In this new episode of the format ‘Fashion & Sustainability, let’s talk’ we had a chat with Licia Florio, entrepreneur and creative, passionate about yoga, physical and mental wellbeing, and spokesperson for healthy and eco-responsible living. She is the founder of the clothing and beauty brand named after her, Licia Florio , and CIAOMONDO together with her partner Francio Ferrari. The interview was conducted, as always, by Guenda Cermel, coordinator of the BA in Sustainable Fashion Design at RUFA.
Licia, you seem to live an integral dimension of eco design. You design with your partner, Francio, with a very diverse portfolio of products (from nail polish to yoga wear), which are harmoniously balanced in a lifestyle that merges form and content.
What is your story-project and who would you like to reach with your design?
Developing a product is related to the purpose we set for ourselves: to help people find a balance between mind and body.
The choices you make every day influence how well you feel. We wanted to create something that represented this need.
You created a collection of 7 toxic-free nail polish, which, besides being beautifully photographed in their thousands of shades, are presented as a beauty ritual necessary to recover an intimate dimension of time.
What does it mean to you to make the ordinary extraordinary with a view to sustainable consumption?
Taking five minutes for yourself while the polish dries is a way to learn to focus on the present, here and now.
I have associated each nail polish with a meditation to learn to value time more.
For us, consumption must always be responsible: understand our impact and manage the resources we have better.
The yoga collection is made from Made in Italy recycled fabrics and is produced km zero in the Milan area following geographical proximity principles. What do you think should be the relationship between a product and its territory?
It is important for us to offer a high quality product, but it is important that the price is affordable. We were lucky to find a supplier near Milan that made it possible for us to do just that. We think it is more important to have direct knowledge of the supplier and its processes, rather than mere territorial data.
In your designs, the color is a key factor, in a way that goes beyond marketing. Why, and what role do you give it?
We have always lived in houses with few things, and a lot of white.
Colour is always in the details. Choosing to wear a colour can help motivate you, calm you down or give you confidence.
Every colour we develop is linked to a general palette that is always in harmony with itself.
You chose sustainable materials before it was a common approach. What does ‘responsible design’ mean for you?
It is always part of the deep understanding that resources are not infinite and must be managed in a fair manner: a form of respect for ourselves and all other people.
It is always part of understanding that resources are not infinite and must be managed correctly: a form of respect for ourselves and all other people.
In November 2020, in contrast with Black Friday, you launched the Golden Friday project, which proposed experiences (such as free yoga classes), rather than the purchase of something.
CIAOMONDO is increasingly a community. For us, the people connected to it are the heart of the project. We work to grow a supportive community.
Every project we develop, we do it precisely because it has been requested by the people who are part of it.
To date, it is a beautiful journey of feeling good alone and together. At the end of last year, a book came out, published by Fabbri Editore, which synthesizes the vision of what CIAOMONDO means to us: physical activity, self-respect, creativity, and sharing well-being with others.
We will soon be launching new initiatives around traveling, education, and workshops.
Find out more on the brand Licia Florio
