The story of four young designers who are setting fashion trends

“I never had a goal with my brand, I just wanted to continue creating and be true to myself,” says designer Anushka Elliot from the city of New Delhi, where her brand’s workshops are located.

He was born and spent part of his childhood in Venezuela, then moved to Argentina, studied for a time in London and returned to Buenos Aires. He travels a lot to Uruguay, where his parents live.

Between managing her three stores, designing her collections and creating custom pieces for different clients in her atelier, Anushka’s life is completely filled with her work and her travels.

However, when did you decide create your brand in 2014his philosophy was a little different from other entrepreneurs.

“At first, the idea was to flow. We do this season and then we see, I never had such long-term goals. Over time, you become more professional,” she recalls.

She has had a passion for fashion since she was a child. She highlights that her favorite element is the embroidery, a characteristic detail of her garments. “I think I have an aesthetic eye, I am interested in the visual, the colors, the textures, the combinations. For me, if a garment does not have any details, it lacks identity, I like everything to have added value,” he explains.

And it was this technique that made her fall in love with India. “I came alone when I was 20 years old. I was on a trip to Malaysia and, since my parents had traveled a lot around the world because they have a decoration store, they gave me the contact of some suppliers. One thing led to another and it happened,” says Anushka and affirms that there are not many countries that have a hand embroidery technique so oiled “I am always looking for new places, but here, in India, I already have a very strong bond.”

Due to the production techniques and rhythms, their collections tend to be small, with few items. That’s where his atelier comes into play, where designs and makes custom pieces like wedding dresses. “The idea is that no one is left out. If you want to have something we put together, come and we’ll make it for you,” she laughs.

He has many future projects, but does not like to give news before confirming it. For now, his idea is to expand to the United States. He is also putting together a collaboration for the summer with a much larger international brand, in Uruguay. “With the girls on the team we are committed to continuing to evolve. “I think we are in a good moment,” she says.

“I always knew I was going to have or run a company,” says Milagros Muñoz (28) between coat racks full of designs from strong colors and geometric prints, from its location in Palermo Soho. The woman from San Juan is founder and creative director of Demiracolo.

The brand, which is characterized by its fabrics and maximalist aesthetics, began to take shape in 2019, when Milagros graduated with a degree in Advertising from the Universidad Siglo 21, in the capital of Córdoba. “I was searching for my voice,” she remembers. “It also happened to me that I didn’t feel represented by any brand and I said: “I’m going to start doing something that I identify with.”

The concept was clear, I wanted to be inspired by Italian aesthetics that he associated with his immigrant grandparents, but always from the projection of his personal style. What followed was a search for designers, suppliers and, of course, mentors who could advise her on venturing into a completely new industry.

“I finally started in 2020. It was chaos, I didn’t understand the industry. I wrote to people who own brands on Instagram to advise me and many helped me a lot,” she explains. “That’s how I got involved and found the right teams. “Everything started to flow.” Almost five years passed and six months ago it opened its location on Gorriti Street. “It was an absolute necessity, I lost a lot of sales because there are people who really like to try on clothes,” he says and remembers a pre-local instance in which he invited a client to his house to close a sale of more than 15 items of clothing.

Furthermore, he had the opportunity to participate in the latest edition of BAFWeek, within the framework of the “BA Fashion Authors” contest, where he presented his winter collection, Le Farfalle. “It was one of my goals for 2024 so I am very happy,” she says. “Everything was super fast, I think I had 10 days to prepare everything.”

The collection inspired by “moñito” noodles combines a typical food from his childhood with one of the trends of recent months. “To me in general trends tire me, they overwhelm me. But I wanted to incorporate the bow trend into the brand in a more creative way.” Despite having striking designs, with vibrant colors and impressive fabrics, it supports the idea of ​​reworking classics. “In the long term I would love to incorporate more basics, but with a twist. And for the next collections, jeans.”

She started a summer unsewing jeans for a project by designer Jessica Trosman while studying Clothing Design at FADU. Some time later she became her apprentice and right-hand woman and, in 2021, Agostina Belén Hidalgo decided to launch her own brand, Agoshida. “Jessica taught me a lot, but I like challenges”, she remembers happily.

Each of their pieces is unique or made in very small quantities, by hand. Combine your passion for tailoring with urban style and the materials used are usually not the same. “I work with all flat fabrics. Wool, trench coat, shirts. But I love silk, I love it,” she explains.

“It is not easy material. Cutting it is extremely complicated, it is very expensive and there is not that much quantity. But I do it because I really feel it. I like the design to be something playful. I need to have fun, enjoy doing it, otherwise it doesn’t work for me.”

Agostina works from home. For now she is not interested in having her own workshop or premises. She says that part of her decision to keep her small scale work It comes from a conversation she had with designer Camila Milessi, from the Kostüme brand, during the last presentation in which she participated as a designer at JT.

“I told her: ‘I want to do something small but, well, then grow.’ And she told me ‘always small.’ That advice stuck with me. Chiquito is not badyou can control it, do the things you like.”

Thus, between vinyl records, teacups and books in Spanish, English and French, Agostina devised and produced the “Apariciones” collection, with which won the “BA Fashion Authors” contest during the last edition of BAFWeek. Inspired by horror and sleep paralysis, the collection features pieces such as organza suits, chiffon tops, tailored cotton pants and fur scarves.

“I work with friends and I also wanted them to be my models. So the show was quite a collaboration. The energy there was was beautiful,” she says about the work for which won a scholarship to study image and styling at the Marangoni Institute from Milan. “The truth is that I never thought it would stay. I’m super happy”.

Getting to know Europe excites her very much, especially because on her trip she plans to visit the Milan and Paris fashion weeks. “I would like to do an exhibition in Paris with some friends who live there. AND take Argentine design outside”.

Loli Demaestri is a photographer, originally from Junín. Marti Douelle is a clothing designer, born in Tres Arroyos. They have been together for 14 years and have two children. Since 2014 they are the creators of the Meristemo artisanal fabrics brand.. “We are in full search, everything happened little by little,” says Loli from her studio and office on the third floor of the house they share in Recoleta.

However, the birth of his brand was extremely fast. Each one worked for their part: Marti was a textile designer for a shopping brand, and in her extra time They started selling dresses and blouses as a personal project. “One day Loli told me: ‘Why don’t we quit our regular jobs and go sell backpacker clothes?’” Marti recalls. At first her idea seemed crazy, but she finally agreed.

For an entire year they traveled across the continent by land, from the south of Brazil to the city of Los Angeles, with a backpack each, the finished products and the different fabrics they bought along the way. “During the entire trip we were able to live off what we sold. So we said: ‘Well, stop, let’s take it more seriously’ and we started manufacturing here,” he adds.

They decided to dedicate themselves to producing what Marti already knew: sweaters. Although they started with semi-industrial machines and now offer some industrial models to supply demand and be able to lower prices as their firm grows, Meristemo is known for its handwoven fabrics.

“What we like most is the contact with craftsmanship. Even if the same weaver makes several garments, each one has a slightly different sleeve, a slightly different armhole, back, and length. Each piece is unique“, explains Loli about her star products. Marti maintains that his favorite material for winter is mohair, spun from goat, because “it’s warm and doesn’t pill.” In summer they lean more towards cotton and silk.

Despite working only with one size fits all, their products seek to be adaptable to all possible uses and bodies. “Everything we work on is quite loose, we don’t do tight things. It is one of the good things about weaving,” explains Marti. In the future they seek to take the artisanal tradition of their products abroad. “We would love to sell in winter here and take summer production to Europe, for example,” concludes Loli.