THE MAKERS
Gonzalo Soria
Gonzalo started making shoes almost before he could write. As a kid, he was punished by doing small jobs at his father's shoe atelier every time his school grades were poor. He was 7 years old.
Gonzalo spent most of his life in Bolivia between heels, threads, leathers and soles, he loved being able to make the entire collection, until the Chinese goods flooded the market and their economic situation worsened.
“I love my country, my people, my family. Having
to leave my home was the hardest thing but I had
no option. It was pure survival”.
He arrived in Seville in Spain, carrying his experience of over 15 years in hand-making shoes, his remarkable ability to take on projects beginning to end, and his hope for an opportunity to contribute with his leather-work mastery.
And above all, a chance to provide his family with a better life.
Rosalba Caballero
Necessity teaches wisdom and, in Rosalba’s case, calls out great virtues. Born in Honduras to a humble family, Rosalba became a single mother of 3 at the age of 23. Having to provide for her children and parents, she became teacher by day, dressmakers by night, and attending university in between. Rosalba developed the sharpest multitasking and resolutive skills seeking for better opportunities. But it wasn’t enough for so many mouths.
“Nothing is harder than having to leave
your children behind. It is a piercing in
your heart from which you never recover.”
Now in Seville (Spain), Rosalba is the magic-maker of the needle and coordinates for IMM a sewing atelier for refugees with our partner Sevilla Acoge to help others on the first steps towards integration.
Lital Weizman
Designer
Originally from Israel, of Moroccan heritage and a migrant herself, Lital graduated from the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design prior to taking off on a global exploration and inspiration tour from which she draws some of her artistic influences. Attracted by the capital of fashion, she moved to Paris where she completed a master at the Parsons School of Art and Design which opened the doors for her to collaborate with some of the most famed names in fashion: Balmain, Philip Lim, Yiqing Yin and Iris Van Herpen.
In 2016, she launched her eponymous couture label in Paris, showcasing a strong identity characterised by nearly sculptural dresses infused with a sublime elegance and a metissage of haute couture techniques that transport you from the heart of Japan to Marrakesh.
With IMM designs, Lital seeks to represent possibility. The possibility of reinventing and elevating from the bottom up; proving that the most humble origins, like the jute or the Indian moccasins, can be transformed into pieces worthy of a runway.
