Social Impact Heroes Helping Our Planet: Why And How Orsola Amati of LE ORSINE Is Helping To Change Our World
“The fast fashion industry has been growing at an unsustainable rate for many years as people have become more aware of how fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world, therefore I was determined to create an ethically responsible brand.”
I had the pleasure of interviewing Orsola Amati. Whilst studying for her masters at MIP Politecnico di Milano, Orsola has created the fashion brand ‘LE ORSINE’.
‘LE ORSINE’ was launched as an optimistic fashion brand that uses colourful products to impact people’s mood, delivering a timeless style that values tradition, passion and sustainability. Orsola has already managed to grow the brand outside of Milan, developing the brand in America. Orsola is currently doing everything by herself alongside her studies: she manages e-commerce, social media, and fulfils orders by packing. Orsola says that thanks to her American contacts linked to the period of study she spent in Boston for high school and in Philadelphia for university, she was able to work on a large-scale distribution project of her products on the East Coast where her fashion brand is now growing in success.
Most recently, the marketing students products have been modelled by celebrities such as Kelly Rutherford, the Gossip Girl actress.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit how you grew up?
I was born and raised in Milan, surrounded by fashion, design and style for my whole life. At 17 years old, I moved to The United States to complete my high school and college career. I got a Bachelor Degree from Drexel University in Philadelphia and then I moved back home and I enrolled at MIP — Politecnico di Milano to get a Master in International Marketing. After few months in Grad School, I launched LE ORSINE, an optimistic brand of colourful accessories and shoes.
Can you tell us a bit about what you are trying to change in our world today?
I believe we live in a world dominated by negativity, therefore, I launched a brand that had the goal to spread positivity through colours. That’s why I like to call LE ORSINE as an “optimistic brand”. The rule of my products is that they are colourful, lively and convey joy. As well as this, I also wanted to create a brand that was conscious of sustainability. The fast fashion industry has been growing at an unsustainable rate for many years as people have become more aware of how fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world, therefore I was determined to create an ethically responsible brand. Everything I sell is made 100% by skilled Italian hands and is made by recyclable materials.
Can you tell us the backstory about what inspired you to originally feel passionate about your business?
Since I was a little girl, I have always had a passion for the comfortable, fun and very elegant shoes that I now create. I have owned many, of all shapes and of a thousand colours. So, I thought that it was necessary to create my own, modifying them and updating them, whilst retaining their classic Milanese style. Ultimately though, I grew up into a family of entrepreneurs, and my dad is definitely the one who pushed me the most to be independent and be passionate about what I do. Whilst studying for my master’s degree in International Marketing, I am currently doing everything by myself including e-commerce, social media, and packaging orders, and that sense of hard work stems from my upbringing.
Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest it. They don’t get up and just do it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and do it? What was that final trigger?
I lived between Boston and Philadelphia during the time when people find out about what “work” actually is. In America, students start working when they are 16. Everyone wants to be successful and independent and after few years there, I felt the same way. I wanted to do something that would have made me proud but I was still not sure how to do it.
During junior year, my mom sent me from Italy a pair of “Friulane”, Italian velvet slippers I’ve worn my entire life. The ones she sent me broke after 10 days. That’s when I decided to step up and create my own pair of Friulane. At the time, I could not find many Friulane online; some of them had basic colours, others were too pricey and others were not structured enough. Therefore, my goal was to create Friulane that satisfied my needs; they had to be structured, resistant, colourful and affordable. This is when I realised I wanted to create my own business, and that I had the potential to create something successful.
Many young people don’t know the steps to take to start a new project. But you did. What are some of the things or steps you took to get your project started?
I have always been a fan of young entrepreneurs because they take risks to follow their dreams. However, when you are a young entrepreneur, you might have great ideas, but you haven’t had enough working and life experiences — which is vital in learning how the world of business works. I started this project by testing materials, dealing with artisans during COVID-19, learning about the web world and competitors, but my most challenging steps were definitely the ones related to accounting, laws and taxes; all things that were totally new to me. Keep learning, keep pushing forward, and keep going even when you have set-backs — the hard work will pay off in the end.
5 things I wish someone told me when I first started my business and why. Please share a story or example for each.
As a 23 years old college student with just a few summer internships in my background, I was not aware of many things…
1. I wish someone explained me how to create a website. I did not want to ask someone to do it for me because I wanted to start this journey by myself. So, as a self-taught, I learned it from google and it took me over a month to make it.
2. I wish someone told me how hard it was to work with artisans. I never imagined it would take so much time to create a pair of shoes. When you are a buyer, you just expect your product to look good.
3. I wish someone told me that “curriers are super hero!” Before I started my own business, i never realized how complicated and expensive it was to ship something. When I got my first orders, I panicked because it looked so complicated to ship 30 orders in a day to so many locations. However, GLS and UPS, my partners, have always done a great job, shipping on time and making things easier for me.
4. I wish someone told me “don’t be naïve, lions are outside”. Since the launch of my brand in November 2020, I noticed that many brands started to do the same colours of my shoes, Instagram quotes and the style of pictures I did. I try my best to make the brand unique with new drops every few months with limited pieces.
5. “The Web can be more dangerous than you think”. As the image of the brand, I take pictures of myself wearing LE ORSINE shoes and socks on a daily basis but it is still a brand page, not my own personal one. However, some people do not understand that.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
LE ORSINE was born through Instagram with a public account that can be seen by everyone. It’s always exciting to receive good feedback, but the most exciting story was when my favourite actress of my high school time, Kelly Rutherford from Gossip Girl, found out about the brand. I was so honoured to get in touch with her and see my shoes on her feet. After a month, newspapers and magazines started talking about it. I was so exited that I printed 50 copies of each article.
None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?
I agree. My dad always says “two heads are better than one”. Having a supportive family is so helpful when you are starting your venture. In particular, my aunt has been extremely supportive during the past months. She has helped me with the logistical side of things, and has helped me balance my time when I have had to study and take exams.
If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider starting their own company, like you, what would you tell them?
Do what you love! You must be passionate about what you are doing in order for things to work out. You must remember to prioritize your mental health and happiness, as this has an extremely big impact on us and our work- enjoying your career is always more important than making money.
How can our readers follow you online?
You can follow every update on Instagram @LE_ORSINE or check out the website www.leorsine.com
