The Bite Magazine - Spring/Summer 2020 - Issue 27

bite bags designed with a satin lining and has an adjust- able strap in black cotton, onyx and coral, or onyx, coral and leather strap and a clasp or zip closure, depending on the style. The Anahata, Manipura, and Svadhisthana jewellery pieces are made from three types of agate stones, while Muladhara is created with onyx and coral stones. Anahata Butterfly, Love, and Pink necklaces in pink and green agate stones radiate the positive light of love in life, while Manipura Mani, Sunflower, Tiger, and Triangle necklaces in tiger’s eye and yellow agate stones are said to radiate the peculiar light of personal strength in life. Svadhisthana Be Creative, I Feel, Van, and Agatha necklaces in carnelian and agate stones bring vitality and will help people to find their rhythm in life. It’s an excellent antidepressant and encourages creativity and passion. Finally, the combination of black and red in the Mu- ladhara Black, Chakra, Coral, I Am, Lam, and Red necklaces represent the colours for the base chakra. Along with the combination of onyx and coral stones, this helps us to release all fears and worries. Gisselle became an accessory designer in 2013 when she started her brand. Before this, she majored in Fine Arts and Illustration at the School of Design, Altos de Chavon, in her native city of Santo Domingo, in the Domin- ican Republic. It was here she developed her passion for art and decided to expand her knowledge on the subject. In 2004, she moved to Barcelona to discover a new way of expres- sion in artistic jewellery while studying at the School of Art and Design Llotja. Between 2006 and 2009, she took her stud- ies even further at various schools including Escola Massana Arts and Design School and Lappeenranta Polytechnic in Finland to exper- iment with other jewellery techniques. Over the next several years she joined the contem- porary jewellery project ‘Sensational Jewellers’ directed by Silvia Walz and collaborated with famous Italian designer LauraB to focus on fashion accessories and enter the world of seasonal collections. As a designer, Gisselle loves the freedom of choosing her concept language, the materials, and the designs in each collection. She de- scribes her design signature as a “combination of art, well-being, eco-friendly, and sustaina- ble. Slow fashion made in Barcelona.” Fashion for her is a way of expressing herself artistical- ly, having meaningful pieces on the streets, to adorn people with meaning and respect, and create a community of statement pieces which is the power of expressing through accessories. She describes Barcelona’s fashion as relaxed, colourful, and expressive like the Mediterra- nean. “It is a sunny city and loves to be open to new ideas.” The first accessory she designed was jewellery which she later developed into a handbag design. To construct a piece it depends on the bag model but it usually takes a few weeks or a month. She believes a quality product should combine slow fashion design and emotions by reinventing handbags and accessories for the women of today. Creating a well-being enterprise using fashion accessories to empower the light of women by adopting the chakra concept of inspiration as a starting point is one of Gisselle’s most sig- nificant accomplishments. “It is a brand using well-being symbolism and grounding them with accessories that is wearable to all. Let us play with symbols and create pieces of art. It is flowing with the divine wind as a creative process: light and positivism,” she says. Gisselle is inspired by Alexander McQueen because of “the value they give to every piece created, a perfect combination of high-quality fashion and the artisan world” and would like to design an accessory piece for singer Björk. When preparing for a fashion shoot or show for her collection, she says she looks for the perfect model, photographer, and location, then creates the mood and style that best reflect the concept of the collection. Her designs usually start with sketching but during the construction of the handbags, new ideas always come and some things can change from the first sketched idea. Her brand represents a world in a combination of colour, textures, and magic. “This distinguishing quality becomes the main feature of our visual language. Combining art with a daily handbag comes from the need to make art design and to put art on the streets so it can have its trans- formation.” She loves working with leather and different textiles. For aspiring accessory designers, Gisselle would advise them to “believe in yourself and be a warrior of trust. Remember, happiness is the key to success. What do you like best about designing? [Think about] being, feeling, and hearing your own voice.” For the present and future, the designer’s goal is to be able to sell her product globally and to keep sending positive messages to women around the world. Untitled Barcelona bags and accessories are available online on their website. www.untitledbarcelona.com