D'Agostino Fashion Textile Design was founded by Philadelphia-based designer Melissa D'Agostino. Her mission, to create effortless, sophisticated silhouettes for unique individuals, comes to life through her beautiful, handcrafted designs. Melissa incorporates both traditional Shibori hand-dyeing and locally sourced sustainable materials into her garments to produce one-of-a-kind pieces. Inspired by Philadelphia and the idea of season-less looks, D'Agostino Fashion Textile Designs' latest creations feature a 'black and bone' palette that can all be worn in concert and transition perfectly from career to celebration. As a featured designer in the upcoming DesignPhiladelphia fashion show, I decided to interview Melissa to find out more about her creations and her love of Philadelphia:
Arcadia Boutique: What got you interested in sustainable fashion?
D'Agostino Fashion Textile Design: Learning about alternative architecture and sustainable ways of living over the years has provided a background of experiences that inspired my values. These values have been furthered by contact with the local community here in Philadelphia supportive of related ideals. There is something truly special about the words, "Made in Philadelphia".
Arcadia Boutique: What are some of the perks to being a Philadelphia-based designer?
D'Agostino Fashion Textile Design: Being a Designer In Residence in the Philadelphia Fashion Incubator Program! It is an amazing learning opportunity for local designers to focus on their business. I am so excited it will continue to be an opportunity for so many more designers in the coming years. There are also so many extremely talented people to work with in this city. Having the chance to collaborate with Arcadia and BusStop and work directly with Mechelle LaVelle on different photo and video shoots is always a perk!
Arcadia Boutique: What is 'traditional Shibori dyeing' and why does it make your designs unique?
D'Agostino Fashion Textile Design: The word "shibori" means "thin line" and refers to the "resist dye method" where one can intricately create a pattern by hand. I have been practicing this time-honored technique for over ten years, and love it for it's specificity, wonder, and unlimited potential. Each of the textiles featured in my collection showcase this hand-made technique, with patterns ranging from sophisticated stripes to subtle waves of print that accent and wrap the figure.
You can see more of D'Agostino Fashion Textile Designs' products at their website http://melissadagostino.com/index.shtml, and look out for Melissa and her latest creations at the DesignPhiladelphia fashion show on October 10th! http://www.facebook.com/events/410760185655756/
xo Alex
