DIALOGUES WITH ADRIANA ZALACAIN - CUS

We invite you to meet Adriana Zalacain, the creative mind behind Cus , a brand that aims to transcend the conventional boundaries of sustainability in fashion . Adriana combines her love of creativity with a deep understanding of the environmental and social challenges we face today.

Join us as we chat with her about her inspiration, vision and her commitment to taking fashion to the next level in terms of sustainability.

How was Cus born? What led you to decide to create a brand with such ethical and sustainable implications?

Cus was born approximately 11 years ago with the philosophy of being a sustainable brand from the beginning. We have always maintained local production and established specific criteria for our fabrics, focusing on naturalness and avoiding the use of viscose and synthetic fabrics. Even though this development process was gradual, it was sustainable and successful, especially in the international market, where the brand was very well received.

However, after about 8 years of operation, I felt the need to rethink our brand as it was not being completely satisfying for me on a personal level. The growth of the company involved a number of responsibilities that, as a designer, were not particularly rewarding.

It was at that moment, motivated by a personal, somewhat extreme situation, that I made the decision to change something fundamental in the direction of the brand. I was devoting more and more time to logistical issues and less to creative design, beauty and enjoying the pleasurable moments that come from being surrounded by inspiration.

One of the core pillars of the brand for me has always been sustainability. At the time, the word ‘sustainability’ was starting to pop up everywhere, and this led me to reflect on what it really meant to me and how I could take my product one step further in a market saturated with ‘sustainable’ brands.

It was in this context that the idea of ​​having my own workshop arose, something that had always excited me. I was attracted by the concept and the implications of having my own workshop.

Of all the process of creating a garment, which part do you enjoy the most? What inspires you when designing a collection?

The world of color fascinates me. I enjoy connecting with books that have captivated me, those in which I have found a unique visual pleasure. Just by looking at them, I am inspired to create a color palette that speaks to the essence of the book or the artist. Colors have a special place in my creative process, but they are not the only important elements; shapes also play a crucial role.

Recently, I embarked on a project to recover old and vintage patterns and transform them. The decision to set up my own workshop increased the brand’s expenses, which posed a dilemma: increase the prices of the garments or reduce costs? I opted for the latter option. This has led me to take on creative-related tasks such as photography, which I have tackled with enthusiasm. For example, when it comes to patterns, I am recovering and transforming designs that we already had. The truth is that I am thoroughly enjoying this process, as the limitation of resources pushes us to be more creative and to rethink how to reinvent garments with the means available.

Setting up your own workshop is a bold step in pursuit of transparency. What benefits have you found in managing your production in-house and how does it reflect on the customer experience?

I'm really excited about this new direction we've taken. It's true that we're building everything from scratch, and this process isn't easy, but I'm genuinely happy with the results so far. From day one in this new workspace, everything has gone exceptionally well.

The experience is fantastic; I can design in my office and, in just a few steps, be in direct contact with the women in the workshop, who contribute their knowledge, enriching each project. The immediacy of this interaction is very gratifying.

I had never had a shop of my own before, but this new address has allowed us to forge special bonds with our wholesale customers. I love inviting them to visit our workshop, to see the space on Seneca Street and to witness how their order is brought to life thanks to the work of our seamstresses. I find this experience extremely enriching. It is a process of total radical transparency!

Choosing organic and natural materials is fundamental to your brand. In fact, we often see you on social media sharing how you experiment with natural dyes or different fabrics. How do you select these materials and what criteria do you follow to ensure that they are truly sustainable?

Since there is no standard definition for sustainability in the textile industry, I have established my own criteria for selecting fabrics. In my current position, my main focus is on avoiding the use of synthetic fibres. This means that I only work with natural fibres such as cotton, linen, tencel or ecovero.

The reason behind this decision lies in the fact that fabrics containing synthetic fibres are not recyclable, which completely excludes them from any possibility of contributing to a circular economy.

How do you envision the future of Cus ? Do you have plans to continue making progress in terms of sustainability and transparency in the coming years?

One of the peculiarities of this project was the creation of a brand in which growth was not necessarily linked to volume growth, but rather focused on the sustainability of the same. Therefore, the future of Cus is focused on sustaining myself and continuing to do what I am passionate about. In other words, my goal is to continue developing my work as I do today, which could be compared to the concept of 'growing my own garden', getting by in everyday life and working with those limited resources.