21
de Setembre
de
2016
Act.
21
de Setembre
de
2016
Salustià Álvarez (Porrera, 1989) studied product design in Elisava and specialised in textile design in Canada, and there he decided that he wanted to devote himself to the world of fashion. This young man from Porrera is now in charge of a line of accessories at the Milan luxury brand Prada, but the road to that point has been a long one. "As I had no money to do a decent masters, I began to do courses to learn how to make shoes with all the mothers and ladies stitching patchwork," at the same time he did an internship at the shoe brand Maians and Vaho bags in Barcelona. But not finding the opportunities to learn and grow as he wanted in the Catalan capital, he decided to go to Milan, where these days Fashion Week is being held.
Did you arrive in the Italian capital of fashion with just a suitcase and little else?
It was very tough. I arrived in Milan without knowing any Italian and believing that my CV was interesting. Once there, I saw that doors did not open so easily. After a couple of interviews I saw that the only way to get into this world was to study there. I entered a Louis Vuitton contest in which I had to present a collection of accessories. Without having much idea I made a proposal and won from among 500 participants. This paid for a masters in Luxury Accessories Design & Management worth 30,000 euros at the Marangoni institute. At the beginning I turned it down, because I could not afford to live in Milan. But then they offered me a job as a sales assistant in the Louis Vuitton shop.
So, in the end you stayed and did the masters?
Yes. Then the course began and at the same time I worked as an intern for Alessandro Oteri and I learnt a lot. Once my studies were over, I was taken on by Salvatore Ferragamo in Florence and so I moved there.
How did that first experience working in the world of fashion go?
I thought that the film, The Devil Wears Prada, was a parody of the fashion world, but it is not true. It is really like that. Salvatore Ferragamo is an international company but its HQ is very local, everyone knows each other and are part of a family. The fact that an outsider had arrived and who was not Italian I don't think was well-liked and I felt excluded. I wanted to learn and that was not the best place to do it. I also left because I was taken on by Furla.
And you went back to Milan.
Yes, I began as head of a line of men's accessories doing a job that at the beginning was perhaps a bit much for me, but my workmates and bosses had a lot of experience in major brands and wanted to teach and share their knowledge with me. That was where I began to develop my creative profile. It was a great experience that lasted two years in which I have travelled and learnt a lot about the world of luxury, fashion and accessories. And I was able to make my first bags.
But now another major brand has taken you on...
I was taken on by Prada to head part of their line of men's accessories and I will work as part of the fur and leather collection. It is a collection with a lot of weight within Prada men.
How can a bag worth 700 euros be justified?
There are different factors: quality, materials, the finish, but above all the name of the brand. There are two types of people who buy luxury: those that understand it and those who want to pay in order to show off their spending power. Made in Italy sells a lot and for that reason all of the large houses, even the French, manufacture in Italy, because there are fantastic workers there. Italian and Spanish leather also has a lot of influence, as do exotic skins -like crocodile, python or ostrich- which are very highly-prized and regulated skins. At the same time there are a lot of categories within this area and many treatments. That is why large luxury companies are increasingly setting up their own companies for treating skins.
And are the employees of fashion companies valued and well-paid?
Yes, absolutely. Obviously, profits always have to come first, but those who sew bags in Italy are good professionals with good salaries, with good contracts that protect them. They are people with a lot of experience and that pays dividends. And the work they do cannot be compared with what is sold from China.
What is the luxury sector like?
You have to remember that the luxury industry includes cars, hotels, among other things, not only fashion. The largest group is the French LVMH, with brands like Moët, Hennessy, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Fendi, Dior or Loewe and other wine and perfume brands. Its major competitor is the Kering group, with Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, but also Puma and Fnac. Then there is a multitude of family firms -some on the stock market- devoted to luxury: Salvatore Ferragamo, Furla, Dolce & Gabbana or Prada.
Has the crisis affected the business panorama of the luxury sector?
Before the crisis, when everyone could allow themselves some type of luxury, the major brands began to create sub-brands that brought luxury closer to people on the street. For example, Dolce & Gabbana brought out D&G, Armani brought out Emporio Armani, U from Adolfo Domínguez appeared, Versace jeans, etc. And that boosted the brands, because a certain section of the middle class bought these products. The companies had two brands: one focused on luxury and another that was more accessible. But people with lots of money did not want to spend on less exclusive brands. So the brands that had not adopted this strategy were strengthened, like Louis Vuitton, Dior or Hermès. Many of these cheaper brands closed down and the earthquake was like a purge.
For internal organisation as well?
Exactly. Many companies have stopped producing in China, because the market has changed and the consumer who spends 1,500 euros on a bag wants it to be made in Italy or for the quality and production to be better monitored.
And those made in Spain?
Louis Vuitton has its own shop in Barcelona. And even though Made in Spain is considered good quality, many clients, especially Asians, want the same product to be Made in Italy or France, because they do not associate luxury with Spain.
What is the luxury landscape like in Spain, Catalonia and Barcelona?
Spain has had a lot of opportunities to position itself in this world, especially when Loewe began. We have seen good names, like Balenciaga, which could have been very big, but we have let them leave. They now have their base in Paris and in Spain there is little left and so the origin get little visibility. Bit-by-bit companies with a very unique identity, like Custo Barcelona or Desigual, have gained ground.
But that is not considered luxury...
We have taken a gamble with Inditex and all those brands with exaggerated levels of production. We have gone from mending trousers or cutting them down to make shorts to buying five pairs from Zara or Mango because it is cheaper than repairing the ones we have. This means that these brands are considered cheap in Spain -when Zara in South America is considered semi-luxury. Our brands have a very low value. Spain is not associated with luxury, but rather with brands in which the quality or design factor is not important. Yet, historically we have a lot of very good products, such as leather products or espardenya sandals, and we can be proud of them.
How will the luxury sector change in the future?
I believe that the luxury market is led by society and there has been a great shift with social networks. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat work in real time and that means consumers desire in real time. Many companies have changed their strategies when it comes to launching collections, which can be bought in the shop the next day. Moreover, consumers want what the bloggers or most influential models are wearing. For brands it makes more sense to pay for a photo on Instagram than for tighter production. The client is turning into a follower.
Which brands do you think will have the most influence here?
In Catalonia and Spain, luxury is for the few and there are few who understand it. The major shops survive because they are located in big tourist areas. Right now, small brands have appeared, like Leandro Cano, Kritzia Robustella, Ana Locking or Juanjo Oliva, among others, who focus on quality and design and who work on a local scale. And I think this is the strategy right now. To do something unique with a different history and to innovate, something that the major brands cannot do easily.
Did you arrive in the Italian capital of fashion with just a suitcase and little else?
It was very tough. I arrived in Milan without knowing any Italian and believing that my CV was interesting. Once there, I saw that doors did not open so easily. After a couple of interviews I saw that the only way to get into this world was to study there. I entered a Louis Vuitton contest in which I had to present a collection of accessories. Without having much idea I made a proposal and won from among 500 participants. This paid for a masters in Luxury Accessories Design & Management worth 30,000 euros at the Marangoni institute. At the beginning I turned it down, because I could not afford to live in Milan. But then they offered me a job as a sales assistant in the Louis Vuitton shop.
So, in the end you stayed and did the masters?
Yes. Then the course began and at the same time I worked as an intern for Alessandro Oteri and I learnt a lot. Once my studies were over, I was taken on by Salvatore Ferragamo in Florence and so I moved there.
How did that first experience working in the world of fashion go?
I thought that the film, The Devil Wears Prada, was a parody of the fashion world, but it is not true. It is really like that. Salvatore Ferragamo is an international company but its HQ is very local, everyone knows each other and are part of a family. The fact that an outsider had arrived and who was not Italian I don't think was well-liked and I felt excluded. I wanted to learn and that was not the best place to do it. I also left because I was taken on by Furla.
And you went back to Milan.
Yes, I began as head of a line of men's accessories doing a job that at the beginning was perhaps a bit much for me, but my workmates and bosses had a lot of experience in major brands and wanted to teach and share their knowledge with me. That was where I began to develop my creative profile. It was a great experience that lasted two years in which I have travelled and learnt a lot about the world of luxury, fashion and accessories. And I was able to make my first bags.
But now another major brand has taken you on...
I was taken on by Prada to head part of their line of men's accessories and I will work as part of the fur and leather collection. It is a collection with a lot of weight within Prada men.
How can a bag worth 700 euros be justified?
There are different factors: quality, materials, the finish, but above all the name of the brand. There are two types of people who buy luxury: those that understand it and those who want to pay in order to show off their spending power. Made in Italy sells a lot and for that reason all of the large houses, even the French, manufacture in Italy, because there are fantastic workers there. Italian and Spanish leather also has a lot of influence, as do exotic skins -like crocodile, python or ostrich- which are very highly-prized and regulated skins. At the same time there are a lot of categories within this area and many treatments. That is why large luxury companies are increasingly setting up their own companies for treating skins.
And are the employees of fashion companies valued and well-paid?
Yes, absolutely. Obviously, profits always have to come first, but those who sew bags in Italy are good professionals with good salaries, with good contracts that protect them. They are people with a lot of experience and that pays dividends. And the work they do cannot be compared with what is sold from China.
What is the luxury sector like?
You have to remember that the luxury industry includes cars, hotels, among other things, not only fashion. The largest group is the French LVMH, with brands like Moët, Hennessy, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Fendi, Dior or Loewe and other wine and perfume brands. Its major competitor is the Kering group, with Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, but also Puma and Fnac. Then there is a multitude of family firms -some on the stock market- devoted to luxury: Salvatore Ferragamo, Furla, Dolce & Gabbana or Prada.
Has the crisis affected the business panorama of the luxury sector?
Before the crisis, when everyone could allow themselves some type of luxury, the major brands began to create sub-brands that brought luxury closer to people on the street. For example, Dolce & Gabbana brought out D&G, Armani brought out Emporio Armani, U from Adolfo Domínguez appeared, Versace jeans, etc. And that boosted the brands, because a certain section of the middle class bought these products. The companies had two brands: one focused on luxury and another that was more accessible. But people with lots of money did not want to spend on less exclusive brands. So the brands that had not adopted this strategy were strengthened, like Louis Vuitton, Dior or Hermès. Many of these cheaper brands closed down and the earthquake was like a purge.
For internal organisation as well?
Exactly. Many companies have stopped producing in China, because the market has changed and the consumer who spends 1,500 euros on a bag wants it to be made in Italy or for the quality and production to be better monitored.
And those made in Spain?
Louis Vuitton has its own shop in Barcelona. And even though Made in Spain is considered good quality, many clients, especially Asians, want the same product to be Made in Italy or France, because they do not associate luxury with Spain.
What is the luxury landscape like in Spain, Catalonia and Barcelona?
Spain has had a lot of opportunities to position itself in this world, especially when Loewe began. We have seen good names, like Balenciaga, which could have been very big, but we have let them leave. They now have their base in Paris and in Spain there is little left and so the origin get little visibility. Bit-by-bit companies with a very unique identity, like Custo Barcelona or Desigual, have gained ground.
But that is not considered luxury...
We have taken a gamble with Inditex and all those brands with exaggerated levels of production. We have gone from mending trousers or cutting them down to make shorts to buying five pairs from Zara or Mango because it is cheaper than repairing the ones we have. This means that these brands are considered cheap in Spain -when Zara in South America is considered semi-luxury. Our brands have a very low value. Spain is not associated with luxury, but rather with brands in which the quality or design factor is not important. Yet, historically we have a lot of very good products, such as leather products or espardenya sandals, and we can be proud of them.
How will the luxury sector change in the future?
I believe that the luxury market is led by society and there has been a great shift with social networks. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat work in real time and that means consumers desire in real time. Many companies have changed their strategies when it comes to launching collections, which can be bought in the shop the next day. Moreover, consumers want what the bloggers or most influential models are wearing. For brands it makes more sense to pay for a photo on Instagram than for tighter production. The client is turning into a follower.
Which brands do you think will have the most influence here?
In Catalonia and Spain, luxury is for the few and there are few who understand it. The major shops survive because they are located in big tourist areas. Right now, small brands have appeared, like Leandro Cano, Kritzia Robustella, Ana Locking or Juanjo Oliva, among others, who focus on quality and design and who work on a local scale. And I think this is the strategy right now. To do something unique with a different history and to innovate, something that the major brands cannot do easily.