Stella Novarino,[1][2] (born 1979),[3] is an Italian fashion designer of partial Haitian origin. Her label, Stella Jean (/ˈstɛlə ˈʒɒn, -ˈʒɒ̃/), utilizes her mother's maiden name. She is a member of the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana and the only member of Afro-European background.[4]
Stella Jean | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 17, 1979 Rome |
| Nationality | Italian |
| Occupation | Fashion designer |
Education
Novarino studied political science at Sapienza University of Rome, before dropping out.[5]
Early career
Novarino dropped out of school to model for Egon von Fürstenberg.[5] She decided she wanted to try designing while modeling.[6] She is self taught. Her label uses her mother's maiden name Jean, instead of her birth surname Novarino, to reflect her creole heritage.[5] She has collaborated with artisans from developing counties including Peru, Haiti, Burkina Faso, Benin, Mali, and Pakistan in producing her collections.[7][8][9]
In 2011, Novarino won second place in a Vogue Italia emerging designers contest.[10] In 2013, she showcased a collection at Armani/Teatro space during Milan Fashion Week SS14 which included a collaboration with the International Trade Centre's Ethical Fashion Initiative to create sustainable printed fabrics.[3][6][11] For a month in 2014, Victoria and Albert Museum in London exhibited one of her outfits while highlighting diverse designers.[12]
Activism
Stella Novarino took the stage at a BLM protest in June 2020 against racial discrimination in Italy and has later claimed to be the first and only Italian fashion designer to do so.[13][14] In 2021, Novarino co-founded the We Are Made in Italy (WAMI) initiative with Edward Buchanan and Michelle Francine Ngonmo to showcase BIPOC designers with the support of Camera della Moda, including a Milan Fashion Week opening.[15]
Despite WAMI's efforts, Camera della Moda eventually chose not to host a board it advocated for after Novarino publicly posted criticism of other Italian fashion brands. Carlo Capasa, president of Camera della Moda, stated that it "could not host any board that appeared to take public swipes at other members."[16][17] In 2023, Novarino announced that she would withdraw from Milan Fashion Week and begin a hunger strike due to the lack of diversity and inclusion of designers of color.[16]
Personal life
Novarino was born and raised in Rome with a Haitian mother, Violette Jean, and an Italian father, Marcello Novarino.[3] She is a mother of two, and resides in Rome with her children.[2]