Milan success story: Paula Cademartori, bag and shoe designer

"I was born in Brazil of Italian parents. Italy has always attracted me, not least because of its elegance. When I was 21, I decided to leave Brazil to go and live in Milan, where I studied for a master's degree in fashion accessories at Istituto Marangoni. For me, both Milan and this school were symbols of a career in design. During my studies, I had the chance to design a bag for Orciani, which they loved and then marketed. That was the first step in my career. Then I was chosen as a junior designer at Versace.

In 2009, I took part in the Vogue Talents competition, and as I was designing bags for Versace, I thought it would be more ethical to design a shoe collection. It gave me great exposure and I decided to give it all up and launch my own brand in 2010. In the beginning, when I contacted buyers, I pretended to be 'my assistant', because I didn't want anyone to know that I was doing everything on my own. Today, there are 14 of us in our new HQ in via Borgogna. And even though I don't have my own shop yet, I'm proud to be represented in over 160 points of sale all over the world. In Milan, of course, but also in Paris - at Le Bon Marché, among others - in the United States, in Japan... Obviously, I'd love to have a fagship in Milan, but that will come. For me, the most important thing is to believe in my dreams and work to make them come true. When I see Kylie Minogue, Jane Fonda or Constance Jablonski wearing one of my bags, I'm really happy..."

Internet : www.paulacademartori.com
Email : info@paulacademartori.com