Das Austro-Italienische Label MRJ präsentierte sich auch heuer wieder bei der MQ Vienna Fashion Week. Gemeinsam mit Pebelle zeigte Designerin Josephine Raffaella Magno (rechts am Foto) ihre Kollektion, die man auch auf Etsy kaufen kann. Im Interview verrät sie mehr über Mode, Zukunftspläne, Wien und ihre Heimatstadt Neapel.

Ihre sogenannten Hands Free Bags bieten das was von einer Handtasche erwartet:

„The concept of hands free bags started in order to simplify travelling and everyday wear. Tired of having to put your purse down when trying to dance, at the pub, or even at a dinner party? This bag was made to simplify everything and to fit comfortably over your shoulders and equally distribute the weight but also act as a stylish accessory that will always turn heads.”

Fashion is…
Fashion is what we want it to be. As you can see when you walk down the street, everyone expresses themselves in their own way. What we may think is amazing someone else may think is horrendous or simply awful. This is why fashion is always ever changing. Fashion is also about taking risks and having confidence in what you wear.

My favourite place to shop in Naples is…
It depends on what I’m shopping for.

If it’s only shoes and leather goods the place to go is not Napoli, but Aversa, a small town on the outskirts of Caserta just twenty minutes away from Napoli. Aversa is where I studied and started working in my family’s atelier. When I had some time to myself I used to love walking down the narrow allies where you can find all the little tiny shops with minimal décor called “le Casarelle” (which means little houses in Italian). The smell of leather hypnotizes you from all the way down the street. They have great quality at ridiculously cheap prices.

If I’m shopping for fabric and clothes in general then I’ll go and pay a visit to the markets in Napoli. My favorite and the most popular is the market of Poggioreale. It’s nothing like the markets you will find anywhere else. The markets in Napoli are home for me. You can find practically anything you can imagine; designer clothes, shoes sold at less than half price, fresh fruits and vegetables, kitchen appliances, hair products, makeup, just about ANYTHING!!! They also have the most stunning fabric I’ve ever seen. You can find pure silk chiffon at less than 20 euro a meter, and if you’re shopping with my mother you will probably end up paying less than 10 euro a meter (she’s the bargain queen). You can find 100% cashmere, silk, cotton, linen, and wedding fabrics but you will always find the latest designer fabrics like Missoni, Valentino and Roberto Cavalli.

Bags are…
I like to think of my bag as “a perfect man”; a woman’s best friend, their companion, and will carry their things and never complain. A bag can also be a pain to have. If they are too small then nothing fits. If they are too big, we all know we will stuff it till it’s full and never find what we are looking for. If it’s a hand bag then you usually carry it around in your hand or on your shoulder causing back problems just like it has for me. During my last year of university I concentrated my studies on hand bags and tried to think of a perfect one; especially a more secure, comfortable, and practical bag to travel and go out with. That’s when I thought of a new concept for hands free bags; and ever since I have created my first prototype, I no longer feel comfortable wearing conventional bags.

I moved to Vienna because…
Why not? I had been here before on holiday and I loved the city. It’s elegant, quiet, full of culture, art, and history. It is the total opposite of Naples on some aspects but very similar in others. Most importantly, Vienna has given me the opportunity to grow as a designer and participate in events that would have otherwise not been possible in an oversaturated fashion market such as Italy. Plus, the first time I saw Vienna in the wintertime covered in snow, I absolutely fell in love!

My next project is…
My next project is expanding MRJ internationally. After attending the Vienna Fashion Week for the second straight year, I am planning to explore different markets. I have gotten invitations for a variety of events in the United States and Italy so I am exploring the possibility of testing these markets. One thing is for sure, you will see MRJ’s hands free bags outside of Austria very soon!

The MQ Vienna Fashion Week was…
The MQ Vienna Fashion Week was a very good stepping stone for me and my brand. The first year gave me the opportunity to meet all of the Austrian Designers and also to collaborate with the lovely London based designer Emma Box. This year Nelou Magazine gave me the fantastic opportunity to have my own runway in collaboration with Pebelle. Hopefully this is the beginning of many more to come.