Isabelle Caillaud

There is no given path to becoming a professional in this particular field. It is an occupation that can be approached from many different perspectives, but it is essential to have a vision that embraces a wide range of sectors. No doubt, my versatile character and insatiable curiosity have helped me in my career, as they are traits that have always led me to follow my passions. At high school, I majored in foreign languages, and then studied Sociology and Human Sciences at La Sapienza University in Rome. At the same time, I followed my love of fashion design by attending the Koefia Fashion and Costume Design Academy, in Rome. While still at university, I began designing my first costumes for an experimental and street theatre company, often sewing the costumes myself. This initial experience taught me how much my studies in sociology and anthropology were important as a support structure in building my work as a fashion and costume designer. After graduating from university and the academy, I took a specialised course in Fashion and Costume Design at Central Saint Martins in London, and another course at the Domus Academy in Milan. My love of fabrics, the basic materials from which clothing is made, took me to the specialised Italian textile centre of Prato, where I studied textile history and technology. My decision to work in the field of fashion and the performing arts was almost inevitable given my strong passion for the very special and complex form of communication that clothing has represented in every period of history. However, working to interpret through my designs was not enough (and is still not enough): my ambition was to become an innovator in my field. An objective that demands research and commitment every single day.