Taking a bite of the big apple

SETTING off to conquer the world has always been a dream for Sam Oglialoro, a Melbourne-born couturier and designer.

Never letting trepidation get in the way of a good experience, he made the jump this year to New York City during the city’s fashion week to do just that.

[showads ad=MREC]After 30 years in the industry he has worked up his brand, OGLIA-LORO Couture, enough to be able to expand and he couldn’t be happier about it.

“A larger creative scope, a larger range of products to work with and the opportunity to see and be seen, that’s what New York and my expansion are all about,” Oglialoro told the Star Observer.

Timing his foray into the US right in the middle of New York Fashion Week, Oglialoro said he planned to make a splash and be the next great Australian designer in that market.

With a goal to achieve and a determination to do so, Oglialoro has worked tirelessly to expand his global reach, recognition and exclusive client list.

A city like New York — which is often viewed as a pinnacle city to be in among fashon designers — and a market like the US only made sense to the in-demand designer who has clients across the world.

“The overall plan for the company is global recognition of OGLIA-LORO, therefore allowing me to dress some of the most beautiful women in the world,” he said.

Primarily a private couturier, Oglialoro ebbed and flowed between varying business models before he took the leap of faith to New York. Aside from his little black book of clients, he now has his sights set on a long list of celebrities and to be the “go-to” designer of celebrity red carpets everywhere.

Oglialoro learned his skills from a unique combination of his mother, a Milanese couturier herself, and from trial-and-error.

He said expanding his business, which featured a client list of A-list Australian celebrities, to another market came at a price.

“It’s both very exciting and daunting,” Ogliarloro said.

“Stepping outside of Australia means countless months of research to make sure I’m absolutely on trend with the American market and their expectations of what they want to see from an Australian designer.”

The pieces created by OGLIA-LORO embody the modern-day interpretation of couture. The company works with a number of textile mills and embellishers around the world to create pieces that are staples in seasonal collections.

To create couture is to handcraft wearable art and that is a principle at the heart of Oglialoro’s mantra. Always supporting the social interests of LGBTI groups through stances against discrimination and promotion of equality, Oglialoro and his partner in life and business also maintain the business with an open mind.

Visit oglia-loro.com

James Banham is the editor of THE F, a lifestyle and fashion website. Visit www.the-f.com.au. You can also follow him on Instagram and Twitter.

**This article was first published in the October edition of the Star Observer, which is available to read in digital flip-book format. To obtain a physical copy, click here to find out where you can grab one in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and select regional/coastal areas.

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