DESIGN ODESSEY

Inspiration can be a fickle thing. Most designers, when lacking ideas, turn to design galleries to find ideas. Là Fuori takes inspiration from its travels. We look into places far and wide in search of elements which we can incorporate in our design culture falling in-sync with our design collections.

The ‘Inspiration phase’ is potentially the most important part of the design thinking process as it lays the foundation for the next two steps to come. The inspiration phase is about framing the problem and its scope, gathering meaningful data from customers and their pains, and then synthesizing and interpreting the collected data for actionable steps in the ‘Ideation phase’. In other words, the quality of work in the Inspiration phase feeds the raw material to work with, in the Ideation phase — therefore, if, ‘garbage in — then — garbage out’.

So far, our collections were a mix of rich history, subtle design approach , exquisite handicrafts by regional artisans and travel inspirations on the go.
Once a rough itinerary has been outlined, we leave, letting the journey itself inspire us, day after day. What is really important for us is to keep this path, through the different cultures, authentic and real.

Many brands are inspired by distant realities, but very few go in person to the place, spending entire weeks in the villages of the artisans they wish to work with. Instead, we are real guests of a culture, rather than explorers. We love to physically knock on doors, ask for permission, collect information. We are passionate with curiosity. ”
The new collection ‘ Stories of Sapa’ explores innovative textures on Vietnamese inflorescence, blending the art of hand-weaving organic silk with a palette of vibrant colors, inspired by the heights of the Sapa plateau.

Whereas, our previous collection ‘Road to Barmer’ was nestled in the west of Rajasthan, the small town of Barmer ,vibrating with the ancient art of hand block printing and rich medieval traditions in collaboration with the talented artisan communities in Barmer.

From delicate organic applique cloth in Rajasthan markets to hand-woven bamboo baskets from Vietnam, travelers like us collect an array of textiles, decorative art, and artifacts on their journeys. Each geographic location offers a unique culture made up of local art and artifacts, colors, cuisine, and traditions.

The goal is to give a face and an emotion to the garments we make, through storytelling that makes the craftsman the real protagonist of all our collections.

The name Là Fuori derives from the fact that we observe the world with an interrogative spirit, capable of reinterpreting not only the vision of our origins, but also the perception of our forms, our identity and our role in the world. We want to spread, with our clothing, a seed of inspiration, to remind our mind to always be “on the road”, where beauty is cultivated daily. You just need to go out, look for that authentic charm, want to ask, curiosity to understand, the wonder of finding.

The textile cultures around the world and their artisans, with their own life stories, offer us this beauty. This is why we leave and go knocking on their doors.

Our design is a cultural encounter. Thanks to the support of local artisans, we get to know textile cultures and traditions at risk of extinction and we establish a new creative dialogue with them, aimed at developing, within the artisan community itself, a greater awareness of the value and role that their own products have on the modern market.

The latest collection, “Stories of Sapa”, took us to the Sapa plateau, in Vietnam, with the women of the Hmong community. It has allowed us to reconcile two very different realities. Our primary intent is always to connect our travels and the people we meet along the way; in this case, women of the desert who converse with women of the mountains.

Traveling the world puts things into perspective and can help you gain clarity on what your passion actually is. Being in a breathtaking place has a very interesting way of making you think differently. It helps bring out all of the creativity inside of you and can help you make the decision to follow your dreams.