Antik Batik

Hippie chic before the hour, just before the arrival of the trend, bohemian with what to modern and match the mood of the moment, Antik Batik has in 16 years soon, to build its own identity made of knowledge without borders, inspired by vintage and key trends. The origin of this label, a young Italian enamored travel Gabriella Cortese.

Born in 1992 on the market ready-to-wear a new brand: Antik Batik. His name already says a lot about the nature and concept of the brand. The resonance of these two words is ethnic, batik is a traditional printing technique of Bali, which is used to decorate pareos out there who cling to the wall as a decoration. Bali sarongs, local crafts … It is the alchemy of these three data that will inspire Gabriella Cortese embarking on the adventure of creation.

The young woman was born in Turin, where she was born in 1965. The girl remembers she was always drawn to fashion, or at least the magic clothes. She admired her mother who wore an elegant and sophisticated, coordinated fashion suits and accessories. During a family vacation in St. Tropez, the finery of the Wildlife Club 55 fascinated her, and as soon as Gabriella had a little time, she liked to embroider as exercised his grandmother.

Yet this is not to fashion when she turns, now a young adult, she must choose his path. Then the dance that attracts him. She gets to Paris, an audition and finds himself hired at Crazy Horse. Initially, the festive and glamorous world that surrounds the witch, but after one year Gabriella had enough and decided to fly to Bali to find its bearings. In Bali, she discovers the local crafts and fall in love.

She becomes infatuated pareos and everything that gives rise technique of batik. However, pareos and other colorful scarves were not so many on the European market, and Gabriella sees a big opportunity: she decided to link the Balinese know how his creative sense. However, the patterns used by the locals will not please the Europeans, never mind, it will draw its own models. For added wraps to crochet hats and scarves, and little by little what originally was a small business with friends, is gaining momentum. Thus in 1992, with his friend at the time, Christopher Sauvat, Gabriella Cortese creates Antik Batik.

Its concept is to combine traditional techniques and local fashion. Peruvian knit, embroidery and Indian Pakistani tannery are all skills she builds. For collections, it does not follow trends specifically, it is rather the one to go … However, it still makes the show Première Vision (specializing in textiles) to find the color schemes of the next season, but his inspiration she needs no one.

Antik Batik has a strong universe, both ethnic and playful, she nurtured through an insatiable curiosity. It draws from London exhibitions, old prints, vintage dresses Chez Mamie (73 rue Rochechouart, Paris), costumes or even 30-40 years of cinema of Truffaut. She mixes it all, takes up an idea of embroidery, extract detail stitching around and gives birth to blend clothing or vintage, exotic and playfulness.

80% of its production is done in India, whose expertise inspires and promises an unparalleled quality. Expert in the art of embroidery sequins (one of the strengths of the brand), Indian dressmakers models allow Antik Batik can feel like to have unique pieces of haute couture …

Gabriella’s dream claw as a showcase for a certain lifestyle. Women Antik Batik is fond of mixing, is vintage, the fair and modernizes all accessorizing with up-to-date. The style and creations of the brand like this particular social tribe called “Bourgeois Bohemians”, even if as and when development Antik Batik, the Customer or the Rue de Turenne that of Rue Cambon (some addresses of stores) has diversified. She now has so many young girls who will find a trendy glitter wolf, as enthusiasts from the first day the famous shopper embroidered tunic, or as fashionistas waiting for a thrill.

In a little over 15 years, the little world of Gabriella Cortese has evolved: what was once a fad has become a utopian society in which production is distributed in over 1,500 outlets. His creations have weathered and are less ethnic in its infancy. It comes in effect beyond the first level of local folk, and develops more sophisticated models, loans from grace.

10 years after the creation of the brand, its partner has changed now is the father of her son who is at his side. Gabriella then thinks diversification: in 2000, she decided to dress the girls, and in 2005 she joins Sun to launch a lingerie collection. She also participates in many humanitarian initiatives. For example, she dressed the doll for UNICEF.