by Elisa Pervinca Bellini — Vogue Italia, June 2023
Flora Rabitti is both a designer and an illustrator. After winning the Max&Co. award at the CNMI Fashion Trust Grant, she speaks about her responsible and innovative brand — and the software she is developing to perfect fashion's circularity.
"Making beautiful clothes is no longer enough. We need a redesign of the entire system."
Born in Mantova in 1992, Flora Rabitti studied at IED Milano, Central Saint Martins London, and the Institut Français de la Couture in Paris. She began her career at Prada and Alberta Ferretti before founding Florania in 2021 — an independent, genderless, no-season brand built on sustainable and circular design, handcrafted in Italy.
Just two years after its founding, Florania won the special MAX&Co. "Design for Change" prize at the CNMI Fashion Trust Grant, including €15,000 in support and the opportunity to collaborate on a special project with the Max Mara Group.
What does winning this award mean to you?
"Winning 'The MAX&Co. Design for Change' award is the culmination of years of hard work and circular choices. It confirms that circularity is a shared goal and that there is real space for emerging talent in Italy. Making beautiful clothes is no longer enough — we need a redesign of the entire system. Being recognised by major fashion institutions, from Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana to the Max Mara Group, tells us we have aligned several factors effectively."
How did it feel in the moment?
"I realised I had dreamed big and finally made my vision concrete. The feeling was of no longer being alone — my team and I had built something innovative, with an ambitious impact."
What are your future projects?
"In the near future, we are planning a fashion film for our Spring Summer 2024 collection, developed with Dalk agency and the Municipality of Mantova, using some of the city's historic locations. Mantova — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — is my hometown, and I believe in staying true to one's roots while maintaining a global vision. We also have a collaboration with a remarkable Japanese partner for textiles, dyes, and techniques."
You also mentioned an innovative software project.
"Florania and Moon Rabbit Design Studio have joined forces to develop a joint venture to revolutionise the upcycling industry — a custom system combining software and hardware designed to enhance our upcycling process while preserving our distinctive design philosophy. It is a project intended, eventually, for implementation across other companies as well."
Read the full interview on Vogue Italia