For its new autumn-winter couture collection, Kodd Magazine interviewed Mexican-Canadian designer Antonio Ortega.
KODD MAGAZINE : We know that you left your old career to become a designer, how did you decide to start ?
ANTONIO ORTEGA : In fact I left that old career because I decided to follow my passion, it is important to listen to ourselves, so it came from very deep in my heart… From now on I will be the architect of my life, and I always wanted to be the source of inspiration, the oasis that provides water…
KM : We find in all your collections a break between the classic and the eccentric, more particularly in your latest collection, can you tell us about it?
AO : Yes, Antonio Ortega’s life styles is definitely about being yourself, authenticity, I love unconventional attitudes as well, so you can feel strength, seduction, romanticism, or any kind of feeling the pieces make you feel. Roots are important, in techniques and ‘’savoir faire’’ but now I can produce my own, all this blend and knowledge, creates strong pieces, comfortable, and definitely with contrast, always thinking of a client of course.
KM : What inspires you to create?
AO : I’m a very active man, my eyes are wide opened, my skin feels the air, so nature, music, trips, weather, people, architecture, sports, any living or death creature, are inspiring, you inspire me.
KM : Has it always been one of your ambitions to present your collections during Paris Haute Couture Week?
AO : Of course, Antonio Ortega is a dreamer, a joker.
KM : Can you tell us about the process to create your collections?
AO : Everything starts since the moment I woke up, I allow unconventional situations to inspire me. The process is quite often different, cold be sketches first, or the textures, or my hidden outgoings, then I do a research about the subject and more than I read I focus on the idea, finally I built up the new collection.
KM : What did you learn from your experience in Parisian sewing workshops?
AO : I could say that I confirm the knowledge I had, such as my patience, my creativity, and the technical, but the most important is to understand how far you can go in this beautiful job.
KM : Are all your collections created in Montreal where you live ?
AO : The construction most of them yes with my wonderful team. All the materials come from Europe, embroidery and specifics hands crafts, from different parts of the world, and finally the collection become rich and strong.
KM : What are your ambitions for the future?
AO : To answer this interview was my ambition. I have projections, spread my brand, in beauty, shoes, hair, sports, furniture, and also create community actions, to create organisations for artisans in other countries, this brain is full of ideas.
KM : Any tips to designers who want to start in fashion industry ?
AO : Believe in themselves, understand who they are not, in order to be authentic, work, work, work work, patience, work, dream, believe.. work, patience, be polite, and a head on their shoulders, work work work, patience, dream…
Comments collected by Juliette Breton
Juliette Breton
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