FASHTALKS WITH DORIA 1905

What inspired you to name your brand?

The name of the brand Doria 1905 came from the first founder of the company. His surname was “D’Oria” which actually means “from Oria”, a small city near our factory in the South of Italy. We decided to maintain this name in order to underline the importance of our origin and culture in our brand values and history.

Where do you find inspiration?

We find inspiration in everyday life. Working together as a team, we share our ideas and emotions, looking at beautiful places and landscape surrounding us and always trying to develop something different, functional, useful and obviously beautiful.

"Hats are no longer simple headgear anymore, but precious accessories and products of passion, ability, effort, dedication, culture, and research."

What sets your brand apart from the rest?

The fundamental principle and interconnecting factor of the Doria 1905 collection is identified in the continuous research of a balanced synthesis between tradition and innovation. The company promotes the consolidation of the study of archives and the valorization of sartorial work to be match with the study of the most recent trends and application of innovative production techniques. It is about a project in constant evolution and improvement. Hats are no longer simple headgear anymore, but precious accessories and products of passion, ability, effort, dedication, culture, and research.

What are the brands greatest strengths and weaknesses?

We produce every single hat and cap in Italy from the hands of our Craftsmen, whose talent is our greatest strength. I am proud to say that our products are 100% made in Salento, Italy. We always underline the importance and the influence of our territory in our creations. Our biggest weakness comes from our strength, which is the difficulty in reaching a larger scale in production. Since the creation process is so tailored, it’s difficult for us to increase our sales volume without affecting our recognized quality and craftmanship.

How did your brand navigate and overcome the pandemic in 2020?

The pandemic significantly impacted the fashion world, as well as the overall demand for accessories. We tried to reduce the impact of the pandemics crisis by trying to increase “digital sales”. We focused our efforts on correctly placing our products on our own online shop as well as different marketplaces and platforms such as FashWire, in order to minimize the decrease of traditional sales offline.

Do you have a favorite piece that you have designed?

That is like asking me if I have a favorite son – it is difficult to answer!

What do you envision for the future of your brand?

My vision is to guide the brand and its values towards a journey of growth and affirmation in the international market. We want to create headpieces that are more modern, trending, and personalized accessories relevant to younger generations. The cultural references of the young individuals and the new icons are often characterized by original details, with distinct personalities. It is for its strength and freedom to express one’s self through hats that Doria 1905 believes in the collaboration of stylists for music, television, theatrical, and cinematographic productions that look for elements of diversity and peculiarity.

What is the most important thing you would like your brand to be recognized for?

I would love to look back and see Doria 1905 as the brand that was able to introduce the common use of hats between different generations.

"The only way to generate and actively influence trends is to be consistent with your own values and ideas." 

What is the one piece of advice you would give to a new designer?

I would say to stay loyal to themselves, to their passion, to their values. I would advise not to be passive while facing the trends of the moment. The only way to generate and actively influence trends is to be consistent with your own values and ideas.

How important is social media to your brand?

Social Media has become a fundamental tool for brands. It allows us to reach a lot of different people and to generate real engagement with them. It also allows us to increase brand awareness easily. However, it’s not as simple as it sounds. Brands have to create a social strategy that is consistent with their own values and mission in an organic way, which can be very difficult.

What is your favorite fashion film or show?

I really like the film Phantom Thread.

If you could go back and tell yourself one thing before beginning your career, what would it be?

I would tell myself not to be afraid to fail because it makes you stronger. Don’t focus on what people say – try to make it your own way. Be patient, work hard and look forward, because the best is yet to come.