meet Marbys Negretti .. designer

read it here ... ****  http://looks.love  *** or below

Even though it is fashion week somewhere in the world today, my interviewee is a designer who has focused on made to order rather than just showing collections 2 or 3 or even 4 times a year. Aside from what you will see in his images, he has recently taken a bit of a departure and focused on one of a kind bridal gowns. Anyone in fashion will tell you that the most difficult of clients is a bride to be but Marbys Negretti has his own brand of secret weapon as well as the ammunition, as you will see in his images.

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As I have said so many times, the internet has opened doors and allowed me to meet some of the most incredibly talented, beautiful and creative people from all over the world. To wit, today is all about one of them … his name is Marbys Negretti. Senõr Negretti hails from Madrid and without the exposure and help of social media he might have evaded my attention. 

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Marbys is a sort of ideal in many ways. He possesses matinee idol looks and the body of a Greek god which is then compounded with an abundance of creative abilities that render clothes for discerning women of the world. Did I mention that he is as charming as he is handsome, well-mannered and forthcoming? Very few can exude warmth in their words and yet you sense this is innate.  His work as well as his words is testament to his dedication and love of fashion. Think on this one for a second… he gives new meaning to the phrase body of work!!

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Jeffrey Felner: Can you give us a brief personal history as to how you are at you arrived at your present life?

Marbys Negretti: I started in the fashion world as a model; he reason was to learn more about the fashion industry. After a few years I decided to make my dreams come true with the creation of my label Negretti Couture.

JF: Let’s speak of your brand, NEGRETTI COUTURE: who is your target customer and what is your philosophy for the brand and what you design?

MN: Negretti Couture is a brand for contemporary women who like to be feminine and sophisticated while also welcoming exclusive pieces of couture into their wardrobes created from a younger it of view. 

click image to enlarge And yes this is Marbys

JF: If you could invite any 5 people to dinner, who would they be and why?

MN: for me it will be a fashion dinner. I would invite 5 stars/leading ladies; women who I want to dress up who are in the spotlight! They are Jennifer Lopez, Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, Jane Fonda and Julia Roberts … so I think this would be a lot of fun at my dinner. 

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JF: Do you have any style icons, mentors or those who influence you personally as well as professionally and why did you choose them?

MN: My grandmother was my mentor. When she was taking care of me, I was learning from her … her work was as a dressmaker but my inspirations, since childhood, have been Valentino and Oscar de la Renta. 

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JF: If you could choose any collaboration, who or what would it be and why?

MN: Definitely if I have the opportunity to collaborate or work with a big brand, it will be Oscar de la Renta because it’s completely the style of women I like to dress.

meet Mark Zunino .. the 21st century designer

Here’s the recipe of the day: add a dash of Bob Mackie, a pinch of Elie Saab, a skosh of Vera Wang and a smidgeon of Adrian or maybe Orry Kelly, then, generously combine with a healthy dose of wow, stir vigorously and get the absolutely sexy, somewhat traditional and thoroughly modern Mark Zunino. Mr. Zunino has managed to fearlessly and deftly combine old world glamour, theatricality and time honored techniques to offer his take on stand out fashion; no matter if walking down the aisle, attending a black tie gala, taking center stage or strutting and preening on the red carpet.

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As you will read, here is a Los Angeles based designer who has managed to find his place within, not one, not two but three hugely competitive areas of the business we call fashion. He is first and foremost a couturier/createur in the truest sense as a vast majority of what he does is made to measure, whether it be for blushing brides, private clients or red carpet luminaries. He has set himself apart by creating bridal gowns which allow the bride to be chic, sexy and yet traditional; name another who does this, I dare you! Pssst ... don’t tell anyone but there is soon to be a capsule “couture” collection available at one of our most prestigious retail establishments! ... stay tuned!

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It is a rarity in today’s sphere of fashion to find a designer who sketches, drapes and fits their own designs let alone possess the entire skill set. To compound or maybe even magnify his abilities,  this multitalented designer does it all without the easy access to the ateliers of Paris and without the extensive staffs that so many of his peers have at their fingertips; remember he is in Beverly Hills not Paris and nor Milan nor Beirut. 

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So now I introduce you to a modern master of the art and craft of fashion in his own words:

Jeffrey Felner: Can you give us a sort of snapshot biography in terms of how you arrived at where you are today?

 Mark Zunino: My career started on a fluke referral from a professor of mine while attending Pepperdine University, I was asked if I would interview with Nolan Miller and Aaron Spelling. I accepted the interview and ended up getting the assistant design position. After my decision to depart from my studies in architecture, I took on a full-time position with Nolan Miller Inc. After several years of employment, I was asked to be a partner with Nolan Miller and eventually took over the company, after my independent label had been established.

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JF: You cover a diverse range of clients; can you speak to who each category addresses and what makes them unique in their respective marketplace?

MZ: My clientele is extremely diverse, ages ranging from 16yrs - 76 yrs. young. We cater to a range of economical levels while keeping the highest quality possible in each category: With the couture end of my work, we cater to very affluent internationally based women, designing entire wardrobes as well as special occasion pieces. I also have a well-established celebrity clientele, having been fortunate to have started with A-listers such as Sophia Loren and Elizabeth Taylor, through today’s celebs such as Angelina Jolie, Sofia Vergara and Jennifer Lopez. The bridal portion of my brand is also accounts for a large part of my time as it, encompasses my Couture Bridal Collection as well as MZ2, a diffusion collection produced in China. Finally, at a moderate level, I have a more affordable collection of daywear sold on QVC which caters to those ladies who opt to shop form the comfort of their homes or via their home computer.

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JF: You do made to measure, red carpet, bridal and stage costumes, can you speak to the challenges of each as well as what your influences/inspirations are for each?

MZ: Whether working on garments for made-to-measure, red carpet, bridal or stage, the challenge and inspirations are the same… To design progressive and feminine clothing that contour and reshape a woman's body, making everyone look and feel sexy and confident. My inspiration comes from everything and anything around me. The creative process never takes a break. Creativity is continually in motion.

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JF: If you could invite any 5 people to dinner who would they be and why?

MZ: Elizabeth Taylor because she was so progressive in thinking and very independent. She truly cared for the well-being of mankind without prejudice. She was one of my favorite women to have worked with.
Coco Chanel because she was revolutionary in influencing fashion and was a true survivor. She blazed her own trail regardless of others opinion. Rihanna because she’s the next name on my “wish-list” to become a new and recurring client; I love her fiercely rebellious and independent nature.  My Father because I would love for him to see what he was so instrumental in helping me accomplish, with the love, encouragement, drive and confidence he so unconditionally gave to me. Lastly, but surely not least would be my mother because she was equally instrumental in my journey and because she would give anything to be with my father one more time.

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JF: If you could choose any collaboration or project who or what would it be and why?

MZ: If I could collaborate with anyone, it would be to collaborate with Paco Rabanne. I had the pleasure of spending a few days with him in Russia a few years back and was mesmerized by his unique confidence in marching to the beat of his own drum in the business of fashion. Even when the industry labeled him eccentric and a bit crazy, at times yet to this day, his timeless aesthetic is as unique and contemporary as the day he first started.

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www.markzunino.com