Jessica Antonucci

1. So Jessica tell us, what do you do?

I am part of the founding team at By Claire, and responsible for sales and marketing. Since we are a young company, the job has many facettes and I must be very flexible and adaptable. My main responsibility however is to help our clients create their ideal outfit. I advise them on the styles and the shapes that work best for their body types, and I also help them select colours that will make them look wonderful. The outfit we wear has a big influence on how we feel. So we help our customers feel beautiful and confident by choosing the right combinations of colours and styles.

2. What do you like most about your work?

It is difficult to say what I like the most. I particularly enjoy seeing how women react to their new clothes when they receive them after the final fitting. They are literally beaming and that makes me proud and happy.
I also enjoy the freedom to create and build new things. We are, for instance,launching three levels of services to serve better our customers’ expectations. Every woman has different needs, we have seen this over and over again with our customers and we really wonder why is the fashion industry still forcing designs and colours on us every season like we were all wanting the same?

3. How is By Claire different from other mass tailors?

First of all, we exclusively work with European partners; All our garments are sewn either in France or in Switzerland, for two reasons. The first is that we do not want to caution the extremely poor working conditions of workers in the Far East; We all remember the disaster in Bangladesh in 2013 were more than 1000 workers died when the Savar building they were working in collapsed due to a structural failure. Well, we do not want to be one of these brands buying from these manufacturers with a work ethic that we find very questionable. The second reason is that we want to preserve the exceptional know-how that workers in Europe and especially in France, have acquired over centuries. Why so much pain and hassle when European workers can handcraft exceptionally fine work at an affordable price thanks to a clever setup like ours? Secondly, I believe that our setup is what differentiates us most from others mass tailors and the three levels of services that I was mentioning before. Bespoke, Made to Measure and Prêt-à-créer. It is completely unique, nobody else is offering anything similar.

4. Tell us a bit more about these services

Very often women have a preferred piece and they would like to have more of it, for instance in different colours, but they can’t find in the shops anymore. For these women we offer our Bespoke services.
Because I am a professional tailor, I can work together with my client on her wishes and requirements to create a unique pattern for her. We will define what she wants and how she wants it, we will select together the fabric, the accessories like buttons, zippers etc. and will then go through some fitting sessions to adjust the clothes on her body until they reach perfection. This is a very exclusive service that you will remember all your life and will make you feel very special every time you wear your clothes.
Then, some of us have the chance to have a standard size and have no fit problem with clothes from the ready-to-wear shops. But the choice is so limited! A customer of ours had been searching a royal blue blazer for years without finding it. For all of these, we are launching a new, more cost effective, range that we call “Prêt-à-Créer”, meaning literally “ready to create”. Clients can choose a design from our range, and customize the style and choose their fabrics and colours to express their own style and personality. Because it is based on our already developed designs, we can afford to price this service at a very affordable level.
At SeeOur last and most successful service is however the Made to Measure. Our clients can choose a model in our collection and customize it without (or almost) limits. They can also naturally choose fabrics in our collection from more than hundreds of fabrics from the best weavers in Europe, and we will adjust the garment to their body so that it fits like a glove. Because the designs have been developed already before, it is a lot more affordable than the Bespoke service, while women still enjoy an exceptional fit and comfort.

5. How long have they been in the fashion industry?

For as long as I can remember; Since I am a child! I was already sewing dresses for my dolls by hand with thread and needles! I am passionate about fashion and sewing. At school, I tried to sew tops for myself first and was looking at fashion shows every time I had a minute free, it was clear to me that I would become a tailor eventually. I did my apprenticeship at a couture atelier in St Gallen and then went on to learn fashion design in an additional 2 years study cycle. I worked for a while in the prêt-à-porter, but I really missed the couture flair and quickly came back to work for an Haute Couture Atelier in Zürich.
Couture drives me, it is beyond words, it’s a feeling. The feeling for the fabrics, the joy to create such complex shapes from a flat, straight piece of cloth until a women eventually wears my creation and gives it a unique personality and life. It is a wonderful feeling!.

6. You behind the brand By Claire represent the branding ‘Made in Switzerland’ and people recognize you for that

Then I am very proud of this because I love my country!!!

7. If you were not at By Claire, where would you be?

Hard to say. It would almost certainly be fashion related and creative!

8. Where would we find you in your spare time?

I am often outside, I particularly enjoy being by the waterside, or at a barbaque with my friends and my family. I also like to just let my thoughts wander when I’m out in the countryside or in the garden. Being outside helps me to be creative and recharge my batteries.

9. Which is your favorite travel destination?

There are a few places where I would really like to go and have not managed to visit yet! Two of the most impressive places I have been to are Mexico and India. In particular, there is this little village in India called Pushkar, with a local market on the shore of a small lake. I have never ever been in such a place before where the mind and the soul feel so completely free… It was very very special.

10. What would we find in your fridge?

Enough drinks and vegetables. I usually only buy things when I cook, so there’s never a lot in my fridge!

11. And finally Jessica, which item identifies you?

My somehow chaotic way of being creative and getting things done. I believe the aura I project on the outside. It may sound pretentious, but I so much believe in what I do, I am so passionate about it that it really shows and often people mention that to me. But my friends would certainly simply say, my grey-blue- green eyes!
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