A heritage in silk, reinvented
- Marco hand prints garments with traditional patterns
- His long-time friend Michele works with him to run the business
- The word Dezen in the name of his workshop means a pattern, from the French word “dessin”
Setting up the studio called Dezen Dezen is a project born in 2014, when Marco Cernogoraz and Michele Grimaz, two creatives unemployed at the time, decided to start a new business together. Marco’s family used to craft traditional square scarves that women wore on their heads in ex-Yugoslavia, and had been doing so since 1938. Using the disused equipment from this legacy, Marco had the material he needed to start something new, with a precious cultural twist. With these vintage silk-printing screens, he developed his skills as a printer and decided to only use high-end fabrics and inks for his creations. Today, with Marco as artisan printer and Michele as communications specialist, Dezen Dezen is a thriving workshop in the heart of Trieste.
Interview
- How did you start crafting your creations?
- At the beginning, we relied on my family’s workshop in Zagreb, to craft items that we sold in various European craft and design markets. The feedback gathered was fundamental to fine-tune our ideas. Since we opened our workshop in 2017, we have been learning by doing.
- What is the key to your success?
- A mix of elements. The nostalgia effect is one, linked to the cultural background of our patterns. Craftsmanship is another, as Italy is re-discovering the value of handmade and the subtle pleasure of unique or limited edition pieces. Our sustainability policy is also a more and more relevant asset for many.
- What advice would you give to a new artisan?
- Craftsmanship is not a do-it-yourself hobby. It takes time, many sacrifices and a lot of patience to learn a craft. It’s fundamental to get as much feedback as possible and improve accordingly. Furthermore, surround yourself with skilled people who add value, like Michele, our digital artisan.
- How is sustainability relevant?
- It is fundamental for us, as well as for an increasing number of people. We have policies for eco-friendly packaging, recycling resources, reducing the environmental impact of our work. But before that, we want our products to last over time, and quality is the real key to obtain that.
Marco Cernogoraz is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2014
Where
Marco Cernogoraz
