FRANCESCA

Francesca
D'Alessandro

My name is Francesca, I’m 25 years old and I work as a trainee lawyer. I am also a passionate knitter, sewer, embroiderer, crocheter and maker in general. You can take a look at some of my work on my Instagram @francivusk.

I moved from Rome to Milan about six months ago to start working at a law firm after graduating in late 2018. It's a very transformative period of my life - I feel a bit like a little seed emerging through the soil.

A SEED IN SOIL

Literally everything around me has an influence on what I wear in some measure - my mood obviously, the seasons, what I'm reading or watching, my surroundings... it's ever changing. Moving to Milan has meant leaving my comfort zone in so many respects, style included: I feel more drawn to bold, crazy prints whereas only a few months ago I was a monochrome kind of girl through and through... I think it's also due to the fact that I am becoming a much more confident person than I was before, and this inevitably reflects on what I feel comfortable wearing.

Style is a very fluid concept for me - sometimes I don’t even think I have a very distinct one, as it changes so frequently. Generally, I like playing with pieces that are traditionally considered more feminine or masculine and mixing them together - I love the contrast.

I always try to buy pieces that I can see myself wearing in 10 years' time and that can accompany me through future seasons of my life. I usually stay away from cheap materials and poorly sewn garments - they always disappoint.

I think that life is too short to have a wardrobe full of things you're only half in love with and that don't make you feel good.

WEARING A MEMORY

Wearing my mother and grandmother's clothes means a lot to me - I think it creates a special bond between me and the women of my family. I love wearing clothes that my mother used to wear when she was my age, or that my father bought for her before they were even married. My grandma recently gave me a bag that my mother had purchased for her with her first ever paycheck. I really cherish it and I hope I can pass it on to my daughter, if I have one.

Artistic expression and the process of constructing a garment go hand in hand for me - I always try to imbue my creations with a deeper meaning, even if I am the only one who will notice or care about it. It's something I like to do for myself.

I have always loved combining the things I love into one - if I fall in love with a song, a painting or a flower I instantly start thinking about how I can incorporate it into a piece of embroidery or clothing. It's also a way of remembering a particular moment in my life.

Whenever I wear something I have made, I instantly recall how I was feeling when I was making it - if I was happy, bored, or sad; if the piece took some trial and error before turning out the way I want (it always does); it makes me remember the place I was in, both spatially and emotionally. It's kind of like wearing a memory.

Images: Manisha Ramsaran for the Ginny & Jude Women Project