Azafatas de Cinzano vestidas por Ailanto. Juveniles de la cabeza a los pies. Ailanto magic in the combination of colours Ailanto is a company founded by Iñaki and Aitor Muñoz, twin brothers born in Algorta (Basque country), in 1968. The unmistakable seal of these desig- ners is based on the extraordinary com- bination of colours, the geometry of shapes and the references to avant- garde art movements. The Muñoz brothers entered the world of fashion in 1992, and in 1999 they were already internationally renowned. They take part at all major fashion shows and in 2001, they are selected for Pasarela Cibeles in Madrid. In 2004 they were awarded as “Best Designer” by Glamour magazine and in 2009, it is Marie Claire that awards Iñaki and Aitor Muñoz for their work as “Best National Designers”. New York, Japan and London have warmly welcomed them, once their cre- ations were shown in those places. In 2010 they open their first wholly owned store in Barcelona, the city where their headquarters are located. And the marketplace, demanding quality and design, responded with enthusiasm. Without a doubt, this successful career has been the result of hard work: rese- arch, design, work, discoveries, experien- ces...Ailanto is a company that has become one of the most representative in terms of fashion in Spain, and this, in such a short time. They have also designed workwear for important companies that placed their trust in the good taste and professiona- lism of these designers.And it is about this, precisely, that we want to talk. About their views on corporate wear, and their participation in this sector. It is Aitor, one of the two owners of Ai- lanto, who answers our questions. Let’s learn a little about the history of Ailanto, of the how and when, please. The designers of Ailanto, Iñaki and Aitor Muñoz (myself) created Ailanto in Barce- lona, in 2005. We both hold a degree in Fine Arts, and Iñaki studied fashion design at IADE school. Our company is known for our exclusive prints, the use of colour and that Retro air. When did you come up with the idea of designing workwear? We are always open to various disciplines in terms of work. At Ailanto, we have de- signed carpets, candles, lamps, vases, fans, gardens. We believe that design and its multiple applications mean every new project will contribute our new creative visions. For what companies or organization did you design corporate wear? We designed the apparel for attendants of the stand of EL PAIS during the ARCO tradeshow, and also uniforms for CIN- ZANO during the Grand Prix of Catalo- nia Moto GP. What is your most recent project? We created costumes for a contempo- rary ballet company in Barcelona. A truly rich experience. What does this kind of apparel require, in addition to the natural esthetics and comfort? What are the identity features that employees need to show in terms of the company they are working for? The most important feature in workwear is that it must be fully consistent with the company it represents. Are esthetics in workwear increa- singly consistent, for both men and women? I believe this has to do with the idea of having employees dress alike. But we do believe that it is important to diffe- rentiate the concepts underlying the design of clothes for men and women. How frequently do you believe workers and employees should be renovating their image? This will depend on many factors. For instance, some uniforms like those cre- ated by Elio Berhanyer for Iberia airli- nes might still be in use in our days. Whenever a company wants you to de- sign uniforms for them, are they client and willing to listen to the advice or tips Ailanto might offer? What matters the most is that in every case the creativity of the designer is res- pected. When presenting a project, many alternatives will be usually shown. What kind of uniforms would you like to design and truly believe you want to do? We would love to design uniforms for air- line crews.We usually fly with various companies, outside of Spain, and our eyes are trained to study uniforms worn by crew members. Because of Ailanto’s iden- tity, we believe we could do this perfectly. What field, in industry or services, do you think should necessarily convey a stronger corporate identity by means of workwear or uniforms? That would be hotel chains. For architec- ture and interior design is becoming more and more important, and of course, this should be in consistence with the uniforms their employees wear. How important is colour to this line of clothes? Should dynamic, lively colours be in order? Or is it the more classic, calmer shades? In our creations, colour is always a main feature.Though the choice of colour for uniforms needs to be linked to the pro- posal and the company’s corporate image, of course. Please offer any final comments you deem of interest. Whenever we work in this field of uni- forms and workwear, we have truly felt at ea se when designing costumes for con- temporary ballet companies, for it is the area that offers us greater freedom to work on the project. Design area 63 JOBWEAR 59 4o TRIMESTRE 2011