There's something mesmerizing about watching someone bring a creative vision to life, especially in fashion, where clothing resides playfully in the center of the Venn Diagram of "indulgence" and "necessity." Creativity is, after all, a key component to survival. The only way to truly get from point A to point B is by pursuing your imagination. Picture this, for example: You've just hopped off an international flight to discover your airline has lost all of your luggage, leaving you in a foreign city with only the clothes on your back. What do you do? Buy yourself a sewing machine and make more youself, of course. At least, that's what Raphaella Santana did- only she didn't stop at rebuilding her own wardrobe. Today, the Barcelona-based designer runs a whimsical eponymous label, with no plans of slowing down.
Courtesy of Raphaella Santana
In it for the Long Haul
They say it takes years to become an overnight success, and in Santana's case, they're right. "Before [Raphaella Santana], I had another clothing brand that didn't really work out... When I started this brand, I felt like I was taking in a lot of lessons I had learned." Santana had just wrapped up with a client in her studio before hopping on an overseas call with The Citizen's Poste. "But I was still so passionate about making clothes."
Originally from Brazil, Santana has seen it all when it comes to navigating life, travel, and the obstacles that come with a love for an imperfect industry, expecially before we decided to 'make Instagram casual again' back in the early 2020s, and social media was a hotbed of impossible standards. "I had been struggling a lot with my body image. It really affected me, having access to all of this beauty." She decided to take a hiatus from fashion and moved to Barcelona to reconnect with herself and her goals before deciding on a new mission: creating a safe space for women to feel good in their skin. Then was born Raphaella Santana.
Courtesy of Raphaella Santana
She was quick to add, "But at the same time, I care about high quality clothing. I want to make pieces that can last." She went on to describe what it means to navigate the meaning of a "sustainable" clothing brand in 2024, where the ethics of a piece are just as much a selling point as fit and design. A huge fan of mesh- especially when draping- Raphaella was slow to say goodbye to certain textiles that could effect the intention behind a given piece, which is why she's elected to categorize Raphaella Santana as a slow fashion brand. Every piece is handmade with attention to detail and designed with timelessness in mind, ensuring the wearer can pass them on to friends and family.
Courtesy of Raphaella Santana
It was kismet. Santana pursued her career solo for a while before two of her close friends- to whom Raphaella expressed much gratitude- invested a combined €6.4k in the company, which earned her a studio that checked off "everything on [her] list" from location to aesthetics. You can find the storefront in the heart of Ciutat Vella on Carrer de Grunyí in Barcelona.
Courtesy of Raphaella Santana
Her most recent collection, "Midnight Summer," was her first since giving birth to her baby girl, and marked the longest she's gone without releasing a new drop since she started off with Raphaella Santana. Shot in Paris, the line was inpired by the playful underscores of hot summer nights, and just went live on her website this past weekend.
Raphaella's ten-year plan for the label is built around community: "I want to continue to connect with the women that I get to dress." With hopes for a larger studio to host a team and events to give back to her audience, there's no lack of love in sight.
by Mackenzie Ostrowski