Interview: Marni's Consuela Castiglioni talks fashion and family

The creative director and founder of Italian label Marni talks about launching a clothing label and why she likes to keep it in the family.

"Before Marni, I was a full-time mum. I've always liked clothes, so I was doing things for myself and my friends [just for] fun. And then when my husband asked if we could try to create something in fashion, I said OK. My husband already had a company related to furs. At that time, fur was a little bit old-looking for me and I wanted to do something different. So I started creating fur brocades, but using the material with a different approach. It was quite successful. So, little by little, we developed the brand. Later, we developed the accessories line and opened our first shop in 2000. It was really an evolution rather than a big decision."

"I think so, yes. It's an instinct I've always had. My family was not in fashion, but I remember my grandmother and my mother loved clothes, so that was passed on to me."

"I think we are lucky to have our children with us. With my daughter, Carolina, it's important we have her on board since she's young. She has [a different] point of view and to hear what she thinks is important. That said, she has her own part in the company, with the online store and special events, so we are not spending the whole day together. That way we can rely on each other but still have our own independence."

"I'm not relaxed! It's very stressful, we are always in a hurry. But that's the reality [of the industry]. After every show, it's nice to see the effort that everybody has put in. At the end, it's very satisfying."