The atelier of Captain Couturier sits by the ocean, in Guéthary, and while the coastline sees an increasing amount of touristic endeavour, Basque culture remains influential on its Brazilian and Portuguese speaking designer, Carolina Franzoi Soares. The bespoke slow fashion label also offers locals apprenticeships, providing an insight into her moulage sewing technique.
Using only natural, recycled or upcycled materials, Captain Couturier is defined by a thoughtful approach, conscious to avoid generating waste material and keen to promote artisanal work. Each item is said to be infused with ‘timeless freshness’ which somehow makes sense, established relatively recently, in 2018, its difficult to assign the clothes, shoes – handmade in Portugal – to a particular era.
Soares is often photographed in her own creations, moving fluidly in front of the camera with a carefree spirit, it’s no wonder she mentions the elements – particularly water – when we look at her latest work and discuss her seasonal habits.1
