Under the Current Podcast: #2 - Luciana Rozenberg

going from prototype to products, form and function, and why big cities matter

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Split between the western Andes Mountains and eastern Gran Chaco lowlands of Argentina is the province of Tucaman.

Just over 1200km north of Buenos Aires, it’s the second-smallest provinces in Argentina, and its main city of San Miguel is widely considered to be the nation’s birthplace.

Among its 1.5 million residents are the Rozenburg family.

With the parents running an architecture studio working on all kinds of projects, it was inevitable their children would be exposed to ideas in design, art, construction, and the importance of form and function.

However, one of the kids, Luciana, who went on site visits and absorbed the conversations happening around the dining table, took a slightly different career path – into the world of fashion.

Now she’s the founder of New York-based brand Naissant, whose handbag line brings form and function together through a modular approach to women’s accessories.

In this conversation we get into bridging the gap between products and prototypes, the impact of landing in a big city, hanging out with old school patternmakers, and the power of the artistic muse

Show notes

03:45: The first few weeks post-launch

06:00: Conversations around the family table

10:00: Growing up in a architects’ family in Argentina

18:15: Feeling different, and the impact of big cities

21:45: Understanding London’s fashion hub

38:30: Being underestimated by the institutions, and underestimating NYC

43:00: Dealing with uncertainty of being a founder

47:30: Balancing creativity and business

52:00: Aspects of architecture in fashion

57:15: How do you know when something is working, even in prototype phase?

64:00: The importance of the muse

69:00: The impact of women on the work