DARKPARK is a high-end Italian brand entirely dedicated to pants and denim founded by a collective of fashion industry insiders.
Entirely Made in Italy, DARKPARK wants to channel the brand’s unconventional, offbeat yet liberal “dark” side.
Iconic shapes are very over, roomy while the key silhouettes comprise of cargo, chinos and five-pocket jeans, imagined over chunky lug shoes or teetering heights.
How did the idea of creating the DARKPARK brand came?
I have been living and working in fashion in Milan for the past 18 years now, in various capacities but always in the background structuring young brands and designers. Being around so many creatives always left me with an appetite to try and create my own brand one day.
DARKPARK was launched out of a personal necessity because I couldn’t find the type of jeans I wanted to wear on the market. Also because it was the time in my life when I found myself with the correct business partner who shares my enthusiasm and vision and alongside other creatives who helped me bring the idea to life.
Where does the inspiration come from?
The inspiration comes from masculine silhouettes and also a time in fashion when my way of dressing and personal style became “fashionable”. For years I have been buying men’s denims that are many sizes larger than my actual size and reworking them to make them feminine. I have always been a tomboy and never gravitated towards skinny jeans or leggings.
Also, I found that the success of Balenciaga these past years helped reinforce that an oversized silhouette on a woman can be just as feminine, sultry and empowering as a really tight fitted pair of jeans. DARKPARK was born to reinforce this new silhouette and new attitude of dressing for both men and women.
Describe your style with three adjectives
Masculine, oversize and elegant.
What is the starting point of your creative process?
I work in a 3 dimensional way and don’t really draw out designs but rather piece the collection and styles together. I take an oversized vintage denim usually and cut and sew it to develop a new fit adding details and embellishments along the way. I then play around with different washes and treatments with our dye house to finish the look and give it that extra fashion edge.
Why did you decide to focus on denim?
I grew up in Canada. Denim is part of our DNA and has been a staple in my wardrobe since I was in grade school. I have never abandoned it. It is the one category and material that I feel most comfortable and confident when I wear.
Who do you turn to, who is your typical customer?
DARKPARK is for all denim lovers. Particularly lovers of fashion and denim. We have tried to take a category that is known for it’s classic conventional 5 pocket and give it a high fashion twist with new volumes, fits and most importantly color.
Dark refers to our unconventional side of denim.. doing the unexpected and Park because we want to be playful with volumes and bursts of color, ergo DARKPARK
What are your future projects?
In the future I would like to see the brand become a total look, expanding into shirts, jackets, coats and accessories… of course with denim always at the core.
xx, Inna
