I think it’s normal when a person surrounds herself with entrepreneurs to end up soaking up the entrepreneurial spirit and attitude. That’s what I think happened to our protagonist of today, who gathers many of the characteristics of the entrepreneur. Maybe this is one of those occasions where the entrepreneurial vein has come up to our entrepreneur by osmosis; yes, I’ve said it right, by osmosis, because when there’s so much art surrounding you and its influence has an impact on you that it makes you take the plunge, we can say that you end up being an entrepreneur by osmosis more than by necessity or vocation.
In more than one occasion I’ve read that entrepreneurship is something vocational, I’m not going to be the one who denies it, but I’ll also keep defending that being entrepreneur can also be learnt and that the entrepreneur is born and made, so today I’m going to rely this post on that.
I firmly believe that the entrepreneur has that that makes designing, developing and pushing many and varied projects that with illusion, willingness, passion, compromise, effort and perseverance will come to fruition and, at the same time, will make the world move forward into a good direction. This is the case of Rocío Sánchez, today’s protagonist, to whom the world of art and design has influenced a lot, so much that it has made her starting very special projects, full of color and creativity, and very influenced by Japanese and Hindu culture. Her projects are Mono no Aware (@kimononoaware) and Dee dee (@wearedeedee), which she shares with her partner Marta Belmonte. A perfect duo formed by a lawyer and an architect who love oriental culture.
But, what leads Rocío to start these projects?
The point is that Rocío has the “good luck” of working in Bilbao International Art & Fashion (BIAAF), a non-profit organization, a “platform dedicated to discovering, supporting and launching emerging fashion designers from all over the world who show a high degree of talent, innovation and creativity.” Its main goal is to give international visibility to those designers, both inside the fashion industry, and to the general public and to the media.
“ The international character is meant to benefit the intercultural enrichment and the promotion of fashion as an authentic cultural asset, in close relationship with artistic values.”
BIAAF has given Rocío the opportunity to be “permanently in touch with young designers, design schools and professionals of the fashion industry of renowned prestige and international level.” If you are interested in this world, I encourage you to read the what’s on section of its page and to discover more about BIAAF and its prestigious international contest.
From that moment onwards Rocío launches her projects. Personally, what charmed me was Mono no Aware. The truth is that, for many years, I’ve thought that kimonos are really special pieces of clothing and every time I see something about the Japanese culture and, specially, about their dresses, I think they are pure elegancy. I also think they are made with one of the most special fabrics there are out there, the silk. And of course, the sensibility, tranquility, melancholy or beauty they transmit me the images, paintings or just the calligraphy they use in the oriental culture.
Some days ago, I had the pleasure of being with Rocío and Marta in a pop up celebrated in Bilbao. I heard about her more than 6 months ago and I hadn’t found the moment of knowing her in person. I’m sure there are more like her, I don’t doubt it, but Rocío transmits so much softness when she speaks and at the same time so much passion for art and young designers with talent, that combined with her knowledge of the world of design and Japanese art and about a culture that is so much different from ours, make it very difficult not to be charmed.
That’s what must have happened to her, and it keeps happening, when she visits all those schools and projects that keep giving her strength and energy to keep supporting design and art in a world that should trust culture more, like one of the axes around which it should turn to move forward.
Rocío, by osmosis, necessity or vocation, I am delighted that I know an entrepreneur like you and I thank you for your work in BIAAF and your projects that you’ve known to channel very well together with Marta.
See you soon.
Enjoy this magical month.
Translated by María Ubierna Quintanilla and supervised by Arantza Arruti.