Hi Michela, thank you, I am very happy that we met today in Villa Borghese on this beautiful sunny day. I was very keen to have you as a guest to tell about your page, site and on line shop, not only because we always like to talk about the sustainable option of second-hand fashion.

“Clothes your mother despises and your grandmother approves.” “The out of fashion just before it gets cool”. “The button that is missing from the jacket of good taste”: I had to know you! Because with this presentation of Cadute di stile (“Lapses of style”) I really wanted to meet you and to discover more about you. First of all, let’s tell who you are and what you do, Michela.

“Thank you Arianna, thank you for your interest and for the work you do to promote sustainable fashion. I have been involved in photography and web design for about 3 years, maybe even more. In these 3 years I started Cadute di stile in my free time from activities”.

So you come from another world, that of photography! Even if taking a look at the site you immediately see the photographer’s eye, because the lights and colors attract, in addition to the very original slogans. Cadute di stile: what is it?

“It is a small amateur activity of selection and resale of vintage and second-hand clothing and accessories”.

We always talk about this ‘vintage’. We also write about it a lot on the Dress Ecode website and page, but why don’t we remind  what vintage means and above all what is vintage fashion?

“Speaking above all of clothing and accessories, by vintage we mean any type of object produced at least 20 years ago and which has an iconic quality. For example, Swatch watches are vintage. The Naj Oleari schoolbag from the 80s may be vintage. Vintage fashion is the fashion that brings together modern clothing and garments that come from the past, especially considering the fact that fashion is cyclical. What may be out of fashion now will no longer be in 10 years. There is this constant re-circulating pieces of clothing or accessories that are part of the past but will be part of the future of fashion”.

Like now with the 80s. The clothes we saw in those years have disappeared for quite some time and instead lately they have come back into fashion. What do you like, Michela, about used and vintage items? How did your passion start?

“I started visiting the markets when I was a teenager and I started dressing like that, even against my mother’s complaints! ‘What are you going to buy in those shops, it’s all dirty, it’s all half broken!’. But I liked it, also because I saw its charm, certainly not the worn or used component. I liked it and I still like it above all because it allows you to get out of the canons of the already seen, the uniforming fashion that makes you dress exactly as 10,000 other people around you dress. And then there is also the ecological component, caring for the environment and the use of resources, so with vintage dressing something that already has a past behind it, you avoid buying something that perhaps has an unclean production mechanism”.

So you have always dressed yourself in second-hand and vintage clothes. It is a passion born for some time.

“Yes, by the way, up to a certain point I was wearing everything I bought. From a certain point on, I started wearing everything in gray and black, but I kept the pleasure of looking for coloured pieces, with particular patterns. The next step was ‘Ok, I like to look for them, find them, maybe I don’t wear them anymore like I used to, but I also like to put them back in circulation for someone else”.

You mentioned earlier your mother, who saw this your passion for second-hand purchases a bit like this. Did you tell me about the business they still have, what they do and where? Because today we meet here in Rome but your family is…

“In Sardinia. I am originally from Cagliari and I have been moving to Rome for about 15 years. My parents now have a business of tailoring repairs, until 20 years ago they were trading fabrics. So as a child, in the 80s and 90s, I would go around their shop and dress with the scraps of fabric that I found around. I think a lot of the taste for fabrics certainly comes from the fact that these fabric samples were circulating where I saw gold trims, spotted patterns, flowers and florals of all kinds. I would never have said that I would pay in this way!”.

Sei cresciuta in mezzo al vintage e ai tessuti. Oggi che sei qui e ti occupi di questo deriva da tutta questa serie di esperienze che hai fatto fin da bambina, immagino che ti divertivi con gli scampoli! “Cadute di stile: mi sono chiesta tanto come ti è venuto in mente questo nome!” You grew up in the midst of vintage and textiles. Today that you are here and you take care of this comes from all this series of experiences you have had since childhood, I guess you had fun with the offcuts! “Cadute di stile”: I wondered how much this name came to your mind!

“It occurred to me because Cadute di stile started out as an Instagram profile. You may have noticed that on Instagram there is always a tendency to give more space to the aspect of wild self-promotion. Everyone all looks his/her best, with the right profile, the best angle for pictures. Instead Cadute di stile really wanted to be in contrast. Here there are slips and it is good that everyone knows! It’s a programmatic thing! All the phrases you mentioned earlier were also born from there, because the fall in style is precisely the imperfection that betrays you when you least expect it. And that I actively seek because it is beautiful!”.

It’s nice, but it looks simple and in reality it isn’t either. Just as you search for the perfect style, so even the fall of style is not easy, you have to work hard!

“You have to train, yes!”.

Returning to the slogans you remembered now: they are fantastic! also the names you have chosen for the sections that are found within the site, where we can browse your shop. I wanted to see them with you to understand what these names hide! Let’s start with “Clothes from a distant future: antics from the dark wardrobe door”.

“These are names that I am committed to making as less understandable as possible! It is the clothing section where the remote future is what we were talking about before about vintage, so something that was out of fashion, that will come back into fashion and therefore connects the future and the past”.

Wonderful! “Bizarre bijoux: little value, dubious taste, great effect!”. What do we find in this section?

“This is the section that concerns jewelry, bijoux in general, mainly earrings”.

It is in this section that I found the earrings I bought, because I couldn’t resist seeing the photos of Cadute di stile not to buy! Then there is a section that is a bit of a mystery: “The Great Accessoriati: maybe initiates, always dress up”. Tell us what’s in here!

“There are handbags, my beloved bum bags and everything that falls into the accessories category. Always very dark, because in fact we go to rammage in the darkness of the wardrobes and not only, also of the second-hand sections, of the shops, of the markets”.

TYour eyes light up when you talk about it, Michela, we can see that you really like to go in search of these pieces. How do you find these particular items?

“Can I give you an answer like a real fool? They are the ones who find me!”.

They call you!

“Yes, when I see something particularly colorful or with a particularly strange shape, some absurd shapes, I can’t resist and my heart beats. I feel that at that moment the love at first sight has taken place”.

For example, today you brought with you some pieces that we show in the photos. Can you tell us about these pieces?

“So we have earrings that come from a warehouse fund of a Roman perfumery, which I adventurously found on the internet. Going through advertisements that are months and months old I found this supply, about 80 pieces, of earrings. very simple clip to the very elaborate, very baroque one, to the even more playful one, which has a slightly strange shape, star, pointed.

I also brought some watches that are the poor cousins of the Swatches, they unquestionably come from the same period, the 80s-90s, for the graphics that are above and the illustrations and are a more or less fullosome copy. Nostalgia also makes us plausible what we would never have considered at the time! ‘If it’s not a Swatch I don’t want it!’.

Then a shirt, also from her from the 90s, with a dark blue background and teal triangles”.

What about this brightly coloured skirt?

“This is a purple skirt with small grosgrain inserts of various colors and it is by Versus (Versace). I say this with a bit of fear, because I am not among the hunters of vintage pieces who love brands. On the contrary, I am going to hide because it is very little a style drop! This is style with the stamp approved!”.

Brava per essere riuscita a trovarla! Prendiamo Cadute di stile in modo ironico, ma in realtà ci sono pezzi belli, non è per forza lo scivolone! Ti avevo chiesto di vedere il pezzo invece più assurdo e incredibile, quale hai portato? Brava for being able to find it! We take Cadute di stile  in an ironic way, but in reality there are beautiful pieces, it is not necessarily a slip! I asked you to see the most absurd and incredible piece instead, which one did you bring?

“It is a tunic with a belt of the same fabric. This discovery took place in the shop of my parents who have kept the old shop that used to be fabrics, now it has become a tailor’s shop. Mom’s clients occasionally bring clothes they basically don’t know what to do with”.

So they don’t just deal with repairs, they still have contact with these old fashioned pieces!

“Yes, from time to time there are some really beautiful pieces. This I think is the most spatial of all. Just spatial as it was intended in the 70s in the Earth Wind and Fire videos. Because there are these small golden inserts, an iridescent color that we were talking about earlier, mentioning the lizards. Reptile fashion is the new must for next season!”.

Fantastic! A unique and particular piece. As soon as you took it out of your magical bag it reminds me a  lizard, it’s spectacular!

I also really like the support you offer to those who carry out the same business as you, giving advice to those who, like you, sell online. For example, on your blog you explain where and how to sell vintage clothes, how to survive the Facebook Marketplace and also tell “How to recognize problematic customers and walk away painlessly”. I immediately made myself an examination of conscience…! What are the problem customers? Tell me about the most feared by those who have a vintage and used shop!

“Yes, then, mine is a predominantly online business. I’ve done some flea markets, where the customer is different because when you meet him face to face, however problematic it may be, he always has an additional modesty. Which often loses on line, because you don’t see the person you’re talking to. The worst thing that can happen is that they ask you for millions of details about something they absolutely have no intention of buying or they magically disappear despite having already made an appointment for delivery”.

In the article you also give some advice on how to deal with these problematic customers.

“Yes, I think anyone who has a minimum of familiarity with social networks realizes that if you contact someone who has 10 followers and no profile photo it is obvious that it is a fake profile. It is simply about putting together little clues and not ignoring them”.

I really liked the article because you don’t just think about you but write for people like you who do this job, it’s a bit unusual and I really appreciate it. We talked a lot about your shop, if we want to buy your fabulous pieces where can we find you?

“On Instagram, with a private message we can arrange the delivery. And on 2 platforms that are Depop and Vintag, exclusively dedicated to the sale of vintage and second-hand items, accessories and clothes”.

I have a question for you, I can’t help but ask you: what is the most slippery slip you’ve seen or wore?

“I recently saw a documentary about Anna Piaggi, a fashion journalist. I think one of the first to have cleared vintage fashion. I bow to her because she is the master of all the failures of style. In the good sense, that is to put together so many styles that it is an explosion of colors, patterns, fabrics, materials that at that point the fall in style becomes a work of art”.

Era il discorso a cui accennavamo prima. Sembra molto più facile rispetto a vestire con stile, in realtà anche fare scivoloni con gusto richiede un certo impegno. It’s the aspect we mentioned earlier: seems a lot easier than dressing in style, actually slipping tastefully takes some effort too.

“Yes, certainly and in her case also a certain culture”.

But you have chosen a true blue slip!

In fashion interviews usually people ask for style advice. But no, this time we ask for a (fall) style advice!

The basic faux pas that even absolute beginners can do is for example to mix two different patterns, such as a striped t-shirt and a tartan skirt. What does it take? There it is, the fall of style! Which, however, depending on how you take it can be something that also has its own credibility. It is always in the eye of the beholder the fall of style, after all!”.

Michela, thank you so much for taking the time, for the fun afternoon also taking pictures. Thanks, we will see you in person for sure!

“Thanks to you, it was a great experience, I had a lot of fun. Thanks!”.

Site: https://cadutedistile.it

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cadute_di_stile/

Vintag: https://www.vintag.store/meezedd?lang=it

Depop: https://www.depop.com/cadute_di_stile/

Scrivo spesso che Dress Ecode dà la possibilità di incontrare persone particolarmente speciali, capaci di rendere questo lungo cammino più leggero, perché è davvero così e mi capita frequentemente di confermare questa impressione. Con alcune di queste persone nascono amicizie uniche.

A volte gli incontri avvengono del tutto per caso. Come con Marilena (Dibiase). Siamo da Humana Vintage in Via dei Cappellari a Milano, sono gli ultimi due giorni di saldi, che in questo negozio di abiti donati per beneficenza significano “Tutto a 1 euro”. Già, perché vestire vintage vuol dire proprio spendere sempre un patrimonio
Mi imbatto in Marilena davanti allo specchio. È intenta a provarsi alcune giacche dal taglio anni ’80 e ’90 mentre dà carinamente consigli a un’altra signora con cui si alterna davanti allo specchio, indecisa sull’acquisto di un paio di capi. Mi colpisce come dà suggerimenti di stile. Intervengo quando la signora guarda la piccola asola di una giacca e dice: “Peccato… è rotta…”. Le spiego che si può molto facilmente sistemare! E in ogni caso il bottone la copre. Così subentro nelle prove allo specchio e nei consigli alla signora. Da lì a poco mi ritrovo a chiacchierare con Marilena, perché non riesco a non dirle quanto mi faccia piacere trovare una ragazza giovane in cerca di capi ricercati (e usati) da Humana, invece che negli store fast fashion.

“Perché acquisti vintage e usato?”, le chiedo. “Per l’unicità dei pezzi che posso trovare: nessuno può avere la stessa cosa. E mi piace dare nuova vita a un capo. Mi piace anche rivivere l’epoca in cui è stato indossato. Il rapporto qualità-prezzo inoltre è buono: si trovano capi di ottima fattura e di buonissima qualità a prezzi stracciati”.

Ci ritroviamo nel mezzo di un’intervista improvvisata davanti a un dissetante succo di frutta, in un’afosa giornata urbana (più sotto le foto dell’incontro e degli acquisti, Marilena una volta tornata a trovato nella tacchina di una giacca una piccola sorpresa…). Marilena ha 24 anni, ha da poco terminato un master in Marketing per l’Entertainment ed è in cerca di un lavoro, possibilmente quello dei suoi sogni. È proprio l’amore per il cinema (e per la musica) soprattutto anni ’80 e ’90 che si riflette nello stile di Marilena. Da quegli anni, e un po’ anche dagli anni ’70, trae ispirazione per il suo abbigliamento: i Toto, Billy Idol, i Blondie, Claudia Schiffer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Julia Roberts e Lady Diana sono i suoi miti. “Lady Diana è una vera e propria icona di stile per me”, mi racconta. I film da cui trae spunto: American Gigolò, The breakfast club, 9 settimane e 1/2, La mia Africa, Blue Velvet, Basic Instinct e tanti altri.

Il tuo capo preferito? “Il vestito di Lady Diana quando balla con John Travolta!”, risponde Marilena. Le chiedo se può creare per Dress Ecode un quadro dei suoi pezzi preferiti (più sotto trovate la visual board che la ispira).

Un consiglio per l’acquisto di abbigliamento usato e/o vintage?
“Penso di avere occhio, ma non credo ci si nasca. Si può sviluppare, così è stato per me. Acculturarsi, girare, confrontare tante cose. Ho modelli a cui ispirarmi. In una cartella creata su Instagram che ho nominato Style, salvo i pezzi che mi piacciono, da cui prendo spunto e quando vado in un negozio ho già le idee chiare su ciò che desidero acquistare, in base ai modelli. Mi dò un budget: se riesco a trovare il pezzo che cerco a poco ok, altrimenti rimando ai saldi, aspetto le occasioni (che arrivano sempre)”.

Un suggerimento per i giovani (e non solo)?
“Trovare la propria identità, non solo personale ma anche estetica, il proprio senso della moda. Mi aiuta moltissimo nello shopping. Quando entro in un negozio, elimino mentalmente il 70% delle cose perché so che non si addicono alla mia identità, che indossandole non mi sentirei a mio agio. Acquisto in modo mirato. E preferisco andare su pezzi classici. Un altro consiglio è guardare quello che si ha nell’armadio. E se non si mette qualcosa, si può regalare o scambiare o vendere su siti o gruppi di Facebook”.

Dicevi prima che non si nasce “con l’occhio”, come lo hai sviluppato?
“Prima infatti non era così per me. Ho iniziato quando lavoravo per uno store di Massimo Dutti. Leggevo riviste di moda. Ma la moda è una cosa, lo stile è un altro. Dai clienti ho appreso molto, soprattutto da quelli giapponesi. Hanno stile, sanno abbinare i pezzi. Mi ha ispirato tanto anche vedere l’alta moda”.

Dove acquisti seconda mano e vintage?
“In negozi come Humana o come quelli nella zona delle Colonne di San Lorenzo (a Milano), mercatini nelle città, iniziative particolari di vendita di vintage, Depop, Etsy e ho scaricato l’app Vintag”.

Il capo che hai trovato che ti piace di più?
“Una camicia rosa in stile vittoriano, con un motivo damascato e un fiocco da annodare. L’ho trovata proprio da Humana”.

Grazie Marilena! Tra tanti giovani che acquistano seguendo la moda del momento nelle catene fast fashion trovare una ragazza con le idee chiare, indipendente dalle mode fugaci, con un suo stile ben definito, alla ricerca di capi unici nell’usato è confortante!

Ecco la visual board che ispira Marilena, se anche voi ne avete creata una o desiderate realizzarne scriveteci (contact_us@dressecode.it) e la pubblicheremo!

Le foto dell’incontro

English – A personal style inspired by music and cinema, as a remedy for fleeting (and not very sustainable) fashion trends: Marilena and the 80s and 90s!

I often write that Dress Ecode gives the possibility to meet particularly special people, capable of making this long journey lighter, because it is really like this and I frequently confirm this impression. With some of these people unique friendships are born.

Sometimes meetings happen entirely by chance. As with Marilena (Dibiase). We are at Humana Vintage in Via dei Cappellari in Milan, these are the last two days of sales, which in this shop of clothes donated for charity mean “All for 1 euro”. Yeah, because wearing vintage means just always spending a fortune
I run into Marilena in front of the mirror. She is trying on some jackets from the 1980s and 1990s while she nicely advises a lady with whom she alternates herself in front of the mirror, the lady is undecided about buying a pair of clothes. It strikes me how she gives the lady some style suggestions. I participate when the lady looks at the small buttonhole of a jacket and says: “Too bad… it’s broken…”. I explain that it is possible to fix it very easily! And in any case the button covers it. So I insert in the mirror tests and the advice to the lady. Shortly thereafter I find myself chatting with Marilena, because I can’t help but tell her how pleased I am to find a young girl looking for refined clothes (and used) at Humana, instead of in fast fashion stores.

“Why are you buying vintage and used?“, I ask her. “For the uniqueness of the pieces I can find: no one can have the same thing. And I like giving new life to a garment. I also like to relive the era in which it was worn. The quality-price ratio is also good: there are excellent quality and very well-made garments at bargain prices”.

We find ourselves in the middle of an improvised interview in front of a refreshing fruit juice, on a sultry urban day (above you can see the photos of the meeting and of Marilena’s purchases, as she arrived at home she found a little surprise in the pocket of a jacket…). Marilena is 24 years old, she has recently completed a master’s degree in Marketing for Entertainment and is looking for a job, possibly that of her dreams. It is precisely her love for cinema (and music), especially from the 1980s and 1990s, that is reflected in Marilena’s style. By those years, and even by the 1970s, she draws inspiration for her clothing: the Toto, Billy Idol, the Blondie, Claudia Schiffer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Julia Roberts and Lady Diana are her myths. “Lady Diana is a real style icon for me”, she tells me. The films from which she is inspired: American Gigolò, The breakfast club, 9 1/2 weeks, Out of Africa, Blue Velvet, Basic Instinct and many others.

Your favorite item? “Lady Diana’s dress when she dances with John Travolta!”, replies Marilena. I ask her if she can create a picture of her favorite pieces for Dress Ecode (below there is the visual board by which she draws inspiration).

A tip for buying used and/or vintage clothing?
“I think I have a sharp eye, but I don’t believe we are born with it. It can be developed, so it was for me. Acculturate, turn, compare many things! I have models that inspire me. In a folder that I created on Instagram and named Style, I save the pieces I like, from which I get inspired and when I go to a store I already have a clear idea of ​​what I want to buy, based on the models. I give myself a budget: if I can find the piece I am looking for a little ok, otherwise I posticipate until the sales, I wait for the occasions (which always arrive)”.

A suggestion for young people (and not only)?
“Find your own identity, not only personal but also aesthetic, your own sense of fashion. It helps me a lot in shopping. When I go into a store, I mentally eliminate 70% of things because I know they don’t suit my identity, that wearing them I wouldn’t feel comfortable. Purchase in a targeted manner. And I prefer to go on classic pieces. Another tip is to look at what you have in the closet. And if you don’t wear something, you can give or exchange or sell on Facebook sites or groups”.

You said before that you are not born “with a sharp eye”, how did you develop it?
“It wasn’t like that for me before. I started when I was working for a Massimo Dutti store. I read fashion magazines. But fashion is one thing, style is another. From the customers I learned a lot, especially from the Japanese ones. They have style, they know how to match the pieces. It also inspired me to see high fashion”.

Where do you buy second-hand and vintage?
“In stores like Humana or like those in the area Colonne di ​​San Lorenzo (in Milan), street markets in the city, special vintage sales initiatives, Depop, Etsy and I have downloaded the Vintag app”.

Which garment did you find that you like best?
“A pink Victorian style shirt with a damask motif and a bow to tie. I found it right from Humana”.

Thanks Marilena! Among many young people who buy following the fashion of the moment in fast fashion chains, finding a girl with clear ideas, independent from fleeting fashion trends, with a well-defined style, looking for unique second-hand items is comforting!

Here is the visual board that inspires Marilena, if you have created one or would like to make it please write to us (contact_us@dressecode.it) and we will publish it!