FIRST CALL PARTNERSHIP INTERVIEW: LAURE WOLFF + LA MANUELITA

Through the WORTH Partnership Project, the duo was created between Laure Wolff, a Footwear designer familiar with the complete product creation life cycle up to commercialization, and Manuelita Torresi of La Manuelita, a footwear manufacturing company of 54 employees based in the Marche region in Italy, producing shoes using highly specialized regional artisans.

The two creatives are working together to establish a capsule collection of footwear based on a non-seasonal style inspired by the concepts of tomorrow’s fashion including customization, made-to-order, open factory and sustainability.
We interviewed the due to understand how they are responding to the new consumer trend of custom-made products that are also produced sustainably.

What led you to your project idea?
Laure Wolff: The observation of the life cycle of shoes in the last few years. Some points always fascinated me, like the craftsmanship itself but I came to realize that some parts of the loop should evolve to be more cohesive with the current and future times in terms of development, production and service to the final customer. I thought that by reviewing the complete cycle we could start designing a new model for our product that would truly benefit everyone involved in the chain, being the brand, manufacturer, and final customer.
Manuelita Torresi: We decided to support our partner’s project because we share the same vision.

How do you think your industry sector will grow in the coming years?
Laure Wolff: The demand is changing at a fast pace as well as the consuming habits. Our sector needs to evolve rapidly and find ways to best use knowledge based on decades of craftsmanship and combine it with adapted new technologies to serve the craft and the final quality of the product. I think that, inspired by other industries, the functions involved in shoe making will change and push the boundaries of craftsmanship as we know it.
Manuelita Torresi: Our sector needs to adapt to changes induced by new technologies including consuming behaviours. Happening through different channels and online, the client’s experience will be more and more focused on the notions and values of quality, comfort, people, cost and respect of the environment; not only on fashion as such.

What is your personal definition of innovation?
Laure Wolff: The ability to move forward in a specific area using mastered knowledge and skills combined with new processes and a fresh way of thinking to adapt to a world in constant evolution and change.
Manuelita Torresi: Use the advantages of new technologies to offer a product of the highest quality and respond more accurately the customer’s needs while also valorising the skills acquired in the past by reducing the time dedicated to repetitive task, and focus on the value of people and their savoir-faire and better respect the environment.