I have a real addiction to constantly trawling the internet for new brands, from publications, trade shows, recommendations and many more. Searching for unique design, clever concepts, alongside quality and a conscience for the environment. I love supporting small, independent retailers, designers and brands and I want to share with you a label that I discovered a while ago whilst I was scrolling through the boards of a certain virtual pinboard platform!
Here, the brand Wolf & Rita (formerly Milk & Rock) jumped out at me. The incredible presence of their brand identity made a huge impact and their range of clothing even more so. I am very grateful to Wolf & Rita for stepping out of their busy schedule between the trade shows Bubble London and Playtime Paris to talk to us. Delve behind the label to meet the driving force behind this innovative and creative brand...
HELLO WOLF & RITA, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO CHAT WITH US, TO BEGIN PLEASE TELL US MORE ABOUT THE FOUNDERS OF THE BRAND AND A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOURSELVES.
We are sisters and although we have different professional backgrounds we are working in our father's company, which has been producing shirts for a long time. We have decided to create a childrenswear brand specialised in shirts because we have the know-how and because we think there is a place in the market for this type of product.
CLAUDIA: I am a fashion designer and I have worked in Inditex for some years, I have taught in fashion school and I have worked for another manufacturer for adults wear before joining this adventure. My sister Sonia has a background in science, she has studied psychology and traditional Chinese medicine and worked as an acupuncturist for some time. She now deals with all the sales and everything with numbers involved.
HOW DID WOLF & RITA BEGIN AND WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BRING TO THE CHILDRENSWEAR MARKET?
SONIA: We believe that in the childrenswear market there is a place for quality shirts and we don´t know any other brand that specialises in this. On the other hand, we really wanted to bring some freshness to our father's company, start something from scratch that we could call our own, our project.
SONIA: We believe that in the childrenswear market there is a place for quality shirts and we don´t know any other brand that specialises in this. On the other hand, we really wanted to bring some freshness to our father's company, start something from scratch that we could call our own, our project.
HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE WOLF & RITA BRAND NAME AND WHAT IS THE STORY BEHIND IT?
SONIA: Up until yesterday we were Milk & Rock as a homage to our parents. Our mother’s maiden is Leite (Portuguese for milk) and our father’s surname is Rocha (Portuguese for rock). Unfortunately we had to change the name due to an unhappy similarity with another brand name, so we picked my kids' names; their surname is Lobo (Portuguese for wolf) and Rita, my daughter’s name. We also thought of it as a little fairytale...Rita and the Wolf, the other way around.
SONIA: Up until yesterday we were Milk & Rock as a homage to our parents. Our mother’s maiden is Leite (Portuguese for milk) and our father’s surname is Rocha (Portuguese for rock). Unfortunately we had to change the name due to an unhappy similarity with another brand name, so we picked my kids' names; their surname is Lobo (Portuguese for wolf) and Rita, my daughter’s name. We also thought of it as a little fairytale...Rita and the Wolf, the other way around.
We aim to maintain a meaning to the name, as this is important for us.
WHAT ARE THE INSPIRATIONS BEHIND YOUR SS14 COLLECTION, 'A SONG FOR A PERFECT SUMMER'?
CLAUDIA: After such a long and cold winter we just thought of summer time and the wonderful song "Summertime" (original by George Gershwin interpreted by Devendra Banhart); kids playing, birds singing, the sun shining, fresh fabrics (100% cotton) and colourful and vibrant prints.
CLAUDIA: After such a long and cold winter we just thought of summer time and the wonderful song "Summertime" (original by George Gershwin interpreted by Devendra Banhart); kids playing, birds singing, the sun shining, fresh fabrics (100% cotton) and colourful and vibrant prints.
Devendra Banhart - Summertime
AT THE RECENT CHILDREN'S TRADE FAIR, BUBBLE, YOU RECEIVED THE RISING STAR AWARD, (CONGRATULATIONS!) HOW DID THIS FEEL AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR MILK AND ROCK?
CLAUDIA: It feels amazing. Being our first trade show ever and winning a prize means a lot to us. It means that our work is recognised and perhaps it means we are starting in a very good way...
CLAUDIA: It feels amazing. Being our first trade show ever and winning a prize means a lot to us. It means that our work is recognised and perhaps it means we are starting in a very good way...
HOW DO YOU FIND WORKING TOGETHER AS SISTERS?
SONIA: As long as we manage to leave work at the office and not talk much about it at home (which up until now was impossible) it is nice working together. It obviously has great advantages working together; we know each other very well and we have very similar taste, which helps a lot. I deal with sales, production, and anything that involves organisation and reasoning. My sister, Claudia, is the creative mind, she searches for inspiration and all that. As you can see, it seems we complement each other.
SONIA: As long as we manage to leave work at the office and not talk much about it at home (which up until now was impossible) it is nice working together. It obviously has great advantages working together; we know each other very well and we have very similar taste, which helps a lot. I deal with sales, production, and anything that involves organisation and reasoning. My sister, Claudia, is the creative mind, she searches for inspiration and all that. As you can see, it seems we complement each other.
WHAT RECEPTION HAS WOLF & RITA RECEIVED SO FAR?
SONIA: Wolf & Rita Shirt Studio has been very well received so far. We have had visits from bloggers and journalists both at Bubble London and Playtime Paris and in general people congratulate us on the brand image and the products. Blogs are posting about Wolf & Rock Shirt Studio and we have had a considerable amount of orders, so all is going well!
SONIA: Wolf & Rita Shirt Studio has been very well received so far. We have had visits from bloggers and journalists both at Bubble London and Playtime Paris and in general people congratulate us on the brand image and the products. Blogs are posting about Wolf & Rock Shirt Studio and we have had a considerable amount of orders, so all is going well!
"when you do it always think big, and you will achieve it"
TALK US THROUGH YOUR TYPICAL WORKING DAY?
CLAUDIA: I travel from Porto to Guimaraes almost daily and Sonia has 2 small children, so we both arrive to the factory between 9 and 9:30am. Everyone is always busy as in the production they start at 8am. We see and answer emails, I deal with all photo requests, publicity ads and I think constantly about Wolf&Rita Shirt Studio's next collection. Sonia deals with the orders, prices, deadlines, etc. Apart from this we take care of other clients requests and demands as we produce for other childrenswear brands and we cannot fail deadlines for deliveries of their collections! We leave around 6pm everyday.
CLAUDIA: I travel from Porto to Guimaraes almost daily and Sonia has 2 small children, so we both arrive to the factory between 9 and 9:30am. Everyone is always busy as in the production they start at 8am. We see and answer emails, I deal with all photo requests, publicity ads and I think constantly about Wolf&Rita Shirt Studio's next collection. Sonia deals with the orders, prices, deadlines, etc. Apart from this we take care of other clients requests and demands as we produce for other childrenswear brands and we cannot fail deadlines for deliveries of their collections! We leave around 6pm everyday.
WHO AND WHAT ARE YOUR INFLUENCES?
CLAUDIA: I love to follow and inspire myself on men's and women's brands. I always look at the latest fashion shows and my biggest influences are Celine, Dries Van Noten and Dior Homme. We admire a lot the image that brands such as Bobo Choses and Soft Gallery created, they are unique and very powerful, congratulations to them. The rest comes from everyday life; films, music, there is always something everyday that can be a start of something.
CLAUDIA: I love to follow and inspire myself on men's and women's brands. I always look at the latest fashion shows and my biggest influences are Celine, Dries Van Noten and Dior Homme. We admire a lot the image that brands such as Bobo Choses and Soft Gallery created, they are unique and very powerful, congratulations to them. The rest comes from everyday life; films, music, there is always something everyday that can be a start of something.
SONIA: We have a friend that runs a very very successful business and who is supporting us a lot that once told me, "when you do it always think big, and you will achieve it". She is a great influence.
"Parents, let your kids be free and play a lot. Give them music, stories and toys. Let them be what they want to be instead of what you want them to be, this is the way."
AGAIN, WE’D LIKE TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR STEPPING OUT OF YOUR BUSY DAY TO DO THIS INTERVIEW FOR US. TO FINISH UP, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE TO GIVE TO PARENTS TO HELP BUILD ON THEIR CHILDREN’S CREATIVITY?
SONIA: We thank you for this opportunity as well. Parents, let your kids be free and play a lot. Give them music, stories and toys. Let them be what they want to be instead of what you want them to be, this is the way.
SONIA: We thank you for this opportunity as well. Parents, let your kids be free and play a lot. Give them music, stories and toys. Let them be what they want to be instead of what you want them to be, this is the way.
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Wolf & Rita Shirt Studio's current collection, Indian Winter, was inspired by the great American photographer Edward Sheriff Curtis whose photographs of the great North American Indian tribes helped preserve their traditions and history before they disappeared completely. This debut winter collection aims to bring some of that original free spirit back, and what better audience to cater for than children?!
You can follow Wolf & Rita and their latest collections via their website and Facebook page. I can't wait to see what they do next!
All images courtesy of Wolf & Rita.
