With the family with Josep Abril
Fashion designer Josep Abril and his wife Alessia Zoppis welcome us alongside their daughters Allegra and Camilla in their Mediterranean patio in the Gràcia neighbourhood.
CHAOS MAGAZINE | 12.05.2011
Following a thrilling weekend at SónarKids, the fashion designer Josep Abril and his wife Alessia Zoppis they welcome us along with their daughters Allegra and Camilla in their Mediterranean patio in the Gràcia neighbourhood.
Josep and Alessia can say that they have shared many satisfying professional moments like creating their own brand, walking the runway in Paris with their line for Armand Basi or the recent launch of their luxury uniform range “Uniformed By”and bespoke tailoring“Bespoke".
But the experience lived at the past music and creative experiences festival SonarKids has allowed them to view their creations from another perspective and share day-to-day life with their daughters.
Both agree on valuing the experience of “Red Dresses”as positive for several reasons. The main one is so that children can see that one garment can become another and that many different things can be made. In addition to the obvious enthusiasm with which the girls approached the workshop, there has also been a lot of interest from boys in taking part and, as a result, you can see boys getting to know a “girls”" world better while at the same time breaking down barriers imposed by society.
As well as being the model for every dress that could be made in the workshop, Allegra didn't hesitate for a moment when we asked her to pose in the famous dress A, which, thanks to two uninvited guests who proudly wore it on stage, became the most sought-after dress of the entire event.
Allegra lives up to the description her name implies: she is cheerful, spontaneous, funny, playful… The eldest of Josep and Alessia's daughters speaks her mother tongue, Italian, fluently and with a Scorsese-movie accent, whilst performing acrobatic cartwheels freshly learned from her circus class.
Beside her, her sister Camilla collects treasures in a box and looks around with a gentle, calm expression, although her mother denies this latter quality while showing off the odd bruise.
Their parents highlight their aptitude for developing visual arts projects, undoubtedly a clear influence of growing up in a family entirely dedicated to fashion design.
However, it is not that girls have a special fondness for fashion, but rather, as they say in their school – one of Barcelona's pioneers in an education that respects children's choices – they express themselves naturally through materials, textures and colours.
... A typical Sunday morning? Very relaxing; the girls come into our bed, we have a long breakfast and play in the garden.
... Favourite place to go for a walk? Montjuïc and its parks.
... Favourite reading? Allegra likes craft books and right now the Picture Dictionary. Camilla prefers Nina's dummy.
... Favourite music? Allegra likes the group Manel or Antònia Font and Camilla likes singing songs.
... Favourite restaurant? Father Christmas.
... The best advice you've ever been given about children? Josep: there have been families for 30,000 years and however you do it you end up managing it (doing it right). Alessia: that you let yourself be guided by instinct, you have to listen to your heart and not your head.
... What moment do you particularly remember? Josep: the birth of Allegra. Alessia: for me everything has been completely natural. I wouldn't single out any of them.
Photos :: ©Antonella Delussu
