Il Girasole

This project is inspired by my grandmother’s art, our Italian heritage in Umbria, and the resurgence of skate culture in Chicago. My grandmother began learning about our heritage at 40 and continued her discoveries until she passed away at 80 in 2023. This collection reminisces on our shared discoveries about our ancestors and honors my grandmother's paintings of Italy, which influenced the prints, silhouettes, and patterns. I started getting into skate culture around the age of 12 in 2015 and 2016. This shaped my fashion sense, personality, interests, and eventually led to my passion for fashion design, And has inspired the looseness of silhouette in my collection. This blend of influences might seem random, but both our heritage and skate culture have been significant parts of my life. Just as she experienced the rise of skate culture through me, I learned about my heritage through her.