Founder and Fashion Director of Modesens Jing Leng has selected six outfits from Mirta and styled them to wear Made in Italy head to toe. If you have not had the chance to check them out, read our magazine article to find out about Made in Italy in the eyes of Jing Leng.
A coffee chat with Jing Leng, Fashion Director of Modesens
We loved collaborating with her, therefore we decided to sit down and answer some curiosities and questions about Mirta and our artisans. We invite you to join us, grab a cup of coffee (espresso of course!) and read on to get to know us a bit better.
Jing Leng: How do you find the artisans?
Mirta: You’d be surprised to know that at the beginning of Mirta, back in 2019, Ciro and Martina, Mirta’s co-founders, drove around Italy by car in search of the best artisans to convince them to onboard a platform that was barely a newborn website. From there, things have changed a bit because of Covid-19 and Mirta’s quick growth. Today it would be impossible to do what Ciro and Martina did in the past (even if we’d love to!), therefore there is a team dedicated to research, find, and select artisans to onboard the platform. Of course word of mouth is also a magnificent tool to become known among artisans and that really helps us get in touch with potential new partners.
JL: As lovers of fashion and beautiful handmade pieces, is the selection process difficult? Do you onboard as many artisans as you can, or is there a limit to the number of artisans/products you can offer?
M: The team dedicated to the research, onboarding and management of artisans relations reviews hundreds of items every week, therefore the selection is quite hard for sure. However, we strictly follow some guidelines that were built internally to keep the selection of high quality and to ensure the best for our customers.
In Italy there are more than 50.000 artisans (in fashion and lifestyle only!) that have skills and talent, therefore we certainly don’t want to put a limit in terms of numbers. We want to be able to offer as many products as possible, always maintaining high standards of course, in order to make sure that everyone around the world can find a perfect piece of Italy that fits their needs and tastes.
JL: What do you believe is the number 1 driver of Mirta’s success?
M: We want to be humble yet ambitious, and we think that what we have achieved so far is only a small part of what we dream to do. Success to us is everytime we read a happy review from our clients and a happy feedback from our artisans. For sure, besides the quality of the products that is key to having happy customers, we work every day to offer the best experience possible to everyone that enters Mirta and decides to purchase a piece of Italy. Our goal is to connect clients directly with artisans and we do that by telling their stories in different ways, by conveying through videos and photos the passion and the long tradition that there is behind Italian craftsmanship. We really want to make people feel like they are entering a real workshop and live the same experience they would live in a small bottega in Florence.
As we were talking about Mirta and artisanship, the curiosity to speak with artisans quickly grew. So we decided to ask some questions directly to them. We have gathered some answers and we happily wanted to share them with you. Grab another coffee and enjoy the reading.
JL: How long does it take to complete one handbag?
Ireri: it depends on the model but the creation of the paper pattern takes about 10-12 hours and the production takes around 6-7 hours.
Pelletteria New Line: besides the design process, the production takes around 7 hours for one bag and it involves 5 different people with different skills.
JL: What part of the design process do you love most?
Ama bags: For sure the whole development of the process from start to finish: from the design to the quality check.
C.A.F: I would say for me the best part is when the client appreciates the final product.
Pugnetti Parma: I really like when I do the paper pattern by hand, but I also love going to the tannery to pick the leather for my designs and letting myself get inspired by the touch of the leather itself. The best feeling is getting to the final product by cutting and preparing everything by hand.
Biancoperla: I love the creative aspect, the research of trends, the ideation of new designs and products.
JL: What is one piece of advice you would give to young designers just getting started?
Studio B+Ars: Do your job with passion and dedication. Preserve the knowledge, expertise, and tradition of previous generations like a real treasure.
Beltrami: Work with passion and believe in what you do. Build up a group of talents and dedicated people and, last but not least, open yourself to the world!
Vera Persiani: Start with your product always, focus on details and keep the quality high.
