11 Jan Luisa Lotti, the face behind Luisa Sposa dresses
Luisa Lotti is the face behind the Luisa sposa wedding dress house. She designs the dreams of future brides, merging together trends, territory, and desires of each in her creations. Her story is an inspiration for those who want to approach her world. As a leader in the bridal sector, Luisa Lotti sets trends, proposes masterful guidelines for anyone who wants to take this path, acknowledging that it is demanding, but full of emotions and significant experiences. We tell the story that led company to success, hoping it can be an example for anyone who turn their art into a beautiful project.
Luisa, tell us who you are beyond your mere biography.
«Since I was little, I dreamed of a future in fashion: I remember when I secretly took items from my mother’s trousseau to make little dresses for my dolls. I was still a teenager when I really started working in the bridal sector at a very famous company in Putignano and I remained there for twenty years, until my husband, Vito, and I decided to open a small factory for our account. From here our commitment was born, we have conceived and created everything that we could only dream of when we were very young. We have become competitive at a national level; this fills us with pride and is still the compass for always doing better.”
How was Luisa Sposa born?
«When Vito and I decided to open the company, it was a fairly difficult and negative period, we had to overcome many obstacles. Luisa Sposa was born from my personal dissatisfaction and from the big bet that Vito made on me. Both of us, unconscious, attempted the leap into the void by trusting each other. Obviously, nothing would have been possible without the help of friends and relatives who strongly believed in us. Little by little, unconsciousness became a profession, a stylistic art. A goal may seem crazy and impossible, but only until one day someone rolls up their sleeves and actually makes it happen.”
Tell us a curious episode in the company’s history?
«Among the most curious things is certainly the fact that we started all this without having anything material. In fact, the place where we started and the sewing machines were lent to us by dear friends. Even more curious is that it all started without any of us having any knowledge of entrepreneurship, since until then I was an employee and my husband a plumber. It was a path of all-encompassing growth; we went through many phases and our dedication rewarded us.”
How did you approach the Italian market?
«It was not easy to establish oneself in a market entirely made in Italy among companies that had been operating in the sector for years and above all to do it in a town like Putignano which has always been known for its tailoring in the bridal sector. We grew up together with other companies that still keep the meaning of truly Made in Italy alive today. We have always felt invested with this responsibility, Italy has a heritage of high-quality manufacturing culture and often its value, despite its widespread diffusion in recent years, is not yet fully understood”.
What is your relationship with your family?
«Luisa Sposa is a family-run business thath now also includes our three children: Gianni, Francesco and Rossella. However, I like to think of this environment as a big family, beyond us: my team includes women of all ages, and some have been with me since the first day of this journey. We have always needed professionals full of creativity and genius, and I must say that a bit of luck has made our path less difficult. Our collaborators are a treasure, not just for their work, but also for our vision which they have been able to represent in every context. I believe in this teamwork that has led us to grow, to evolve, we take into account the ideas and suggestions of those who work with us, knowing that they live and experience the changes and needs of many who follow us, perhaps event more than we do”.
What value do you attribute to your local roots?
«This land is a constant inspiration for me. I continually refer back to nature and it comes naturally to me because it’s a bit like reuniting with my origins, my habits as a child and the way I grew up. My parents were farmers and raised me and my siblings in an ancient Apulian farmhouse. So, we spent our childhood knowing everything that this land has to offer and living off simple things. This is also why I choose to hold the photo shoots of my collections here every year, to contextualise the ancient tradition of marriage in an innovative and modern key. It is a concept and a dualism that we always maintain, offering new things while never forgetting the beauty and memory of the traditions we come from.”
What are the bridal gown trends for 2022?
«I like to make my dresses a meeting of various types of lace and fabrics, following current fashions trends. From mikado to light organza, from macramé lace to traditional French lace, I try to combine different materials in a coherent and innovative way in order to make each bride unique on her special day. The thing I like most is making sure that every girl can feel comfortable and truly herself, even on the most important day. I wanted to conceive different and deliberate forms of bridal fashion; which expand year by year.”
How have brides’ tastes changed over these forty years?
«In almost forty years of activity I can say that fashion, like any form of art, is cyclical. In the particular world of bridal wear, however, every style manages to coexist perfectly and always be eternal. Let me explain: there will always be room for the woman who on her “yes” day wants to feel daring, with a beautiful lace mermaid dress, for those who want to feel romantic and traditional, with a large organza and French lace dress, or for those who choose to be simple, yet glamorous, with a light tulle dress with a deep neckline. Understanding the desires of each one and delving into their logic has given us the reason to continue to specialize. The bridal field is wonderful for this: it diversifies on the continuous flow of emotions always parallel to the transformations of fashion”.
