an unedited interview for Vogue Italia, and for you
– Marta: who are you? I am a textile designer mother of three and founder of babaà if you have to describe yourself in three adjectives, which one you will use? honest, energetic, constant.
– and what about your brand? babaà is family, love, care, home,quality ,feel good – which is the meaning of your brand name? it comes from singing nursery rhyme baa baa black sheep to my 10 year old when she was a tiny baby
– if I have to try to describe your brand, I would say “poetry”: because of the idea of knitwear (cocoon by definition), because of the idea that are natural, and they will last forever and they will be almost unisex and worn by everybody, because of the colors palette… Do you agree? YES, I love poetry, read every day as it is like breathing to me, I read poetry out loud daily to my husband and kids, I am so happy to read this from you, never thought of this before thank you. Our latest campaign was shot in Madrid, in the mountains where I grew up, I always add a poem to our mood board and this time was one by ee.cummings and at the end it says “ without breaking anything “ and that is how we try to do things, in most respectful, quiet and inclusive ways, without braking anything.
Spring is like a perhaps hand
(Which comes carefully
Out of Nowhere)arranging
A window, into which people look(while
People stare
Arranging and changing placing
Carefully there a strange
Thing and a known thing here)and
Changing everything carefully
Spring is like a perhaps
Hand in a window
(Carefully to
And fro moving New and
Old things, while
People stare carefully
Moving a perhaps
Fraction of flower here placing
An inch of air there)and
Without breaking anything
– why did you decide to focus on materials produced in Spain? I worked in Argentina for a couple of years for a local big brand designing their knitwear and worked with amazing family factories and yarn providers form Uruguay as well as doing some production in China. It was clear to me what spoke to my heart more and kept me connected to my work in a more honest way. When I was back in Spain and wanted to start babaà I had very clear I wanted everything to be done as close as possible and take the opportunity to really foster and enjoy those relationships as I had previously done in Argentina / Uruguay. This is good for the environment and the local textile industry but also so good for my soul and I am sure that is what is reflected most in our garments, I am sure our customers can feel that somehow.
– which is the meaning of the word sustainability for you? It is a word I have a problem with, like all words that are over used or used for the wrong purpose. For me it is to sustain something, something that sustains something else, we need things that sustain over time that can last and can sustain other things like our animals, our people, our plants, our oceans… with processes that sustain all these things. To sustain in this case to me is like to hold, “come here, i hold you, i can keep doing this forever while holding you, caring for you”
– how do you think the present situation will chance the way we perceive fashion? I am not very sure right now, I am scared that the lack of money and the feeling of having been forced to limit your freedom for so long will make people want more fast fashion. My hope is that we all connect with a slower peace, that we understand collectively that slower is healthier and it is the only way to SUSTAIN, TO HOLD those other things we need in life, like our Earth. We need each other to do this so I hope more people are changed through what is happening and more connected to themselves, that will be a big first step.
At the moment I am loving reading Hartmut Rosa, love his deceleration theory and his concept of resonance, it is how we aim to work at babaà and I love how he describes it all, it is very reassuring to know that YES, slower and more connected makes a huge difference in your life and also in others.
Unedited interview done by email while in lock down and published (translated into italian) in Vogue Italy on April 21st 2020, you can see it here
Grazie Elisa & Vogue Italy