white dress with blue with red stripes that wanted to divided, because each clothe represents a part of the story, white with lace is the girl and the other side is the boy, I was inspired by a man's shirt , hence the stripes and be all right . Another piece is a brown dress that is the candy house , also has a coordinated beige pants that symbolizes the part where the boy is in a jail and the sister gives the chicken bone to the witch to show that he was still skinny. I wanted to mark each moment in history with a coordinated and makes it sporty and feminine at the same time.
What is the impact of presenting a collection in Portugal Fashion least for a young designer like you?
IC : It's very stressful, a person does not think or is accustomed to that pace. I usually see the runway shows, but the scenes are completely different, it's all very fast. We do not have the notion of reaction out there we think it's all very calm and controlled , but not quite. For me it was a great happiness, mainly because what I drew came out exactly as I imagine it from sketches the molds to the manufacture, everything comes out perfect and this is something fantastic.
In professional terms you had any feedback ?
IC : From Portugal Fashion was the launch because I had just finished college , but I know people who knew me loved and thought it was my trace, it's funny that I can draw clothes and they can be associated with me.
Other collections and you showed is Elsker 82 . Why this name?
IC : This collection is funny because it's inspired by the ballerina and the tin soldier and I picked the name from a Danish fairytale. The word means love and 82 is the atomic number of lead.
The pieces have a strong stamped component, what was the inspiration ?
IC : Are 3 coordinated for woman. One of the requirement of the competition was that more than 50 % had to be stamped, a company that helped us a lot and I liked that part a lot because it was the first time I had the opportunity to work and see how this technique is performed. I fetched tale elements to draw. In Overall it can be seen that the sequins are the ones a dancer uses them in a shawl, so I decided to make a a standart version then I have green pants with scaly representing the time the tin soldier will end in the mouth of the fish. Figures of Soldier use them in a salmon skirt and a gray jacket with a more graphic stamp, symbolizes the moment when the two characters are burned in the oven and I wanted to emphasize this. I fetched these story elements for print, of course, some are not so obvious, because I also wanted to force people to think and when the concept is explained all makes sense. There are many colors in this collection that I fetched from the uniforms of the guards in the original tale, the blue, white and red and also utilize the tones of Portuguese soldiers, which is dark green. The lighter shades symbolize ballerina, ie , the idea was to connect two different things that make sense together .
You also presented your clothes in a another contest that had as its theme " Dating in Portugal ."
IC : I attended three times, was my first contest, in Braga, Vila Verde. In 2010 it was a stress, I do not know how I overtook it, I made a dress for a strong women , she have armor and use hearts as a shield, it is piece of clothing very structured and dark it is not elusive to love. Has a vest made manually and almost had to go back to accessories , because I had to cut the hearts in various colors and assemble them. Participated later in 2011, made a coordinated for man, was inspired by the medieval era, there I used stamp, he wears a pink shirt that looks like it has a vest, but it is not . In 2012 I designed a dress inspired by the oldest embroidery women, so it's all in black and white tones that were used at the time and has high waist shorts all hand embroidered by me as valentine handkerchiefs.
So tell me about the challenges for a young designer in Portugal ?
IC : It's trying to seek stability in our own brand . There is not a right way, is always a very unstable profession, is trying to get into larger projection platforms, like moda Lisbon, Portugal 's fashion . It's a complicated world even at the national level and go out is even more difficult .
So how do you trade your pieces?
IC : I sell everything online, and have a page on facebook, where you can see the pieces I presented in the contests and also if people wish design a coordinated, or make changes of the clothes, I do everything through these platforms .
And it's hard anyway?
IC : Yes , because the pieces end up having a much higher price and you must have many contacts to be able to obtain disclosure necessary for people to buy. Participate in a contest is all very beautiful , but not always people end up in the end to purchase the piece .
The Portuguese public values Portuguese design ?
IC : I think yes, people end up not buying so many clothes and go to a brand acquire a piece that is unique and know that it lasts longer. Bet more on the Portuguese brands, not only in fashion but in products and I think that value what is ours.
