Cool Women Doing Cool Things: Vanessa Davidowicz

Cool Women Doing Cool Things:
Vanessa Davidowicz

One of my favorite things in life is meeting new people and connecting over long intimate conversations. I've realized since I spend most of my time chatting and asking questions, be it with clients or friends, why not share these interesting conversations with you? So I decided to casually interview women who inspire me, in hopes that they will inspire you too.

This month we chatted with Vanessa Davidowicz, who happens to be my cousin, and a total boss lady with an impressive career in fashion at the ripe age of 28. She's currently the Digital & Marketing Director of family owned business UMA, and has recently launched UMA X, an eco-friendly and genderless line within the brand. We chatted a bit about her background and how she strives towards modernizing brazilian fashion through sustainable practices and genderless collections.

A chat with Vanessa Davidowicz, Digital & Marketing Director at Brazilian contemporary fashion brand UMA

You come from a family that has been in the fashion business for decades. Tell us about your background and how you got into fashion marketing?

Fashion has been in my family for generations. My great-grandparents and grandparents owned a clothing manufacturer and my parents own UMA, a Brazilian ready-to-wear contemporary brand, so growing up I was always surrounded by fabric and clothes, which I loved!

But I took some time to figure out my place in this industry. I moved to Milan to study business at Universitá Bocconi, and a year later transferred to Istituto Marangoni where I completed my studies in fashion business. Living in Milan was incredible, it’s a city that lives and breathes fashion (and pasta!). During each summer vacation, I interned in a different area of the industry, from Harper’s Bazaar to PR companies, and after graduation I went to work at Farfetch. A couple of years later, I started my work at UMA as Digital & Marketing Director.

You recently created UMA X, an eco-friendly and genderless line within the brand UMA. What inspired you to create this line?

I come from a household that always recycled and worried about all types of waste (food, clothes, energy), which back in the day didn’t have a name, but today we call it sustainability! So I guess I was relatively conscious growing up… But my approach to sustainable fashion shifted in college with a professor that focused only on sustainable practices and opened a new door of concerns and opportunities. When I started working, I was fully aware that there are major challenges that the fashion industry needs to face to minimize its impact on the environment. Sustainability is not an option anymore. That being said, I think it is important to have balance in everything you do. You don’t need to become 100% sustainable from one day to another, every small sustainable practice you can adopt is already a positive step. I'm learning every day and trying my best.

I always chose clothes for their aesthetic, so it didn’t matter if it was womenswear, menswear or unisex. I find genderless clothing fascinating, not only because it has the power of inclusion, but because it gives you a different type of freedom in terms of style. In fashion it's super important to study youth culture and align your brand with the values of new generations, so sustainability and gender were our starting point at UMA X.

Sustainability has become a hot marketing strategy for brands right now. How do you guarantee a brand is actually sustainable and what are some practices people can adopt to consume fashion in a more sustainable / conscious manner?

It's important to choose brands that are serious about sustainability to avoid “greenwashing”. At UMA, transparency is key, so we work with certified fabrics and provide those certificates on the tag of each garment for our customers to know exactly what they are buying and why it's sustainable. Buying second-hand, vintage, upcycling and repairing your clothes is always a great option, since trends are always coming back in style! Most importantly, buy less and buy better, prioritize quality over quantity.

As a genderless brand, do you see people more willing to question femininity / masculinity and embrace that in the way they dress?

I think we are moving towards a more fluid society. It's not so much about questioning, but freeing ourselves from the boundaries of gender dressing.

The other day I was looking at pictures of an UMA campaign from over a decade ago. The collection felt so current. What is the approach towards designing timeless pieces?

Creating clothes that can follow you through decades without losing its relevance and quality. An ageless approach towards fashion, celebrating style over anything else.

As a family owned business, you work side by side with people from different generations. Would you say that plays out in the creative process?

This is one of the things I love the most about UMA! Having people from different generations and being open to everyone’s input is so enriching. A fashion brand is always looking ahead to be able to design collections years in advance (now we are planning our Fall / Winter 2023!) so we are always thinking about the future together. This year marks the brand’s 25th anniversary, and we continue to grow and deliver relevant products for the modern consumer. For me, age is only a number.

A few years ago you casted our 70 year old aunt to walk the runway and model the campaign. What inspired UMA to work with older models?

Part of being a timeless brand is celebrating people in all phases of life. We have an ageless approach towards design, and we believe that clothes and beauty shouldn’t be limited to a certain (short) period of your life.

Does your work influence your personal style? If so, how?

Yes! I love fashion so being able to work with what I love has its benefits. I always end up getting some pieces that have minor production flaws or that end up not being produced at all. It's amazing how each person at UMA wears the brand in a completely different manner.

What are some of your go-to everyday pieces?

I feel like my style gets more minimal every year…The pieces that define my style are: denim jacket, tailored black pants, organic cotton t-shirt, veja sneakers and a great pair of shades!

What are you up to when you aren't working?

I'm a huge music fan, and there is a very special place in my heart for The Beatles and some good old rock & roll! I'm in a phase where I’ve been into ceramics and shopping for homeware. Dining out, especially new places and in good company. I practice yoga and I started playing tennis recently.