#MCCOTInterview {34}

Estefania Grandio, the bold and eco-friendly Spanish Fashion Designer who is, slowly but surely, building a new society

Because it is first at all her duty and priority. After 15 years working for some of the main companies of the Fashion Industry, through  'The New Society', her ethically made in Spain and Portugal and sustainable clothing brand for kids and women, Spanish Fashion Designer Estefania Grandio is working hard with dedication to build a greener and fairer society. For her two children, Valentina and Matteo, who inspired her to start her own entrepreneurial journey, and for all the future generations which are coming next.  Trained as a photographer and a fashion designer, Estefania knows very well how the business works behind the scenes. Supported by a growing and committed community which shares her positive and conscious values, since 2018, the year she founded her brand, she is proudly promoting a new, innovative and virtuous way of being a founder and entrepreneur, by caring about her teammates, the small suppliers and manufacturers who produce her collections, her clients, our planet which needs more than ever to be cherish and preserve. Proud ambassador of the Slow fashion movement, Estefania has become a role and inspirational model for other women worldwide, who are dreaming of starting on their own and be part of this green and ethical revolution, which is happening right now in Fashion and in the society. 

By Hélène Battaglia

Who are you?

I am a very hard-working and perfectionist person; I have always been very dreamy and romantic. Currently I run my own company employing 15 people, I am also the mother of 2 children, so I do not have much time, but I try whenever I can to escape, the truth is I have a great capacity for disconnecting and small things makes me very happy: a bit of sun, good food and good wine, a book... I like to enjoy my free time and nature, eat well, exercise and surround myself only with beautiful things that make me feel good, activate my senses and inspiration. I love art and vintage stores that transport me to other decades and visions. I am a Libra, I need balance, with Leo ascendant hence the strength. I consider myself ambitious but very realistic and self-critical, and perhaps that leads to being very demanding and a constant dissatisfaction, although I feel very happy with everything I've done so far.

When exactly did your entrepreneurial journey as a founder start?

I was trained as a photographer and designer and I have been lucky enough to work in very important fashion companies, which built my own vision of the business. After 15 years, I decided that I wanted to create my own project to capture my ideas and that’s how The New Society was born.

What did you learn from your former background in Fashion?

Everything, I have worked in companies such as Zara, Massimo Dutti and Oysho, a true master in the reality of fashion, speed, improvisation and the feeling that everything is possible. I have also worked for suppliers, having the opportunity to see the other reality of the business and learning how to empathizes with those who make the garments possible. Also, I was trained in luxury companies such as Hugo Boss, with a slower pace dynamic and thinking every piece of the collection. From each experience I take very good things that I apply to my brand on a daily basis, but also, I have had very important lessons that I won’t repeat and I do not apply to my company. After 15 years of experience, I am very clear about what I hope my company will be.

Which are the reasons why you choose your brand to be first at all conscious and sustainable?

The first thing I want to clarify is that when I say sustainable, it starts from the people, how you treat your teams and suppliers, creating true and lasting sustainable relationships even with our customers. For me, sustainability wasn’t a choice, sustainability today has to be an obligation and I have always thought that if I have to create a company it has to have a purpose.

Why did you call it 'The New Society'?

I liked the Society concept and how the word itself sounded and looked, also as I am raising kids, for me, children have their own language, gestures, games and create their own Society. ‘The New’ is because I really wanted to do something new in terms of style and concept, and I wanted the name to be very open to add other lines in the future, like woman or perhaps later cosmetics maybe. I think it is a very resounding name with a lot of meaning and very current, as we are really experiencing many changes in our society and education. What we do and teach to today's children will be tomorrow's Society.

Inspired by your beloved kids, Valentina and Matteo, as creative director, you first designed for Babies and Kids and then for women since 2021. What brought you to this choice of diversification?

I have always been a Women's designer, and kids came since I wanted to try something new and because through my own user experience with my children, I saw that there was something missing in kids’ fashion. Our woman collection came simply because of an evolution of the brand, and my clients loved it. They were really asking for items for themselves and I love designing women so everything went hand in hand.

More than a brand, 'The New Society' seems to be a true growing committed community, doesn't it?That is our objective, to create a conscious society that helps itself evolve. For this we always wanted to go beyond clothing and in our Magazine every Sunday we show women or people who inspire us who contribute to something beautiful to society. Little by little we want to expand to define those values. We want to communicate ​​that buying The New Society is a manifesto that remains as a memory to the buyer, and for that reason they are contributing to something beautiful, ethically made in Europe and sustainable.

What is the dream of yours behind the launch of your clothing brand?

Right now, to continue growing with the Project and to be able to achieve the balance between the brands growth and being present in my personal life. I have had to sacrifice a lot and after 5 years and having achieved a lot, I would like to enjoy more.

All the collections are proudly, slowly and consciously made in your home country Spain and in Portugal. How was it so important for you to celebrate your roots?

It is very easy for me to work speaking the same language and with people who culturally think alike. Also, after years of experience I am guaranteeing my clients the highest quality, employing manufacturers from industries that are disappearing due to massive production in distant countries.

As a female founder and a mother, what are your main expectations regarding our society and our planet?

Unfortunately, I think that now we are in a moment to repair and prevent it from going further, the truth is that I am very afraid to think about the world that my children or my grandchildren will have, the drought, the heat…. I think it is important to become individually aware of consumption and recycling, but I also believe that there is a lot to do globally and I just hope it is not too late. It is something that makes me very afraid to think and very sad to have reached this point that there is maybe no return for the planet.

As a committed ambassador of Slow fashion, on your website, you support other virtuous brands, which share your brand values ​​and sale vintage's pieces. What is ‘The Society’ about?

I love vintage, all my collections, print patterns knits are inspired by pieces I buy in my trips. Last year we launched a vintage capsule with a few pieces, and I would love to do more drops. We are also working on how to make our website circular, so we are talking with different second hand and rent platforms. Regarding the segment ‘brands we love’, it is just that, cosmetics, jewelry, shoes brands we love that we actually buy as a wholesale order and partner with them.

How is Spain and especially the Spanish Fashion Industry doing what concerns sustainability?

There is a little bit of everything. I think that awareness is in the brands mindset, but there are brands that have been around for a long time and transformation is difficult. There are also super interesting new sustainable projects, I think that we are a country recognized by fashion brands worldwide and Spanish brands are very well positioned. They know how to evolve very quickly, as is the consumer.

The New Society in three words…

CONSCIOUS, TIMELESS, EMOTIONAL

A special message to #MCCOT's community?

I only hope that projects like mine inspire other people to believe that they can achieve their own dreams in any field and that with effort, passion and dedication anything is possible.

All the pictures are Courtesy of  The New Society

The New Society

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