THE HEART AND SOUL OF D-DUE
CHARO FROJÁN
Charo is the link between the atelier, technical and volumetric development, and garment engineering.
With the work of Cristóbal Balenciaga as a reference, Charo studied fashion in Barcelona. She then worked in Milan, where she perfected the technical skills demanded by her interest in tailoring, well-crafted garments and fabrics. In Milan she was introduced to an environment much more focused on manufacturing and the creation of design.
Her interest in dressmaking and the creation of sophisticated garments has its roots in the environment and the family business: in 1960, her parents set up a small dressmaking workshop in rural Galicia, the same place where D-due garments are made today.
“Paper captures everything,” says Charo. To ensure that the garments are created in response to the creative decisions made in the #ddue_studio and not just on a whim, she explains the technical requirements to the workshop and works directly on the construction of each piece, defining the characteristic D-due silhouette.
ALFREDO OLMEDO
Alfredo is the storyteller, the hand that draws and transmits artistic creations to D-due’s designs. With the cultural and aesthetic influences of his childhood spent in the family bookshop and graphic design workshop, he travelled from Pontevedra to Barcelona to study graphic design. After several years in Seville, he moved his design and communication studio to Pontevedra. His collaborations with a variety of artists and fashion brands led him to join forces with Charo and form part of D-due.
The influence of Paul Rand and other references to modern American design are behind Alfredo’s creative language and his particular approach to turning graphic design into fashion.
Irony, playfulness, a bold use of colour and a slightly surreal touch can be found in the illustrations and graphics applied to the garments, and in the art direction and visual language that define D-due.
Since 2014, Charo and Alfredo have combined their artistic activities with teaching at the University of Vigo’s MA course in Fashion Design and Creative Direction.