Introducing Isa Arfen

When I think about 90s Italian Vogue, I think about beauty marks, blowouts, and gold jewelry. In other words, it was a totally glorious time for fashion. London-based designer Serafina Sama grew up in Ravenna, Italy and this season she launches her solo line, Isa Arfen, exclusively at OC—with a collection that draws on that glamorous heritage. "I’m proud of being Italian but I can laugh about it too!" she says, "I wanted the pieces to be sophisticated but I didn't want the attitude to be too precious." So for spring she tempers her native "Italianness" with French chic (honed while working at Chloé and Lanvin) and London sportiness. The result is a collection of jewel-toned and jewel-encrusted separates that we want to own in every color. And it's already so much of an OC favorite that some of us really do, i.e. our womenswear buyer Kate. Meet Serafina and browse the collection below.

Shop all Isa Arfen here.

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ANH: Hi Serafina. Your accent still sounds totally Italian. How long have you been in London for?
SS: I came here when I was seventeen to study at Central Saint Martins and then I never went back! In the beginning I studied architecture, because my parents didn’t want me to study fashion, but I’m quite stubborn so I got my way!

ANH: Is Isa Arfen Italian, English, or both?
SS: It’s a mix. There’s a big Italian influence because I’m 100% Italian and I grew up there. The Italian side is the more classic, traditional, matchy-matchy aesthetic of the brand but living in London brings a more relaxed attitude, and a pinch of irony.

ANH: What are your earliest fashion-related memories from Italy?
SS: I always watched my mother when she was getting dressed to go out, trying to walk in her high heels and trying on her things. I also have two aunts, my mom's sisters, and they each have a very individual sense of style. One of them is very eccentric and the other one really likes folkloric costumes. I grew up with these strong female figures and fashion was really important to them, even though we lived in a very small town.

ANH: What was your favorite look as a teenager?
SS: I had a lot of different phases, which I find a bit embarrassing [laughs]. When I was really young, I tried to emulate the 90210 look and then I tried grunge but I don’t think I ever nailed it because my mom would be like where are you going dressed like that? Then I had a hippy phase with a lot of bell-bottom jeans and velvet jackets. It took a while to find my own identity I guess. Now I almost have a uniform: white shirt, cropped jeans, and ankle boots—actually I always wear Opening Ceremony's Grunge Sneakers.

ANH: When you came to design your first full collection, what did you have in mind?
SS: I was looking at a lot of Italian Vogues and Italian magazines from the early to mid-90s. I was really looking at what was going on in Italian fashion in those years. On the one hand, it was very flashy and excessive, with bright colors and fabrics like shantung—which I then decided to use—and on the other, you could see the beginning of minimalism and grunge. I really like the mix between the two. I wanted the collection to have accents of that strong "Italianness" to it, but to be worn layered and in a really relaxed way. So the boxy shantung jacket is the shape of a denim jacket almost. 

ANH: Where did you source your fabrics?
SS: All the fabrics I use are from mills in Italy, both the shantung and also the technical fabric that I used for the little bustier top. It's a very practical, lightweight fabric and a nice contrast to the shantung, which is a bit more old-fashioned.

ANH: What about the crystal pieces?
SS: Those are the most precious pieces of the collection. But I wanted them to have the ease of a sweatshirt that you can throw on and layer. They’re made of wool jersey and embroidered with crystals. Actually the embroidery was vaguely inspired by an old jacket my aunt was wearing the last time I saw her. I just thought, Oh my God, I need to I need to reinterpret that!

ANH: What can you tell us about the Fall/Winter 2013 collection?
SS: The fall collection is a bit of a continuation: there's a lot of layering and different proportions. I always like oversized outerwear with something more restrictive underneath, so there are going to be more coats. It’s a bit more womanly than the spring collection.

ANH: How do you hope to grow Isa Arfen?
SS: There are a lot of things that I dream about for Isa Arfen, and at the moment I am still taking things season by season. One day I would like to include accessories and maybe jewelry, and who knows maybe some exciting collaborations.

ANH: What's your dream collaboration?
SS: I would love to create jewelry with Delfina Delettrez! There are so many different possibilities but I’ll see how it goes!

Shop all Isa Arfen here.