Italian label Giulia Rien a Mettre, founded by Italian born Giulia Mazzer, create a unique women’s wear collection with a quirky, off kilter design aesthetic. With a focus on fabric, and intriguing color and textural combinations, that include tone on tone, monochromatic, undulating, stripes, slub’s and basket-weaves, Mazzer also incorporates graphic color combinations, such as black, deep coral and muted un-dyed natural fiber shades. Her asymmetric styling often incorporates a single flounce, frill or tuck, but not in a girly overly pretty way, instead with a sense of volume and a sculptural quality. Perhaps a reflection of Mazzer’s architectural background, classic styling and strict tailored lines, never the less have a youthful warmth and humor to them, through the quirky addition of her very particular design sensibility.
Graduating in Switzerland with an architectural degree, Mazzer worked for some of the foremost international architects in both Rome and Tokyo, before turning her eye to fashion. The collection was born from the will to demonstrate that ethics, the environment and social responsibility are equally compatible in business as they are in life. The collection is entirely made in Italy from eco friendly fabrics, and in support of fair trade principles.
Mazzer’s background in architecture is clearly visible from the perfection of her cuts and the accuracy of her details. Her designs rely heavily on textile research and natural, monochromatic color combinations. Designed as a second skin, and a living architecture, Giulia Rien a Mettre’s collections are luxurious, ethical and intelligent. Much of the collection is produced from Ahimsa Silk, a peace silk processed from silk cocoons where the silk worm is not killed in the process, but instead allowed to live its life. The Ahimsa silk weavers work in the artisanal tradition, with the protection of a cooperative, and are operated by the NGO People for Animals, ensuring profits are used for the benefit of both the weavers as well as for animal welfare. Supporting marginalized producers in developing countries gain access to developed markets, the NGO contributes to the alleviation of poverty, while respecting workers rights and paying fair wages. Each collection is designed and manufactured to maximize benefits to people and communities, and minimize the environmental impact.
Fast fashion necessitates fast production, and ultimately faster consumption and disposal. Mazzer is a strong believer in slow fashion, with designing, producing and consuming based on quality instead of quantity or speed. Invested in slow fashion as a more sustainable future for the textile and clothing industries, Mazzer works to raise awareness about consumption through her designs; her own as well as that of others. Produced by Italian craftsmen from natural materials, Mazzer focuses on giving her producers adequate time to plan and produce orders. With a strong belief in the connection between garment and maker, as well as maker and wearer, Mazzer works to create a bond between all stages of production in the garment manufacturing chain.
The Giula Rien a Mettre, collection invests in timeless designs, and non-seasonal looks, produced from conscientious textiles, including milk fiber, organic cotton and hemp, all dyed with AZO free dyes and conscientious water use.
Giulia Rien a Mettre operated until 2013.
