Anna Pia Chiarandini
Tell us about yourself
I am Italian and an “hat addicted”, thanks to the passion for hats that my family has transmitted to me since I was a child. Later, my studies in marketing and management led me to work for 15 years as a manager in the beauty and fashion industry for multinational companies. Having dedicated myself mainly to the beauty of hair, make-up and eyewear, I honed my sensitivity and knowledge of physiognomy, style and the beauty of the face and head, “from the shoulders up”.
How did you go from marketing to Made in Italy craftsmanship?
Thanks to the meeting with key figures for the creation of Anperfect: couturiers and milliners who taught me with great patience the art of designing and building hats, objects between fashion, design and beauty. They dress, decorate and colour the face. In fact, I go so far saying, our personality. I am passionate about “beauty” in an absolute sense and the hat, beyond its functional attributes, is par excellence an expression of charisma and style. Finally, I believe in my country, Italy, and its genius loci that we have a duty to pass on and innovate through Made in Italy.
Why the name Anperfect?
When I started designing and creating the brand I realized I had a great opportunity: transmit a value and an emotion to other women like me. Mine is that of indulgence towards oneself and the enhancement of one’s own diversity beyond the predefined canons of beauty. Wearing a hat is an act of courage, of great distinctiveness and elegance. It seems to be able to hide your face but in reality it confers great scenic presence. Finally, I say this with a touch of irony, I wanted to get out ahead: it is a totally handmade product and therefore, by definition, it is imperfect. It’s unique.
What is your inspiration?
Undoubtedly women. Their “unnecessary needs”, their imperfections and self-irony. And then Italian design, my passion. Facing a niche market, with a name that admits its flaws rather than its merits from the start, is an act of great courage. I would like to transmit this courage on to other women.
Craftmanship
Anperfect creates and makes hats entirely by hand through the masterly and traditional technique of forming felt with wooden blocks.
THE FORMATING consists in the modelling of the felt on the wooden template that reproduces the “full” version of the hat. An artisan technique that involves the exclusive use of steam and manual skill in shaping the felt fabric around the silhouette. After the natural drying of the felt, the finishing phase is carried out. Creating hats with fine felts means treating the material delicately and respecting the natural drying time to obtain a product that is not only precious but environmentally sustainable too.
FINISHING consists in finishing the hat internally and externally with “couture” details. This phase is entrusted to craftsmen, selected by Anperfect, who do not come from the world of hats but from the world of couture. Les Libellules, a stylistic and sartorial atelier, creates the patterns of the decorations for all hats. Afterwards, they cut and sew them entirely by hand. One by one.
To make an Anperfect hat are necessary:
- 7 days for the shaping and finishing;
- 3 different professional artisan figures;
- excellent materials, such as velour felt, silk and cashmere.
“Anperfect is the combination of tradition, craftsmanship excellence and innovation of aesthetic taste to update a timeless head accessory.</p> <p>”
Hat advisor
Choosing a hat is an act of great awareness towards one’s taste, style and physiognomy. Anperfect, guides you in this choice through a path:
- Understand your real desire to wear a hat (the first or the umpteenth in your wardrobe).
- Understand your lifestyle and when you want to wear it.
- Choose with you the shape that best suits your features.
- Define the shade that matches your colours, enhances or counteracts them.
- Complement the hat outfit with accessories such as aviators or headscarves to give it distinctiveness and warmth (in the literal sense of the word).
Only one detail you won’t be able to choose: the texture of the inner lining. It will be a surprise for you to discover it when you receive your hat. A secret between you and Anperfect kept inside.
The Fall/Winter 2019 collection is designed to meet an effortless style with masterful craftsmanship and excellent materials.
Some models exaggerate with vibrant colour details but are always combined with felts in neutral shades. If none of the models proposed meet your physiognomy or your style we will make one for you totally tailor-made. We will choose shape, colours and decorations. It will be unique.
“Your hat is Undoubtedly better than others<br /> ”