For their last Breaking Waves episode of the year, Alexandra Hely and Arabella Alami interviewed Ariane Leondaridis and Katia Kelso, the founders of the clothing brand, llio Nema. Both of Greek heritage, Ariane was born in Paris and Katia in Sydney. Their shared passion for artisanal craft was forged when they worked collaboratively in New York as Design Director and Production Director respectively.
Slow craft processes that require exacting techniques became the foundation for their own niche in an industry widely regarded as “fast” or “disposable”. “Our desire to preserve items of fashion as heirlooms to be loved forever stems from our shared belief in the need for care and repair. Our unique vision for Ilio Nema emerged out of our mutual commitment to sustainable design”. Go check out their pop up store, 271 Goulburn Street, Surry Hills Sydney.
