The time I shoot Rug-bags

About photo-shootings…A great photographer, Amarylis Cargning contacted me to make this dream happen! Her model and makeup artist did an amazing job! The pictures were supposed to be nude using just the RUG-bags to cover the body of the model. I think the results were very sexy and elegant at the same time, the pictures really highlights the quality of the bags and you can see how delicate and colorful they are. The rug fabric looks amazing and metal chain details are lighted up in a magnificent way. I just love when people is so kind to share their work with me. I still use the picture for my catalogues and publicity, because this shooting is one of the best I have collaborated to.

This collection of handbags are totally handmade with this beautiful rug fabric made of cotton, washable and durable, I made probably around 15 different bags, some of them I sold in markets here in Rome and other I still sell them online, you can see some of them here: https://it.dawanda.com/shop/j-somoza

The time I was being scammed by a “Neiman Marcus headhunter” guy

I generally get lots of collaboration requests through Facebook and emails thanks to all the sites supporting emerging designers in which I have signed in and shared my work.

Yes this actually happened! A guy name “Ronald” contacted me saying he was headhunter selecting new designers to incorporate some of their pieces for Neiman Marcus in a special project they were developing with Japanese business contacts. Certainly after reading this I went out of my mind, because that's like the golden opportunity for a designer, to have some of your garments displayed in a store as important as that one! And to finally start a production and open the door to new deals.

The worst about this thing is that I actually believed it so much that I wasn't able to think it could be a scam, I thought this was going to be my chance, but after some considerations of my family and friends, I started to doubt….

I especially had my friend in the States calling Neiman Marcus contact line to ask about my situation. To know if it was true that Ronald worked for them. Well…

They told me I was being scam. Can you believe it? Thanks God I never made the production of the 600 pieces they wanted to me to make with their Panamanian “manufacturer”. Thanks God I didn't pull out any money of my pocket for this… I just hope people like that get what they deserve in life, as for the emerging designers who are struggling with me. Keep going, just bear with it, someday we'll have our reward…

5 interesting facts about living in Rome

Everybody knows I've been living in Rome for more than 7 years now, and even if I have some love and hate relationship with it. It's impossible for me to say that it has been an incredible experience where I have grown considerably. I tried to sum up every detail in 5 interesting facts about Rome, here they are:

1.       Relax mode on: definitely everything will take longer here, education, documents, the line in the bank, even trains, but it’s not their fault it's just “la dolce vita”, so you could learn to relax and taste every bit of life!

2.       Everything could be solve if you know the right person: in some cases you can see how families and friends of friends just develop their way out of a situation, it says a lot about their political system but I mean they have a huge history what can you expect? At least if you know the right person you can get your stuff done!

3.      Exercise even if you don't want to: public transportation is terrible! So, don't even think of finding the right connections between trains or busses. Besides Rome is a city that yields to be walked, the amazing feeling of finding every time new beautiful streets to visit, so particular and unforgettable. So put your sneakers on and start walking around.

4.      Architecture: it is the magnificent of its architecture that makes Rome so welcoming and impressive at the same time, their temples, churches and monuments would leave a mark on you for life!

5.      Food and wine: The first reason of them all! Food and wine! You will not find better food than traditional Italian, thanks to the quality of flavor of their simple ingredients, eating in Italy is just an experience that you will never forget! Pasta and wine are so good that any food in the world would never taste the same!