The cool throwback of Alice's corset
Traditions and fresh creatives can sometimes coexist in a project. Made entirely in Italy. Alice Pons, a Milanese designer born in ‘96, has combined antique and contemporary styles to create feminine and innovative collections, with a specialised focus on historical corset design.
ALICE PONS MILANO, is defined by the creation of models that harken back to ancient times while keeping in mind the needs of modern women. Alice Pons is a fully made in Italy brand which supports a slow fashion approach with a special dedication to traditional craftsmanship.
«It all happened almost by chance or destiny; while I was attending the London College of Fashion womenswear design course I made my first corset inspired by a Rococo stay that a friend of mine borrowed from the CSM fashion archive. This piece totally captivated me… that's how it all started» she explained.
The foundation of her collections is the stunning corsets, which reimagine heritage designs to breathe life into an iconic clothing piece. When we think of a homage to the past, jeans or leather jackets spring immediately to mind. In an interview with Fashion on The Beat, Alice Pons discussed what led her to choose such an unconventional clothing piece as the core of her collections and how she feels about achieving powerful attention in such a short period.
Your studies and cultural background had to have influenced the creation of your clothing. What is the process of the creative project?
I spent my childhood in Milan, immersed in the art and rich history of my country. This fascination with artistic expression is the underlying inspiration for all of my work. My corset shapes are inspired by antique stays from the 16th to the early 19th century. To recreate an historical stay it is very important to do a deep research on that specific era through paintings and fashion archives. Each corset is designed along with modern skirts, pants, dresses and shirts, all created to give life to my aesthetic.
Tradition and Made in Italy are important aspects of each of your masterpieces. However, at such a young age, it must be impossible to avoid modern and foreign influences…
Having studied in London my influences are mostly international. I will be forever inspired by the Tudor, Rococo, Regency and Victorian fashion eras, but for my modern influences, I certainly draw heavily on designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, Thierry Mugler, and John Galliano which, in a less traditional way, have been among the first to bring corsets back to life with their collections.
Several designers have reintroduced the corset in their designs in the past year, suggesting that fashion has turned to you. How do you feel about this?
Corset-inspired pieces have been having a tremendous fortune in the past two years, thanks to mass phenomena such as TV shows and social trends. I am proud to be one of the first designers to have included this type of imagery into my collections with the aim of finally resurrecting corsets from oblivion. Nonetheless, I'd like to emphasise that my handcrafted pieces are distinguished by the authenticity of the models, originality, and craftsmanship techniques.
Between fashion publishing and internationally renowned personalities you have had great success, but how long was actually the journey? Do you believe you can make a name for yourself in the world of young designers today?
My career began as soon as I graduated from university. I noticed my corsets captured the attention of many influencers, celebrities and stylists, so I lend my pieces to them: this really helped me establish myself as a young designer. Following that, I took the decision to concentrate only on my brand and corsets, owing to the positive response. I advise young up-and-coming designers to take little steps, set small goals, and focus on finding something that will set them apart and make them famous. Creating a brand from the ground up might be challenging and stressful, but the genuineness of young creatives' products is gradually recognized and appreciated.
Fashion has become more inclusive and ethical around the world, with detrimental beauty canons being phased out and more sustainable materials being used. In this case, the corset may be in danger of being classified as clothing by a few individuals. Do you think there will be a reaction because of this?
I have no concerns about issues of inclusivity. My brand is named after myself and its aesthetic will always be associated with me, the designer, a young Italian woman whose image of femininity is extremely personal and mostly drawn from antiquity. All of my pieces can be worn by literally anyone. Because of my sustainable approach to fashion, I don’t make a big stock of any of my garments. The majority are made to order pieces, customisable in terms of sizes to accommodate various body types, genders, skin colours, and tastes.
Alice, like many of the young creatives we've had the pleasure of meeting, is determined and motivated, with a bright future for her brand. “I want to do more and better every day and to expand the customer base through a network of international stores, retailers, and showrooms.”
