INTERVIEW #157 ALESSIA SBURLINO

Name: Alessia Sburlino 

Based in: Milan

Occupation: sustainability consultant

Instagram: @alex.sburlino 

Ciao Alessia, a big welcome to A Sustainable Closet! Tell our readers about yourself.

Ciao readers of A Sustainable Closet! I’m Alessia, I’m 29 years old, I was born and raised in Rome but I have been living in Milan for a few years now, where I moved for work. I’m a sustainability consultant in a large consulting company and I help companies in the financial sector to integrate sustainability factors into their business models and strategies. I have been doing this job for four years and for me, it is a fundamental part of who I am, because it allows me to contribute to making this world a slightly better place through my work. This has stimulated my commitment to bring sustainability as much as possible into my everyday life: I have been vegetarian for two years now, I pay much more attention to recycling and reuse and then, of course, my closet has also become more sustainable.

Where do you find your daily outfit inspiration?

The people I see daily walking around the city are my main source of inspiration. I’m lucky because I live in Milan where fashion is an important presence but it is also experienced in a very personal way so it often happens that I meet people dressed in completely different ways and styles. If I see an outfit I like then it comes back to me when I have to choose my daily outfits. In general, I like to invent different outfits using even the same garments and always creating new combinations. Another constant source of inspiration is my grandmother, the person from whom I inherited my passion for fashion.

What is your relationship with clothes, how do you consume your clothes?

Fashion has always been part of my life even if not directly. My grandfather worked for years in a fabric shop that supplied big brands in Rome and was therefore very passionate about the sector and with him my grandmother. It was she who passed on to me a great passion for second-hand clothes thanks also to our walks in Porta Portese, the largest and most famous second-hand market in Rome. Regarding high fashion, on the other hand, and my interest in designer accessories, there is definitely my mother's influence. The attention I have for bags and shoes and the fascination for haute couture ones definitely comes from there. As far as the consumption of clothes is concerned, I have experienced a real revolution in the last three years also thanks to my work. I used to buy almost exclusively from fast fashion brands. Working in the field of sustainability, I have gained a fundamental awareness of the impact that our purchasing choices have, especially in the area of clothing. Today, I buy much less and select much more, preferring second-hand or more sustainable brands. For example, I have managed to reconcile this new style of shopping with my love of designer bags and shoes thanks to e-commerce dedicated precisely to the sale of used designer clothes in perfect condition and at much lower prices.

Favourite stores and brands to shop from?

Recently I have been obsessed with the Humana Vintage chain. I always find amazing clothes, sometimes vintage, sometimes not but always with a lot of personality. Alternatively, I have two or three neighbourhood boutiques where I like to shop. They are small shops with a few but selected items, the shopping experience is more personal and the quality is definitely better. Also, my grandmother who lives in Rome often gives me clothes bought at the famous Porta Portese market that are always a guarantee.

Favourite material to wear?

I would say jeans, which is unfortunately a controversial material because it is very unsustainable. Fortunately, you can always find great jeans at flea markets or second-hand shops, because a good pair of jeans is always the right choice.

One garment in your closet that you just can't live without?

A must-have item in my wardrobe is the blazer. Whether with simple jeans, a smart suit, or a business suit, the blazer gives a unique touch to the outfit. 

What is your opinion about the fashion industry in general? 

I believe it’s a complex industry that needs a route change. It’s common knowledge that it’s a highly polluting industry but my work has given me the chance to deepen my knowledge and understand that we are not only talking about environmental impact but also social impact. In particular, the most critical point is the supply chain, which is certainly a complex aspect for a company to manage, for reasons of cost and logistics, but there needs to be a better consciousness and work to change the current modus operandi. I believe that only through dedicated collective policies will fashion companies change direction. Fortunately, work is currently being done at the European level to regulate this very industry and in particular the supply chain. Last but not least, a key role in this process of change is played by us, the consumers. Our choices have a much more significant impact than we think. It’s not necessary to drastically change one's lifestyle and consumption, but even just decreasing it, as a first step, can make a difference.

Describe what fashion is for you, in three words: 

Creativity, elegance and fun.