A rara design by hand is a concept of sustainable accessories developed by Teresa Vasconcelos, designer and Neide Ferreira, restorer, who joined their valences in which resulted a collections of pieces made with recycled products and unique and unusual materials.
In that context appears rara design by hand?
Teresa: In a conversation during a coffee, we were questioning us about our economy especially in Madera, the problem of shops in the center of Funchal are closing and we are getting virtually no traditional trade and how this will evolve when we all end up dressing equal or go outside to have different clothes. Then we came with the idea to create a project where there was some innovation through the use of recycled products and handling materials.
It's an idea that both shared, as a team?
TV: Was not an idea we shared. We were talking about the topic. Me and Neide we like accessories and pieces out of the ordinary and we felt it was a good opportunity to rehearse and let new hypotheses have emerged. This work has one month, but it seems that was a long time, because the demand has been quite good. We had no idea we were going to have so much support from people and maybe in some ways was a shortage.
You noted that many of the materials were saved why? You had this idea on the back of your mind?
Neide Ferreira: We are mothers and teachers and as you know in terms of budget were getting worse and so we always have a tendency to save everything and anything, because we know that in the future we will use it in something for the boys at school. Turned out not to be the case and we ended up using the materials to another function more commercial.
Tell me about the pieces themselves, the creative process begins with the materials, or you already have an idea who to put it into practice?
TV: We first did a market study, a diachronic and synchronic analysis and what happened in the market over time and we tried to see if the materials we wanted to work had been used previously, this was our first concern. We are in a restrictive island, small, the aim was not to copy styles, materials or ideas of others, has to do with our work ethic. After this research we investigate what happens to this material when it reacts with certain things was that the way we find solutions. We had never worked on these fabrics and were investigating. There were also things that did not work and learn from it.
Presenting the concept you made a point of stressing that only make 8 pieces per collection, why you made that decision?
TV: Initially we bet only on the market of Madera, and people do not like to know they have equal pieces.
NF: Mostly women, is always unpleasant find someone with a piece like ours.
TV: And we thought it is a way to economically offset the fact that we are using recyclable materials and aesthetically interesting and makes it unique is a form of appreciation of our work. Therefore, we have chosen this route, obviously eight equal pieces never go out. We also think is a visual and aesthetic lux.
NF: It's all manual, all handmade. We have necklaces with flowers, but of course the remaining pieces will never be exactly the same.
Who are the women who buy rara design by hand?
TV: We have women and also for men who buy them. There are young people aged 17 to 60 years old. It's a very broad range, but we designed the project accordingly. There are men who ask us scarves and collars, children also want an accessory, we did not yet choose this path, but it is a hypothesis.
You have now a significant number of collections were there any more emblematic?
TV: There is one, initially the material was beautiful, but its composition would not be so beautiful and we tried to go back, was the first collar we did. It's fantastic, violet and golden.
NF: It worked very well in terms of color and texture. Initially we were reluctant.
TV: In the body is fantastic. Then we have the golden collar, I think they are strong pieces.
What then is sustainable design?
TV: We approached according to the theme that we wanted to demystify the so called sustainable design. We thought that design is design and will always be sustainable, because its basic principles are those, i.e. responds to the needs of the man who lives in contact with nature and society. Thus, the design principles respect the environment and the mean and as much we addressed the word design all these concepts are there. Naturally, over the years this aspect has not been met due to exacerbated consumerism that made us buy only for the sake of buying and therefore we demystify these concepts.
