The brilliant smile, an agile savoir faire, tempered by years of experience, the practical intelligence of a woman who invented the life she wanted. Alessandra Grillo, from Taranto to Milan, from public relations to wedding planning, with a lithe but sure step, is the perfect embodiment of the Fortela style. And not by chance.

A friendship story

Alessandra met Alessia Giacobino, designer of Fortela women’s collection, already when Giacobino was at the helm of her Jo No Fui brand, a fashion success made of femininity, character and Made in Italy.

A great complicity immediately arises between the two women: they are free spirits, dedicated professionals, women who love the freedom to dress without logos, indulging their inclination of the moment, never sexy, but always fascinating. Alessandra wears the looks that Alessia designs with pleasure and she often asks her that some garments are made especially for her, for her events. And so it happens.

And when Alessia gets married, Alessandra is there, as a wedding planner, taking care of every detail of her “yes”. Years go by, brands change, couple bonds are transformed, but that quid that unites the two friends remains intact. This is where this harmony comes from: it is a closeness of style choices.

A “matter of feeling”, one would say. A commonality of ideals, a true bond which, beyond the noisy worlds of fashion and events, has also brought them closer together in a path of human and spiritual growth.

Independence and Style

Alessandra is like Alessia, a woman who did everything by herself. She founded a communication, pr, marketing and events agency, Brothers & Sisters and in 2021 published the book “Le Cose da Vicino”, for Sperling & Kupfer.

She has curated some of the most prominent weddings in recent years, and is considered an influencer.

Sui generis for sure: beautiful with a beauty without clichés, unique, cultured, classical studies, with her balance at heart – which she describes as the best accessory -, she is happy to be able to wear something that reflects her sensitivity and its nature.

Fascinated by the warm tones of the earth, and by turquoise – a stone sacred to the Navajo Indians and the ideal lucky charm of every Fortela look – she plays with an entirely Mediterranean palette: from total white – with the thousand shades of every white – to ocher and brick red.

Free from any conformism and any diktat – Alessandra who understands rules and ceremonies – is an image of independence and grace.      

Because her is the kindness of a soul that knows how to say thank you, and that has always known how to keep itself rooted in real things, without ever losing the joy of “looking towards the sun”, as she tells us.

What does she love? Traditions and good manners, dreams, attention to detail, traveling around the world but staying in Italy with the heart. Like Fortela.

How did your friendship with Alessia Giacobino start?

“I met her thanks to a press office, at the time Alessia was designing her Jo No Fui brand, a brand I loved. And we became friends.

When I planned her wedding, she designed me a wonderful dress for the occasion.

A beautiful dress, but very particular: it was fluorescent yellow. I was a little ashamed to wear such a bright nuance for a wedding, but it was Alessia who had wanted me this way. I also wore it for a wedding in Sorrento many years later: a still amazing dress, a timeless piece that remains in my wardrobe like a precious jewel”.

What do you wear to feel comfortable?

“The first thing I need to feel at ease is inside me.

There’s no dress who can take me out of this uncomfortable condition, if that’s what I feel deeply.

Those are the days when the wardrobe never seems to be enough, and so I choose clothes that take me directly into my comfort zone.

Now what I prefer is definitely being comfortable and conforming to my style.

A style that has certainly changed over the years, together with age. I love to wear jeans, with a t-shirt and a blazer, with flat shoes. I feel elegant like this”.

Your “Highlight”?

“Definitely total denim with silver and turquoise accessories”.

The accessory that completes your look?

“I have always used large, decisive earrings with character. But lately I’ve been struggling to tear myself away from a vintage tubular knit crewneck, it dresses me completing every look”.

A piece of this collection that you love…

“It’s not easy for me to choose, I like everything. But if I have to, I’d say that I’m in love with two Fortela dresses in particular. The first is an orange short dress with wide sleeves, with embroidery that outlines the body. And then I really like the caftan with red and beaded inserts: I immediately imagined myself barefoot on summer evenings”.

What colors do you love?

“I love total white, but also mustard and red. I feel rooted to the ground, looking towards the light.

And by the way I truly believe that there is no color or shape as powerful as intention.

I like earthy colors and I adore the intention of the woman who chooses to wear Fortela.

She is a free woman. She is free from any conditioning. She doesn’t need nudity. It has its own style, and the accessory to bring with it is only its own character”.

What makes these dresses so special?

“For me it’s a nuance that has to do with behavior, with how you feel wearing them. For example, the way you walk in caftans with other Fortela clothes on.

They are all special and never banal pieces, which seem to come from different places in the world and automatically transport you to a place where the sun is shining.

Whether it’s a rising or setting sun, it doesn’t matter: the sun is there. Always”.

How would you describe your style?

“I think I’ve always been a woman with her own style, I choose to be elegant and never flashy”.

Vintage: what do you collect?

“I collect items to wear, memories that take me back to the places where I bought them. For example, I love drinking coffee in a cup with the word MARE taken in a little bar in Liguria and wearing my blue Madonnina bought in a vintage one in Tokyo”.

On the road: what do you pack for a summer trip?

“I don’t know how to pack! It’s my biggest limitation, it’s not just about the paradox of choice, but in not being able to predict how I’ll feel that day. To overcome this, I choose basic colors and prefer them to patterns. I try to build the suitcase in a circular way, so that everything matches. But most of the time something is missing…”

Interviewer: Benedetta Rossi