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Fortela
About the brand
Designed by Alessandro Squarzi and Alessia Giacobino, Fortela is an Italian luxury brand that brings together passion for archive vintage, classic tailoring and hints of western and military. Fortela focuses on the expression of a free and timeless state of mind, contaminated by experiences and travels through every part of the world. Fortela is the promise of copious cult apparel. That’s thanks to Italian sartorial savoir-faire combined with the skill of Japanese weavers, not to mention perfect matchups when it comes to fabrics, weights and cuts. Taking on elements from different cultures, backgrounds and historical aspects, Fortela is one of the brands to watch when it comes to innovating classics.
Inspired by archive vintage pieces from his own wardrobe, classic tailoring and influences of western and military details, Alessandro Squarzi launched fashion brand Fortela in 2015. Alessandro - formerly known from cult brand Mr. & Mrs. Italy - welcomed Alessia Giacobino to Fortela in 2020. With her years of creative experience, expertise and passion for research, it did not take long for her to present an amazing Fortela womenswear line. Fortela stands for the expression of a free and timeless mind – derived from experience and traveling. Squarzi’s aim for Fortela was to create a collection inspired on archives of men’s vintage clothing and his clothing research around Europe, continuously growing with new additions. Giacobino took the lead over the womenswear collection and focusing on the femme style, resulting in a slightly adjusted silhouette for the female Fortela lovers.
Fortela’s design is classic Italian on the one hand; on the other side we see colours of the desert and western influences. While one piece clearly refers to Navajo culture in the United States, the other piece shows Japanese materials and details. Items with a perfect fabric, weight, cut and fit are central to Alessia’s and Alessandro’s work and therefore predominate. Japanese influences are clearly visible in Fortela’s perfect denim and redline jeans. Looking at Alessandro’s love for vintage denim, it is no surprise that the bar is very high for denim detailing. Practically all jeans feature a selvedge and all hardware - such as buttons and rivets - are made from high quality materials. It is fascinating to see how this fine Japanese heritage is combined with unique Western and Navajo elements. Somehow, these seemingly non-matching elements work together perfectly.
Fortela focuses on Italian tailoring know-how, the refinement of Japanese fabrics and the overall combination of fabrics, weights and cuts. The inspiration of Fortela’s creative owners comes from Navajo culture, the colours of the desert, the landscapes of Montana and workwear. Denim is one of the main fabrics used for Fortela, focusing on high quality denim pieces. Japanese selvedge is sewn on original 1930s and 1940s Union Special machines acquired by Squarzi for Fortela’s production. The denim is used for western shirts, work jackets and jeans. Other fabrics used include wool, made into Navajo-style jacquard coats, and suede for western shirts and jackets.
What is so appealing about Fortela’s collection is that it puts a refreshing and quality-driven spin on the Americana look, while remaining true to the virtues of Italian style and craftsmanship. And this quality is what makes Fortela versatile. Fortela’s designs will never go out of style. Day or night, in the Wild West or on the streets of Milan, Squarzi’s designs for Fortela apparel can be worn anywhere with a philosophy of longevity and timeless energy.
Discover Fortela in our online shop, or feel the quality of the brand in person in our Antwerp store.