The name and logo of Ivana Omazić’s brand offer a subtle and playful leitmotif that runs through her designs. IO Ivana Omazić plays on the Italian word “io,” which means “I,” while its logo recalls the power symbol, coincidentally first codified in 1973, the year Omazić was born.
In a showroom interview, Omazić said her inspiration was the dichotomy between perfection and imperfection. It was clear from the brand notes, a thick handmade volume she called an “emotional book,” and which included fabric samples as well as snapshots of her creative exercises, that the artisanal processes are what she loves most. Embroideries were painted over to give a “memory effect” as the pigment fades after time and use. Hand-painted stripes on organza gave unexpected movement to a strict-looking shirt. Block-stamped motifs, developed from illustrations by Omazić and fellow Croatians Dominik Vukovic and Mladen Udovicic, adorned the front of cotton sweaters and T-shirts.
Still, the designer’s proclivity for pure designs — previously seen prominently in her work at Céline — was not lost. Standouts included a long-sleeve T-shirt with a 23-karat gold panel developed with a master gilder to make it machine-washable; a softly rounded minimalist coat with curved sleeves, outlined with straight painted lines, and lush handmade knits in variegated textures.
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Coats retail at around $700, skirts around $300 and sweatshirts around $230. The brand is sold at Harvey Nichols Hong Kong, Farfetch and other select retailers around the world.