ELISABETTA VILLA
My professional career began in a workshop near Bergamo, 40 km away from Milan. That’s where my father, founded our little company. It was 1970. It was a small factory yet a big family. The 7 of us (3 sisters and 4 brothers), immediately joined the company after getting over with our college degrees. No doubts at all, me and my brothers were eager to share the new experience. Our home and workshop were located in the same building and I remember coming back from school and going down to the lab to play with the textiles, buttons and other accessories. I was so passionate for fashion and drawing that after getting my degree I joined many fashion schools courses and masters.
All I wanted was improving my skills. I remember studying at “Callegari” in Novara, the ” SECOLI Institute” in Milan, among the others, specializing in pattern making, fashion illustration, and design (I even studied drawing fashion collections using CAD systems). I then graduated in “ARTE E SCIENZE DELLO SPETTACOLO e del COSTUME” at the University “SAPIENZA“ in Rome. During my career I had the chance to work and establish joint-ventures with some of the best Italian designers: Luciano Soprani, Fendi, Regina Schrecker, Egon Von Furstenberg, Laura Biagiotti, Krizia, Daniela Bongiorno; All of them helped me improving my skills and taught me the secrets of such a complicated industry. In 1985, starting from scratch, I began drawing a few sketches, preparing patterns and sewing sample clothes for my first little collection. This was the birth of “L’Officina della Moda”, a modern fashion project aimed to women who were looking for something new and willing to be always up to date. In 1993 I opened the first store in Milan. Soon after that very first point of sale, me and my brothers began developing our network of Point of Sale. The “Officina della Moda” collection is now sold in the best “Department stores” and clothing shops in Italy and abroad. Following the evolution of the fashion market, is crucial nowadays. That’s why a few years ago, I decided to specialize in online and TV sales. This marketing strategy allows us to “customize” the style combining the pure creation with the process of selling, and thereby maintaining continuous contact with the consumer to grasp the ongoing changes of the fashion world. Our father Giulio Villa was a practical man with a vision. He thought big, especially in the years when the legend of the the large mass consume was being consolidated. He had many ideas and led our family teaching us to love what we do. He suggested us to join the company. Following his advice was the most important choice of my career.
