Meet the Maker - High's Sergio Codovilli

Meet the Maker - High's Sergio Codovilli-Debs Boutique

sergio and claire

 

Have you been lucky enough to nab yourself a pair of incredible High pants? They are by far our most incredible fit, and we are not surprised that they have gained such a cult following.

You can feel the attention to detail and the soul of the makers. We believe this to be true in every piece, but especially in the pieces from High.

Here is the story of the pattern maker from High by Claire Campbell. 

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At 12 years old Sergio Codovilli was given the task of over-stitching by hand the inside seam on the leg of a pair of trousers. 60 years later, an overlocking machine does the same job in seconds and working on trousers has become his speciality.

The first 15 years of his career were spent in a tailoring workshop learning his craft, and more importantly mastering his almost metaphysical ability to manipulate fabric. 
Working with cloth in all its myriad forms has given him a profound understanding of its properties and potential, a knowledge that enables him to transform a designer’s idea into three dimensional reality.

Although this is a skill that be developed, it requires an inherent talent that all the training in the world cannot teach  - a lucky few are born with this magic in their fingers. 
It is evident not only in Sergio’s work as pattern maker, but equally in his house and garden, his olive trees, his chickens, from the plants and vegetables that he grows to the food he cooks.

 

sergio

 

A local boy, Sergio has spent whole his life in Emilia Romagna, but the results of his work have gone out far and wide into the world. He has worked closely with some of the most significant designers in the fashion industry. 
This gives him a very particular perspective on the business, he has seen all manner of fashion trends come and go but his feet have remained firmly on the ground.

His preferred method of working is from a sketch - it gives direction yet leaves room for improvisation and interpretation, a source of inspiration that is not too literal.

For Sergio, imagination and activity go hand in hand, the dynamic of thought and action is a constant exchange, one feeds the other. Often solutions to one thing arise while he is actively involved something else.  

 

sergio

 

This informs his attitude to the younger members of his team, who often arrive full of attitude and ideas, but “… can’t sew on a button!” In contrast to his own strict training, he feels that it is important to give them time and space to learn, room to make mistakes… although with today’s technology the whole process is much quicker.

Like most artists, Sergio’s favourite work is whatever he is working on right now. He feels no nostalgia about what was done yesterday. 
How does he maintain this extraordinary flow of active creativity? “It’s simple” - he says -  “don’t stop”.

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