When mother and daughter start a fashion label – Interview
I love discovering new designers, especially when their work is driven by passion. Bagirella is one of those ateliers who create street style friendly outfits with effortless chic and undoubted sense for femininity.
I found myself not only browsing their online shop and Instagram feed for inspiration, but also drawn into their fun story and playful side.
Bagirella is…
Bagirella is a dream come true for a mother and daughter, who actually feel more like best friends or sisters. Annie (the mom) is the one with 20 years of experience in this field, whilst Gabby is the one who loves fashion, and is naive enough to believe that anything is possible. Which has proven to be helpful sometimes.
They are a very emotional duo, and they even take things seriously. The hardest times are the funniest times, they say. They may fight a lot, but it’s part of the process, and they always have each other’s back. “That’s the thing when you have your mother for a partner, nothing can break you apart” says Gabby.
“The clothes we make are changing. We learned many things after we started: about the business, retail, sales and other fun stuff, which all reflects on the clothing we make. We evolve constantly, and that is the most exiting thing – it’s a very dynamic business. We love the process of creating!”
How did you start a fashion label?
Gabby is not quite sure how it all began. The mum had a company for 10 years old, and her daughter pretty much grew up there. They’ve always wanted to have their own clothing line and the right time eventually came. “We didn’t think too much – we just decided, that if we don’t do it now it’s never going to happen, so we took the first step of creating Bagirella.”
Bagirella is actually Gabby’s name inverted. It came from her little cousin who couldn’t pronounce Gabby, so she kept calling her Baggy. Eventually, everyone in the family started calling her Baggy… and Annie thought that it would be the perfect name of a new fashion label. Now the family stopped using the nickname, but Baggy lives a new life. She is all grown up and became Bagirella.
What’s the challenge of working in a team with your mother?
“Oh, the challenges…” – Gabby sighs: “We have lots of those. Mainly because of the age difference, but we always find a way to work it out. Probably because she created me, and fed me, nursed me and stuff like that.”
The creative duo actually works a lot and most of the time they spend together is in conversations about Bagirella or the orders they have. “We are a clothing manufacturer at first, you know. We are a great team because each of us is good at her own thing and that’s how we complement each other. Oh, and we love coffee – a cup of coffee always makes things better!”
Who’s the Bagirella woman?
The Bagirella clothing is for the young ladies who go to work and need to look appropriate. “We keep the communication with our sellers so we can create the clothes the customers want. I may say it’s very different depending on where the store is located.”
What are your current favourite fashion trends?
“I actually really love the 90s trend that is so popular right now. My favorites for winter are over-the-knee boots – I just love them. The last time they were in trend I literally wore my boots every day!
The other thing I’m obsessed with are the wide pants and mom’s jeans. They are both feminine and comfortable, yet always look stylish.”
What is your favourite piece from your latest collection?
Trousers with stripes: The shape is like sport pants, super comfortable and most importantly you don’t need to iron them. Just wash them and you’re ready to go!
