IreneFocarile,currentlystudying
atSolentUniversity,andFionaDiamond,
SeymourDiamondFIONA
“Ihaveaninterestinyoungdesignersand
takeanactiveroleinjudgingtheYoung
DesigneroftheYearawardeachyear.SoI
liketoapproachuniversitiestotrytofind
theemergingyoungtalentintheveryearly
stagesoftheircareer–it’sexcitingforme
tofindpeoplebeforethey’vebeentrained
withinacertaincompanyandgotused
toaparticularlookoridea.Yougetthe
advantageofafreshoutlook.
IcameacrossIrene’sworkatSolent
University,andwhatstruckmewas
thatitwasverymature–it’selegantand
it’sconsidered,andthat’ssorarefor
someonesoyoung.Plus,inthisindustry,
youhavetobeapeoplepersontoo–you
can’tbesomeonewhowantstostay
behindtheircomputerandhide.Irene
iscreative,andshehasherheadonher
shoulders.Shehasanenquiringmind,is
agoodcommunicatorandischarming
too.She’sgoingbacktoMilanforabit
andthencomingheretodoamaster’sin
aerodynamics,butI’llbekeepingtabson
her.Withtherealtalents,you’ve
gottogetinearly.”IRENE
“Iwanttocreateyachtsthatarebeautiful
butfunctional–Ithinkthiscombination
isextremelyimportant,ineveryelement
ofdesign.Iknowitsoundsweirdbutwhat
Iloveaboutdesigningboatsisseeing
howallthelittlepiecesslottogether–the
arrangementofthesystems,theinterior
layout,theexterior,theaerodynamics.
Ifinditfascinatingbecauseeverything
hastomakesenseasawhole,aswellas
itsindividualpart.I’veoverseenevery
elementatuniversity,soit’llbestrangefor
metoworkinastudiowhereIwon’tbe
controllingthewholething.Fornow,I’d
liketocollaboratewithdifferentpeople,
togotoplacesandlearnfromthem,and
alsotoshowthemwhatIcando.IfFiona
offeredmeajob,I’dlovetojoinher.Ithink
I’dbestartingmycareeronestepahead.”Fiona wears Max Mara trousers, £301, matchesfashion.com, shirt, £130, lucafaloni.com, watch, own. Irene wears Racil trousers, £231, matchesfashion.com, shirt, £120, lucafaloni.com