(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) For this year, all hopes on taking 'Made in Dubai' labels international rests with the homegrown brand Taller Marmo. Italian designer Riccardo Audisio and Argentina's Yago Goicoechea are behind this Dubai-based fashion brand.
Last August, the stylish duo was shortlisted as the regional winners of the prestigious International Woolmark Prize (IWP). The regional round for this area included designers from Pakistan, India and the Middle East. The Australia-based Woolmark Co. has been promoting the use of Merino wool, a natural yarn known for its fineness and softness, for well over 50 years. The prize itself was launched in 1953 to promote what's termed as "Cool Wool" in the industry, and the list of past winners includes legendary names like Karl Lagerfeld and the late Yves Saint Laurent. A substantial cash prize apart, winners get mentorships from leading global design names, as well as retail opportunities from international fashion stores like Harvey Nichols, Saks Fifth Avenue, 10 Corso Como and Boutique 1. The award, in short, opens doors.
Two years ago, the winner was India's Rahul Mishra who has since gone on become a regular at Paris Fasion Week; fashion doyenne Suzy Menkes recently called Mishra "a national treasure."
There are six regional finalists for womenswear at the IWP, and six for menswear. The menswear final will be held later this month (and the regional final winner for this category is India's Sukhet Dhir) and the womenswear will be held next month during New York Fashion Week.
Our own Taller Marmo's womenswear collection is inspired by the travels of English writer Gertrude Bell's travels across the Middle East. A truly multicultural label, its designers represent a clean, more contemporary approach to design that is growing in this region. It's a young label that portrays the spirit of this city, and Dubai's melting pot characteristic. "Taller" comes from the Spanish word for "manual" reflecting the handcrafted element of the label; and "Marmo" is the Italian word for marble, representing the label's love of luxury. A finalist for the Style.com/Arabia-Dubai Design Fashion Council Fashion Award 2015, there is no question that Taller Marmo is a regional talent to watch.
Though the label designs are produced in Italy, the duo still think of themselves as a Made in Dubai label. Audisio and Goicoechea marry Italy's love of fine, minimal tailoring with this region's tradition of decadence. Goicoechea says, "After we decided to drop school in Milan, we didn't want ?to base the brand there. Because it's a new label and a fresh start for us, we wanted to base it in a new city, and Dubai fulfills those requirements. The fashion infrastructure here is not on point yet, but that is what makes the city exciting. People involved in fashion here are working really hard and it shows."
The backdrop of Dubai has given Taller Marmo's designs a distinct personality. "We? are always inspired by Arab culture. Dubai is an international Arab city and that is its strongest point city. We wouldn't be able to take inspiration from Arab culture without our friends who are Khaleejis, Tunisian, Turkish, Russian, Sudanese, Italians and so on. That mix is what makes us," says Goicoechea.
As much as Dubai is a part of Taller Marmo's DNA, they are very international in their perspective too, and remain true to their own roots. The designer pair has been away from Dubai since last month, and will not return until after the IWP final. Spending Christmas with Audiso's family in Italy and then travelling to Northern Italy's Beilla, which is home to some of the best wool manufactures in the world, they will stay in Italy until their line is produced, and then fly to New York for the finals.
TWO MEN AND A LABEL: Italian designer Riccardo Audisio and Argentinian Yago Goicoechea, creators of Taller Marmo
"For the regional finals, we wanted to work with wool fabrics that don't look like wool, and it is something we will continue to do for the finals,"? explains Goicoechea. They seem calm about their chances, and for their youth, seem to have taken their regional recognition in their stride. "Talking about our chances, ?if we are not wrong, initially the participating brands were over a hundred and we are only six now, so it is a huge milestone for our brand and we want just enjoy the moment in New York."
Of course, they recognise a win will give Taller Marmo instant international recognition. "?We are a brand that is growing slow and steady because we wanted to do so. We never wanted to be the "label of the moment" because everybody knows that kind of stuff doesn't work anymore. We're building a brand that women want to buy, because they know they are buying a piece that was made with the best quality and the highest attention to detail," the designers state.
?With Spring around the corner, a piece from their Woolmark capsule collection may not be what you are looking for exactly. But Taller Marmo showed their Spring/Summer 2016 collection at the recent edition of Fashion Forward Dubai (FFWD). A resort chic collection complete with kaftans and swimsuits, their use of jacquards and lurex, mixed with bold vertical stripes gave the collection a true "minimalist-maximalist" feel. Easy, breezy and chic, it is collection that the Dubai's fashionistas are sure to want to add to their wardrobe.
And if the duo do win, (and let's hope they do) then it will not just be the Dubai's it girls who will want to be seen in Taller Marmo, but ladies from New York, London, Milan and Paris who will want a piece of this label too.
sujata@khaleejtimes.com
The writer is Khaleej Times Consulting Fashion Editor
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