Ethical manufacturing
It was the craftsmanship that she discovered during her voyages that inspired Gabriella Cortese to launch herself into fashion. In our global industrial epoch, continuing this anachronistic manufacturing process is a form of resistance. But it’s worth the trouble. Every handmade piece is unique. From season to season, the human dimension of this process has taken on its full importance. “Sustainable development is not only about the environment.” In this generic term, there are three founding pillars. The social one, the environmental one, and the economic one. The action of Antik Batik alongside its suppliers is perfectly in keeping with this approach. The social environment around partners counts enormously for us. The relations that link the brand to its partners are primordial. It’s a chain of solidarity in which each supports and helps the other. “In times of crises, we turn towards what is ethical, we return to things that are true, with roots. We have a desire for handmade, authenticity and humanity. Hand and human make a difference.”
Made with love
Gabriella breathes life into her steadfast appreciation for the world’s traditional handicraft by making millennia-old techniques the foundation of her collections. “Handwork is a value which is being lost in the world. These ancestral gestures are being preserved thanks to manufacturing that asserts its difference.” Embroidery, weaving, printing, everything in the Antik Batik wardrobe is the product of an army of artisans’ patience and care: “I love clothing that has a soul. I prefer to produce less, but better.”
Long-Lasting Partnerships
Antik Batik has developed strong ties with over 20 workshops all over the world, some of which have been with us since the very beginning. They are our brand’s secret quality assurance unit, and we make a point of honouring their work with fair deals in order to keep them sustainable in the long term. “Our relationships are human. I know their family and they know mine.” Gabriella Cortese spends four months out of every year travelling the world to meet with our artisans, exchanging with them about their art and listening to them in order to help improve their living conditions. Through the creation of her collections, Gabriella has also been creating a family, weaving loving, trusting and respectful relationships that keep growing along with the brand.
