The company was founded in 2009 as part of Margara Shaw. Three years ago, By Florencia —founded by Florencia Arrosa Shaw—decided to branch out as an independent brand.
María Lucía Torchelo and Agustina Gómez Platero, students in the Fashion Design program, collaborated with the brand on " Recreación" as their final graduation project.
By Florencia uses high-quality materials, which are paired with a well-designed last—"a perfect fit," in Torchelo's words.
We pay close attention to the details and finishes when assembling the garments. This was a challenge from the very beginning, because we had to create a product that lived up to the brand’s standards.
Gómez Platero explained that, after conducting an in-depth analysis of the various aspects of the brand and its current situation, he and his colleague identified a “significant need and opportunity”: to tap into new market niches by leveraging their customers’ loyalty.
Several areas for improvement were identified:
- The brand manufactures 100% of its products in Uruguay, “which is a real plus,” but “they have a hard time communicating that clearly.”
- The brand employs a design methodology based on carryover: they take a best-selling model from previous seasons and gradually update it. “This allows their customers to have complete confidence because they’re familiar with the brand’s patterns, sizes, and fits, but the design team struggles, season after season, to come up with meaningful variations.”
Back to the roots
María Lucía Torchelo developed a collection for young women. “This was incredibly motivating and, at the same time, challenging because we know that, these days, age-specific segments in the apparel industry have been fading away; it was essential to create a concept that was truly different from what the brand usually offers.” At the same time, the designer explained, this is an audience “bombarded with information, both internationally and nationally.” It was necessary to find a point of differentiation.
From the very beginning, the goal was to connect inspiration with “the essence.” “As I explored this, I found myself delving into the world of the pandemic—how we felt, and in a way, how we were able to reconnect with that essence. We experienced a kind of natural renewal, a chance to return a bit to our roots and, from there, start something new,” he said.
It was essential to pay attention to trends, because they are of interest to the target audience.
The color palette emerged from the combination of these two elements. The materials were “a key aspect of the project” because the brand suggested to Torchelo that he work with elements associated with the world of sports, such as wristbands and jogging pants. Once his collection was complete, he felt it had been a very positive experience.
The design process began with a collage of images taken directly from the source of inspiration, which was then refined until the final garments were created. Acomplete look was developed for the 2022 winter season that allows the various pieces to be mixed and matched to suit different styles.
This collection aims to create that connection on a conceptual level by blending the basic and the natural with a more aesthetic approach that draws on urban and athletic influences.
María Lucía Torchelo
A comprehensive design methodology
Meanwhile, Agustina Gómez Platero’s project was to propose a men’s clothing line that offers a total look for the winter collection. “The biggest challenge was to incorporate a conceptual, comprehensive, and holistic design methodology into the brand in question,” she summarized.
To create his men’s clothing line, Gómez Platero developed a concept rooted in the country’s various productive sectors: livestock, agriculture, olive cultivation, and, of course, textiles. This, combined with his visits to the workshops where the brand operates, provided him with a range of tools to draw upon over the past few months. The focus was on natural, high-quality materials, such as linen and cotton, with a meticulously curated color palette featuring neutral tones accented with pops of color, similar to the brand’s existing aesthetic.
The core concept behind this collection was to break away from traditional tailoring cuts. In short, “the By Florencia for Men collection was designed for three types of men, based on their age groups, but without sacrificing versatility and the ability for each man to create his own look depending on his lifestyle and intended use, always with comfort and marketability in mind,” explained the up-and-coming designer.
It was a major challenge to cap off my career at a company like this and meet the brand’s high standards for quality, design, and attention to detail.
Agustina Gómez Platero
