There is no project that is not born from a desire, that of KIDSOFBROKENFUTURE, a brand born thanks to Marta Sanchez and Elbio Bonsaglio, a couple in their work as well as in their life, is to represent the society of the future starting from the typical elements of the subcultures of the ’70s and arriving to the contradictions of our time.
Elements and symbols that detach themselves from the utopian and dystopian vision typical of literature or cinema, to place the emphasis on the predictions that we have about the future, strongly conflicting and negative.
We had a chat with them about their project and their plans for the future.
Tell us about yourself, your background and everything you’ve done before you decide to start your own brand.
Marta: I always knew I wanted to work in the world of fashion. I started modeling when I was 18 while studying fashion design at BAU University in Barcelona. I had the opportunity to travel the world for work, and I stopped my studies to move to places like China, Hong Kong, Milan or Los Angeles. Something that allowed me to expand my vision of the fashion world, be more eclectic, meet many interesting people and above all define my imagination as creative; a part of me is influenced by every part of the world in which I lived, and this is reflected in my profile as creative and in my collections. After finishing college I went to New York and decided to try to launch my brand, which became a reality after meeting Elbio and thanks to the work we did together.
Elbio: I’m half Italian and half Argentinian. I graduated in business administration from Bocconi University, after which I began to make the model because I wanted to travel and despite my studies in economics I had always felt in syntony with the world of fashion. When I was 29 years old I launched my first brand, Letasca, it was a beautiful adventure that lasted 5 years, after which my partner and I decided to separate because we had different views.
So I left Letasca and launched KIDSOFBROKENFUTURE, which was the result of a meeting with my girlfriend Marta. We launched the brand with 2 other partners, Luca and Manuela Trama, to whom we are very close.
The world of streetwear is constantly evolving and the market is becoming more and more competitive, what do you think are the elements that can determine the success of a collection or, more generally, of a brand?
Marta: I think that now it’s all about communication, it’s a very important part that determines success, today’s big streetwear brands are run by creative people who are certainly also great PR.
Obviously, the product must be contemporary and of high quality, but communication is the weapon that makes the difference.
Elbio: KIDSOFBROKENFUTURE is a project that has the ambition to create a movement, a community, so we try to send a very clear message and vision. So, answering your question, I think we should have a very defined identity.
The project, therefore, lives on communication, with a team working on the digital part and great involvement of ambassadors in the target geographical areas.
What happens when you approach the creation of a collection? What are your main sources of inspiration?
Marta: As I said, I have a very eclectic creative imagination, which is my base as a designer and the basis of my brand. I have some points of reference that are always on the table when I design a new collection, some subcultures from the 70s, the b-boys or punk, the cyberpunk philosophy or contemporary art.
Elbio: To this question, I think Marta, who is the creative director, can better answer.
KIDS OF BROKEN FUTURE is born from the desire to represent the society of the future, how do you imagine it and what do you think will be the most significant differences with the current one?
Marta: Aesthetically I imagine a society very similar to the one of today, but with small functional changes, adapted to the situation that there will be in 30 or 40 years. I’ve always wanted to represent a society of the real future and get out of the utopian or dystopian stereotypes of cinema or literature.
Elbio: KIDSOFBROKENFUTURE was born from the desire to tell a hypothetical society of the future, imagining how he could dress. Several studies predict a rather tragic future for our society and our planet, which is why we realized that KOBF should have become a sustainable project.
Differences are mainly due to technology, which is evolving faster and faster. But in 20 years we will also start to see important climate changes, which will be the consequences of what we are doing to our planet. So in clothing, as in society, I see a technological development but also an “adaptation” to the changes that will affect our planet.
Your brand is particularly interested in the artistic and aesthetic past and present of society, how does this translate into your clothes?
Marta: When I talk about the past I am referring to b-boys or punk, those two subcultures present in my imagination and which are an aesthetic, artistic, behavioral and linguistic reference point.
When I talk about the artistic and aesthetic present, I am talking about current trends, contemporary art,
Elbio: That too is a question to which perhaps Marta will answer more eloquently. Each brand has aesthetic references from the past, which determine its aesthetics. We want to create a community and we have an irreverent and rebellious language so we certainly look at the sub-cultures that communicated with the same approach.
Is there a character, of the present or of the future, who embodies your brand’s values?
Marta: I think it’ s not so much a particular character who embodies the values of the brand; it’ s more a community, a group of guys who share the same tastes and values, who are interested in fashion and who are aware of what’s going on around them.
Elbio: I don’t think there is a particular character. We try to be a movement rather than an individual reference.
Upcoming projects?
Marta: Now I’m in the middle of a creative phase for the next collection that we’re going to launch after the summer. And we have a very interesting collaboration in the making, which we hope will be successful.
Elbio: Per il momento siamo un progetto esclusivamente online, vogliamo ampliare l’offerta dei nostri prodotti e sviluppare la rete distributiva e il team. Abbiamo l’obbiettivo di proporre una collezione completamente sostenibile in un paio d anni. Sul piano personale io e Marta ci sposeremo ad Agosto, al burning man.
