๐๏ธ Gabriella Cortese
What is that old saying, โdo a job that you love and you will never work a day in your lifeโ. That is the life that Gabriella Cortese is lucky enough to lead. She is the founder and visionary behind the brand Antik Batik and as part of her job, she gets to travel the world for months at a time looking for new ways to incorporate the beauty of ethnic designs and craftsmanship of local artisans into her Bohemian chic collections.
Gabriella Cortese
Born in Turin, Italy Gabriella grew up with eclectic style inspirations all around her. Her mother instilled in her a love of beautiful things and an eye towards well-made clothing. While her Hungarian grandmother expanded her style palette by introducing her to the beauty of the Mitteleuropa aesthetic. After living a rather sheltered childhood Gabriella decided to explore the world when she turned 18.
A choice that found her living in Paris, France, and working as a dancer at the famed Crazy Horse cabaret. There she learned how effective the use of pattern and light can be as it plays on the body. A skill that would come in handy later at Antik Batik when she began to design clothing out of graphic and dramatically printed fabrics.
But before the idea of starting a label had ever entered into her mind, Gabriella decided that while she was young she wanted to continue to see the world and she spent years visiting places like Bali, Tibet, Nepal, and India.
Then, not unlike Ralph Lauren who got his start selling menโs ties, Gabriella began her business by selling a single item - the Pareos. Her beautiful wrap skirts, that she had created with local artists in Bali using the batik printing technique, were an instant hit. So in 1992 she launched Antik Batik and began to corner the market for those women looking for a sophisticated slant on hippy chic ethnic fashion at a time when minimalism was at its peak.
From its inception, Gabriella was determined that Antik Batik would be an eco-friendly brand dedicated to supporting artisans in far-flung countries who have the unique skill set to create her colorful and richly embroidered designs. And for the past three decades, she has built up long lasting relationships with many of her suppliers in India and elsewhere. She sees them as part of her extended family and the work they do as the beating heart of her successful business.
Just on a technical side note, I did want to let all you listeners know that Gabriella and I did our interview over Zoom video. So donโt be surprised by a couple of very minor audio issues. And if you happen to be more of a visual learner, feel free to head over to my signature YouTube channel to watch the video version of this podcast in action.
Now, it's time to discover how Gabriella built up a global business out of her passion for travel and her devotion to ethnic elegance.
