Dear Alan,

1. Your theme was ‘Possibility’. You are saying that inside our DNA lies a section that contains all of our ancestral experiences and memories from our past. Explain that concept of “Ancestral Memory” that inspired you.

A: Ancestral memory is a somewhat fringe scientific theory that truly fascinated me. For thousands of years, particular cultures and religions have believed that we inherit the memories of our ancestors and one’s spirit can live on through others. This recent notion that our life experiences can ingrain themselves into our genetic make-up to be passed onto our offspring and subsequent generations offered the first substantial scientific evidence that this could be a valid reality. My grandfather, who started his own business creating footwear in the 1960’s, shaped my journey into custom-made shoemaking. Sadly, there was no overlap in his business and my journey into the industry – he passed away a few years ago – and I had to wonder how his life’s work and his passion for shoemaking might effect my decisions and work in entering this world.

2. Where and when started your interest for shoe design. Tell me more about your previous experiences, studies, research methods.

A: My interest for starting in the industry started with my family. Even though my grandfather had retired by the time I was born and my father had pursued a different career path, it was something that I was constantly reminded of and which stayed in the back of my mind until I decided to consider it as a serious career when I turned twenty. I enrolled myself at the Footwear Design & Creation course at Sydney’s East Sydney TAFE in Australia. At the time, I was also working in the fashion industry while studying part time and as my passion for shoes grew, it became my primary focus. I was fortunate enough to be mentored by one of our lecturers, Jodie Morrison, who is Australia’s premier shoemaking for screen and stage. Jodie’s workshop has created thousands of shoes for productions including King Kong, Narnia, Wicked, The Lion King & Mamma Mia and was my first true experience within a successful shoemaking business. Jodie’s passion for her creations as well as her work creating medical footwear for those suffering from the effects of diseases such as Polio inspired me to create a charity project, entitled ‘Best Foot Forward’. The project had two purposes – to bring the custom-made footwear community in Australia together as well as educating about the plight of those living with the after-effects of such horrific diseases in the world, to this day. The spark for much of my research and inspiration really comes from the people in my own life; concepts that arise in conversation and often lead on from one another. Usually, I get a theory or inspiration stuck in my mind for weeks and find myself engrossed in researching online. I enjoy subjects that are not a closed discussion or subject – such as the theory of ancestral memory – in that it encourages further discussion and poses a question of self-belief. Lastly, I find it so interesting to be able to fuse something incredibly new and in many cases scientific with my craft which is an essentially a very old artisan one.

3. I feel you have the strength to start researching from a concept, experiment freely, eliminate and end up with an essential shape. As you said “Do more and more with less and less until…”. Is this a unique experience or is it a lifestyle philosophy?

A: After some time studying in Australia and here, at Polimoda, I’m starting to thread together a consistent design philosophy. From working alongside master shoe-artisan Roberto Ugolini in his Florentine studio, I have most definitely come to appreciate the perfectionism in artisan technique in construction and aesthetics. Far from my time working in a theatrical workshop, where design needs to be seen from far away, I truly find beauty in the appreciation of detail. My designs may seem minimalist at first glance, however each contains an many hours of workmanship, found upon closer inspection. I am really passionate about the concept of ‘new luxury’, where consumers are invited to explore bespoke pieces and discover beauty in an original and something unique to each piece.

4. How do you see the evolution of Fashion and Fashion Design in this new world of Commercial Fashion?

A: This is such an interesting subject – one that is changing form around us so rapidly. Firstly, i’m finding that as luxury fashion, in particular, is introduced into rapidly expanding markets such as South East Asia, Russia, the Middle East and India, that brands are reassessing the way to define the term ‘luxury’. With social media and the Internet providing instant runway coverage, often, designer looks hit the high street before they have even made it into the designer stores. Fashion in this sense, becomes disposable much faster. In terms of the major fashion players, brands are starting to think of ways to provide product, which is uniquely tailored, for the customer. In Dubai, for instance, you will find countless women carrying crocodile Hermes Birkin Bags. In terms of their environment, these are becoming less and less unique – so where do we go from there? Designers, like Miuccia Prada have embarked on projects such as the ‘Made In’ line, where artisans from India and Peru created woven accessories to be sold through their boutiques. More and more, as fashion as a commercial industry becomes more accessible, people are looking to find ‘…what next?’. Brands have also now seriously begun recognizing emerging talent, offering incredible internships and prizes for the best the international landscape has to offer. I think we’ll find in the next five years, that the notion of the high street and luxury will change incredibly and it will be fascinating to be a part of it.

5. Do you feel you can contribute to creativity in this sector?

A: Absolutely and I’m very excited to be a part of it. I think that my fellow graduates and I have all developed as designers in a world where so much has been covered aesthetically, already. I believe that it will be our generation that looks to new ways of engaging people and defining what fashion means on many levels. Personally, I think that the best designers have all grown from collaborating with people from unexpected fields. I am looking forward to designing in ways that are a constant stretch of my creativity and then involving those who inspire me to take this to something that would have been unthought-of of independently.

6. Where would you start your new “styling office”? In which country?

I would start my office in Australia, it is a rapidly expanding market and I am able to be inspired creatively. I am fortunate to call it home.

7. With which people would you eventually like to create a new movement. Architects? Scientists, Philosophers?

A: With Architects I would like to learn new techniques of construction that already exist, like that from Buckminster Fuller and the Geodesic dome, further collaborating with science can open the possibility of a movement into something new, like materials or even fundamental design like in the area of bio-mimicry where science looks towards nature for a blue print of a system or structure.

8. Do you think Green Fashion is important item to change the world?

Making business and ethical decisions to support and utilize sustainable fashion in our work is, as I see it, the only certain way forward. Analyzing trend forecasts for even mid-next year – the consensus is the concept of ‘the purity of nature’. We are fortunate enough to be able to work in this industry that we do, which is a creative and captivating one, and it is so clear to me, that it is our responsibility to nurture and select from our resources wisely and to give back in a very practical sense from what we take. We need to avoid becoming so ensconced with consuming as a society that we lose track of what we may destroy for future generations.

9. What are your plans for the coming months, after the Polimoda master?

A: My plans are to continue learning Artisan made to measure shoemaking at Roberto Ugolini, here in Florence although I will be taking some short trips away to various beach areas in Italy while I continue on researching and designing for future collections. In this time I will also be able to plan what the next step in my career will be.

Thanks for answering those questions. Good luck for the future!

Linda Loppa.