Anyone who’s spent time with us at WorkShop knows how immensely proud we are of our fashion studio and the wonderful talented creatives who have found their ‘work home’ with us. In an industry so often perceived as being competitive, we’ve built an oasis of collaboration, kindness and support.
We caught up with our fabulous new fashion studio member Elisa. New to the fashion scene, she’s already making waves and launched her womenswear brand Nancaua in December last year. Elisa gives us a fascinating insight into what gets her inspired, enjoying the process and her ambitions for Nancaua.
What was your path into fashion?
I graduated from Industrial Design in Barcelona and moved to London in 2018 to specialise in fashion design and art direction. My first job as a designer was in a footwear start-up, later I worked with accessories until I became a fashion designer and created my own brand.
Every day in my work is different, I touch on various fields of the business such as research, design, product development, sourcing, production, communication and sales.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I get a lot of inspiration from other creative disciplines, such as architecture, furniture and industrial design, and even graphic design and art. I re-interpret the shapes and colour compositions that have a positive effect on me and try to translate them into fashion. I am obsessed with minimalist aesthetics from mid-century modern design, especially from the Bauhaus era. I feel I align with the design values of that movement, in terms of the importance of function, shape, clean lines, and the connection of the object with the body.
I also look into iconic fashion designers’ work in past fashion eras -the 90s is my forever favourite- such as Miuccia Prada and Jil Sander, among others, try to understand their genius point of view, and bring some of those concepts to the present and future.
What are you working on at the moment?
I recently launched Nancaua, a womenswear brand, in December 2022. I am currently focused on building a consistent business while giving our first clients the best products and buying experience possible. I am also designing two future small collections, made-to-measure projects, and working on creating a long-term strategy that hopefully will allow me to grow and scale the brand in the next few years.
What’s your favourite thing about your job?
Seeing someone wearing my designs and feeling empowered, it’s something I can not explain. I also love the fact that every single day is different and has a new challenge. In the last two years I learned to enjoy the process and find excitement in the uncertain and challenging.
What’s been the most significant learning of your fashion journey so far?
Your identity, values, and personality are your biggest asset as a designer. I learned to not compare myself so often, trust my instincts, and understand that some people will not like my work, and that is ok.
How are you finding your time at WorkShop so far?
Is the only place I know in central London where you can work in a fashion studio whilst being part of a community of different creative disciplines all in the same building. Everyone is really welcoming, the space is unique and altogether a great work environment.
Do you have any words of wisdom for people in fashion just starting out?
I am just at the beginning of my career, but something I truly believe is that collaboration is key. Seize any opportunity to work or collaborate with other people, and explore different things in order to understand what’s your purpose as a designer and find what you really stand for. Ego doesn’t take you anywhere, instead of competing with others, be humble and see what you can learn from them.
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Shop and explore Elisa’s brand Nancaua here.
Follow Nancaua here.
