Life #InBared: Anita Ghise
10/6/2023
We couldn’t be prouder of the community we’re a part of, from empowering women in our shoes to working with absolute powerhouses, it’s why we do what we do. To celebrate the people in our lives, we’re here to shine a light on those that make us, well, us.
You’re tuning into the first edition of our Life #InBared series, where you’ll get to know the people who live in Bared. First up, you may recognise her from our social feed or styling your fave heels, let’s get to know Anita Ghise.
Known for her bohemian-inspired ‘fits, this Byron-based gal knows how to pull an outfit together. It all started when we slid into her DMs in 2018 to style a pair of pewter flats. Since then, we’ve curated outfits, ventured to the Melbourne Fashion Festival and aligned on our passion for doing better for our planet. The legend herself started her own fashion label, too.
Right up Anita’s alley, we dropped metallic heels and chunky sandals this season. Considering we’ve been mates for over five years, it’s only fitting we start off with a bang. Let’s get into it.
Hi Anita, tell us a bit about yourself.
Hi, I’m Anita and I moved to the beautiful Byron Bay area around 15 years ago. There is only one place that feels like home and that’s here with my partner, my dog and cat.
I was born in Romania while it was a dictatorship and escaped as a young girl with my family to Germany where I grew up for most of my school years. I moved to Argentina for four years and studied to become a fashion designer.
After university, I learned the art of hands-on shoemaking in Buenos Aires. For a girl who’s mostly barefoot around home, I do own a lot of shoes.
Today, I am a fashion designer, dressmaker and patternmaker. Creating with my hands is one of my passions, from sewing to pottery, drum making and knitting, my curiosity for creations is endless. I love to spend my time outdoors with my dog, sleeping under the stars and around the ocean.
What does living a sustainable lifestyle to you mean?
Sustainable living to me means making educated choices on what I am consuming and how I am consuming.
I grow most of my own veggies and fruit, buy local produce where I can, invest in quality products and strive to make no impulse purchases. I have to think about everything I buy. As a dressmaker, I am so particular about how a garment is being made and sewn together, which helps eliminate a lot of choices.
Where do you draw inspiration for your style from?
I am definitely eclectic and a maximalist, I’ve always been like that. My style is definitely inspired by traditional Romanian garments and all the places I’ve lived in. I love fabrics, textures, shapes, colours, all of them. I appreciate handmade and artisan work more than anything. I don’t like rules and stereotypes, not in fashion and not in life. I enjoy playing with them, breaking and sometimes even provoking. It really is a way of expressing myself. One rule, I make an effort to choose natural fabrics, fibres or if not recycled, innovative or vintage.
If I am in tune with myself I can literally draw inspiration from anywhere, from a beautiful sunset to an ant carrying a piece of leaf through my whole yard. If I’m out of balance it’s hard to find inspiration and what helps me is to retreat into nature and disconnect. Travel is always inspiring, but not always available.
What motivated you to launch your fashion brand, ANDEAN Collective?
All the above reasons. The love for natural materials and artisan work. Breaking with rules in design and colours, playing around and the love of creation itself. A lot of ANDEAN pieces are handmade, and the fibres are grown and harvested sustainably in Peru. I have been working closely with artisans and established relationships that go beyond business.
You’ve worn Bared for years, which is your all-time favourite style?
OMG, is that a trick question? All of them haha! I love the quality and fit, there are no compromises ever. Combined with the classic with a-twist design, I can’t choose. I’m also a bird lover, which makes me like Bared even more.
Do you prefer spending time at the beach during sunrise or sunset?
Both! Sunrise has its own magic when the earth slowly wakes up and sunsets, especially in summer ooze relaxation and calm after a soaring hot day.
