Silvia Piantini

MEET THE MAKER

I am an independent designer and artist, specializing in the creation, development and manufacture of fashion accessories and objects of use, with a specific focus in the field of leather goods and contemporary jewelery. For many years I have been collaborating with companies and private clients at an international level, offering services not only related to the design and creative part, but also dealing with the research of raw materials and producers, product development and quality control, collaborating directly with manufacturers and visiting trade fairs. sector. In my work the research phase occupies a very important space, which among others includes both the realization of analyzes aimed at evaluating competitors and forecasting trends, and a specific attention to innovations related to materials and production methods. which could be used depending on the area in which I find myself intervening. Recently I have also started collaborations with schools and universities as a teacher and consultant in the field of design thinking and visual communication. The issues related to industrial waste, production remains and how to recover / reuse / dispose of them are further elements that increasingly interest my practice and that translate into my personal activity of making contemporary jewelry and into my work as a visual artist. . I believe that more and more the figure of the designer in contact with different types of production realities should be understood as synonymous with innovation and seen as a resource capable of introducing ethical and problem-solving approaches.

Product development with skilled craftsmen is perhaps one of the elements that I appreciate most as part of my work as a designer. Over the years I have collaborated with the most varied realities, from leather goods to goldsmiths, from milliners to feather producers, from sculptors to carpenters. Direct contact and the ability to touch the materials first hand, observing the production methods of specialized craftsmen has always given me the opportunity to learn and observe specific aspects and consider variables that are sometimes not easy to predict. Regarding both my activity as a designer and as an artist, I have a propensity for researching and learning artisan techniques, which inspire me and stimulate my practice in every place where I find myself intervening.

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO TAKE PART IN iATELIER ONLINE PROGRAMME?

I come from a family of textile artisans and since I was a child I have always been exposed to the world of artisan production, not only linked to the fashion supply chain but also to that of many other realities present in the Pistoia and Prato area. With my work as a designer of leather goods accessories, I had the opportunity to relate directly with artisans from various sectors; my most consistent experiences are certainly found in leather goods and the production of fashion accessories, jewelery and textile design. For the most part, I managed to establish relationships of trust and mutual respect with the artisans with whom I collaborated, which in some cases opened doors for further collaborations and contacts from which we both benefited.

I believe that the possibility of joining a network made up of different actors, specifically capable of putting artisans and designers in contact and having the opportunity to participate in a lecture program with professionals from various sectors, is a very stimulating and necessary opportunity. For a designer as for a craftsman, it is very important to build solid and lasting relationships and collaborations over time. The opportunities for discussion are therefore in my opinion, positive moments that must be promoted and encouraged. Furthermore, the opportunity to come into contact with a European showcase for the presentation of the works is presented as an important plus for developing an international network.

I expect to learn new concepts, observe and know specific workers and to make my knowledge available, to start a collaboration that I hope will mature over time, as well as being able to create an innovative prototype aimed at the benefit and visibility for both parties. .

I hope to have the opportunity to continue the collaboration with some of the artisan figures involved, in order to expand my knowledge about it.

FINAL PROJECT FOR iATELIER ONLINE

Click to view the PDF presentation of BPS group

The project is realized with the artisans Laura Biagini and Valerio Salvadori.