our vision
What we aim for
“The most important thing is to begin the journey, no matter how small the first steps may seem. Once an intention and commitment have been set, the forward momentum will lead to ongoing transformation.”
– Amber Olson Testino, Circular design for fashion
Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Manifesto
Our everyday guidelines
Design is a tool for circular change
We see design as a tool that empowers us to make changes. Whenever we face challenges and perspective is needed, design thinking is the way through. It is a continuous challenge to re-learn designing processes to get into a more sustainable path. We have learned to live in a society that works in a linear way and today we are in the way of circular systems. As designers it is a challenge but also our duty to break with old processes and be creative enough to build new paths towards circular systems where we respect nature, people and our economies.
Sustainability is an everyday journey
Even though we know that it is impossible to be 100% sustainable, we approach our everyday activities and projects with the belief that small everyday steps are the key to shaping a more sustainable future.
We believe in nature and energy
We understand nature as part of the human being. We promote an empathic vision of compassion and reverence towards the environment and all forms of life. We are lovers of nature and it is our inspiration. This is why we want to preserve and take care of it by using as few resources as possible. We are mindful of every one of our practices, and we want to help others to be more caring in their processes as well.
Dressing is a means of connection and expression
We design for connecting with our nature, our artistic selves, with people, friends, and lovers. We hope you find with our designs moments of calmness, passion, love, courage, and emotional connection.
Community for change
We believe that changes are easier to be done as a community. We are getting together, learning and teaching each other ways of living. Togetherness is essential to grow, learn, have fun and enjoy the everyday journey.
relearning to design
Our journey in sustainability
We create from discards
This is our way of approaching every design process. Our fabrics are original Indian silk from second-hand Sarees 100% recycled.
We minimize resources
Because we care about the environment we try to reduce to the minimum the amount of materials we use for each piece and be thoughtful when we make our choices. We make sure not to use elastics, interlinings or other materials that would make recycling a more difficult task and would contribute to plastic pollution. Our products don’t use any water and save 7kg of Co2 per Rubi compared to a brand new silk garment.
We maximize the use of our raw materials
From the same raw material, we cut out many different products.
We keep our waste
We collect the waste that is left over after the production for future products. Fx. we use small pieces of fabric and thread as wadding for the eye masks.
We produce in small scale and love tailor-made
Our designs are produced in Copenhagen, Denmark, by Nazarena.
Sara Fontenla, creator of the sustainable brand Nefelibata, in Spain is our partner in India, supplier of our raw material.
Meet our founder
Who is Nazarena?
Nazarena is a freelance Fashion & Textile Designer from Argentina – currently based in Copenhagen, Denmark
Her steps into fashion design
Her dream to become a designer got its spark at a very young age while she grew up in Buenos Aires surrounded by a family of designers, tailors, artisans, and passionate artists.
Back in Buenos Aires, while studying she improved her skills as an artisan together with her tailor grand-parents and while working for two recognized haute-couture houses -House of Matching Colors and Atelier Lola Canavosio-. There she got the chance to participate in the making of dresses for the Martín Fierro Awards. She also proved herself as a Creative Director and Stylist while working for Dafiti in the Visual Communication department.
In December 2018, she got her Masters Degree in Fashion & Textile Design at Buenos Aires University with merit.
A jump of trust
After this, In August 2019, jumping into the void filled with trust, Nazarena decides to move to Copenhagen, Denmark to discover herself as a person, designer, and her personal approach to fashion.
In November 2019, Nazarena won a scholarship to study at the capital city of fashion: Milan, Italy. In July 2021, she achieved a dream when doing a Marketing and Communication course at Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti.
In between 2020 and 2021, Nazarena made herself into the vintage fashion industry while working at Episode -a vintage retailer-. There, she discovered her passion for vintage fashion, and upcycling.
In January 2022 Nazarena joined Fashion Revolution NGO as Project Coordinator of the Circular Creative Community – upcycling workshops.
Nazarena en Sepia is born
In the meantime, she created Nazarena en Sepia to start sharing her experiences as a fashion designer with a focus on vintage fashion and textile waste management.
Today, she still lives in the city of Copenhagen.
Nazarena works under the nickname of NazarenaEnSepia. En sepia refers to the color of vintage photographs. Nazarena enjoys doing all her creative work with a vintage, fine and colorful approach to design.
around the world in DESIGN
Cultural fusion
All that we design at Nazarena en Sepia intends to have a soul and a story. We get inspired by diversity, experimentation, and love for cultures.
Nazarena comes from Argentina, a multicultural country that is known for taking care of people from all around the world. There, she grew up with a wide mindset about respect and sharing traditions. While being raised in a Spanish-Italian family, she went to an Irish school and she also found friends from all over the world: Italy, Spain, Denmark, Colombia, Israel, Siria, France, India, Corea, England, Ireland, Brazil, United States, Costa Rica, Taiwan, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Albania, Greece, Hungary, Peru, Malaysia, Australia, Uruguay, Paraguay, and probably many more.
Having an open mind and personality made her realize that frontiers are just political and souls do not understand this language. Throughout life, she got friends and nourished her evolving personality thanks to them. This is how she sees the world and that is the energy that she wants to spread.
The designs inspiration are the Indian Holi festivity: the welcoming of spring that brings the blossoming of love in colors. And also, the danish concept of Hygge: a state of comfort, coziness, and joy in soul, mind, and presence.
We are constantly taking inspiration from the world because Nazarena en Sepia is an ode to cultures.
