We caught up with Nicolas Martin Garcia, an alumni of Graduate Fashion Week, to hear about what has changed for him since showing as part of the International Show in 2015. The international show takes place on Wednesday 7th June at 12pm, and features designers from all over world, from China to Australia.
"As soon as I graduated from Accademia Costume & Moda, Rome, I had the opportunity to show my “Lolito” menswear collection at various events in Europe, one of these being GFW International in London.
It was great to see so many different ways to build graduate collections but also how to present them.
For me London and GFW / International is at the heart of creativity and novelty but above all the fusion of the many cultures. It was an enormous honour to be able to show on that catwalk with so many graduates from different institutions.
Exactly the next day after coming back from London, I received a phone call from the human resources of Dolce and Gabbana, that Friday I had an interview with Mr Domenico Dolce himself and the following Wednesday I was already working in the menswear office.
It was that fast.
I did take a break to go to Berlin as I was selected as one of the 6 finalists, in the world, for Designers For Tomorrow contest where I also showed “Lolito”, another amazing experience.
It has been like a marathon, getting to work with a person who is not only is a great designer but who has built his company that takes its name, totally amazing.
After the successes of “Lolito” (it became very popular on a variety of digital platforms and was being sighted as “new trend”) I was often asked if I did not want to have my own brand.
I have always replied that to go straight away from school without actually learning / experiencing how a company works from the inside would be insane. I’ve now had the opportunity to work with “the masters” of the industry first-hand. Learning that the fashion system is made of sales numbers, products, marketing, merchandising and communication, just too many thing to be taught in three years as well as Fashion and costume design. I worked for a year at Dolce & Gabbana, it went so fast and designing so much always being pushed for perfection.
Following this great experience Peter Dundas who was then building the new team for Roberto Cavalli hired me. This was to be part of a new team, new company with new dynamics, a very different way to working from my first experience. I now have more creative freedom and the opportunity to work with an international team.
At Cavalli, I principally work on designing, managing and developing jersey and sportswear, embroideries / embellishments and graphics / prints, as a junior designer, with the added responsibility to manage other people, my own team.
But it’s not been easy! I've been through low moments and high moments, moments when you wonder if you're really good or if you really want to be part of this crazy industry if maybe you just have to grow to get the security to realise the direction is right.
Today I am still here, Roberto Cavalli, with another new creative director about to start, which will bring the brand towards new creations, concepts and ways of working, with ever more learning again for me, it never ends.
For the future? We'll see, I dream of Paris. But sometimes it is not important what we dream but what we are ready for and what is right for us.
Just remember, that the most important thing is to do your job well every day and make the most of all experiences, thank you GFW. "
Words by Nicolas M. Garcia, translated from Italian.