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After over 30 years in the fashion industry, Perth-based designer Aurelio Costarella is showing no signs of slowing down. Catching up with the humble creative for the launch of his namesake label’s Autumn 2016 collection, which he has just shown in Paris and London, we sat down to chat with him about the new range, who he’s been dressing lately and his plans for international expansion.
Photo courtesy of Aurelio Costarella
Dubbed “Natura”, which translates to “nature” in Italian, Aurelio tells theFashionSpot that he was inspired by flowers and architecture for Autumn 2016. “It’s that juxtaposition of very strong shapes with that delicate quality of flowers that I really love,” he says, explaining that all his prints for the season are original and created by him.
It’s the perfect time for him to deliver an exceptional offering via his latest collection, especially as it’s right off the back of his recent exposure throughout the season of hit TV Show The Bachelorette Australia. Aurelio says of dressing Sam Frost every week, “It’s probably a very different demographic to what we usually would hit, but I think it’s really important for the brand just in terms of that general exposure.”
While his designs have also been seen on the likes of Rihanna and Charlize Theron, the designer admits that he prefers long-standing dressing opportunities over short-lived wins. “That’s really important for me in terms of building those long relationships rather than just those kind of one-off hits,” he tells us of his connection with Dannii Minogue.
Photo courtesy of Aurelio Costarella
It’s some pretty impressive celeb support considering he’s over in Western Australia and not in arms reach of the Sydney and Melbourne-based local celebs, but Aurelio tells us that being based far away only makes you more determined.
“It’s almost like you’ve got to work just that much harder because you feel like you’ve got something to prove because you are so isolated. That was certainly true for me in the 80s when I was starting out,” he explained, but mentioned that this is changing because of the new landscape available. “It’s obviously a very different environment now. Via social media it’s really easy to get your brand out there to a global audience in quite a short period of time.”
But even with an impressive social media following on his side, Aurelio is working hard on extending the label’s presence overseas. He tells us there was a great reaction to his collection in Paris and London recently, but the sky’s the limit. “Just when you’ve felt like you’ve gotten to where you want to be, there’s always that next step. It’s always a work in progress.”
Watch our entire interview with the wonderful Aurelio above.
