An Interview with Blugiallo
text Ulrika Lindqvist
Swedish brand Blugiallo recently opened their Stockholm showroom, We took the two flights of stairs up to “Två Trappor”, the exquisitely designed home of the brand and asked co-founder Daniel Apler some questions about managing a made-to-order brand in a ready-wear world.
Please tell me a bit of your backstory, I know you founded Blugiallo in Borås in 2016 but what had you done before that and what was the idea behind Blugiallo?
I am born and raised in Sweden’s textile Silicon Valley, Borås. After business studies in Lund, which is the same period as when I first met Alexander, my co-founder, I worked as a business controller.
Alexander and I shared a common interest in style and tailored suits but generally felt that the category was too traditional and inaccessible, lacking good digital solutions and the ability to fully express yourself. The idea for a business plan was born, and after a long dinner down in Bologna in 2015, the company Blugiallo was born – “blue and yellow” in Swedish. It also refers to another shared love we have – Italian football, where teams often have a color in their name. Blugiallo was incorporated as a company in Borås in 2016.
You offer tailored pieces; how do you combine tailor made clothes with a world of fast fashion?
It is a challenge, but our aim is to transform the fashion industry. With our custom made offering we want to encourage people to slow down their consumption pace, shop for clothes in a more conscious manner, and help individuals find their personal style.
What are the steps of buying a Blugiallo piece?
As a new customer to Blugiallo, you can either book an appointment for measurements at one of the company’s physical showrooms or place an order online. If you order digitally, we have advanced data technology that can calculate the chest measurement, which is a vital part of tailoring, with 99.1 percent precision with a margin of error of +/- 1 cm.
During a first visit to Blugiallo’s showroom, your personal needs and preferences are discussed to help them find their personal expression/style.
The visit takes about 1.5 hours – going through 40–50 different measurements – and then your measurements are saved digitally on an account so that you can conveniently order bespoke garments and accessories directly through Blugiallo’s e-commerce platform whenever you want.
After placing an order, the garments are delivered within 5-6 weeks, either to the showroom or directly to your home. As a first-time customer, Blugiallo always conducts a “fitting,” where they assess the fit and quality of the garments, and if there is a need for minor adjustments in the fit, this is done by the company’s tailors. The measurements are then updated in the customer’s digital profile to ensure that all future orders are perfect.
What is your inspiration behind your designs? You have four different collections, what are the inspirations and diversions between the collections?
I find inspiration in numerous brands for diverse reasons. While I deeply admire iconic names like Ralph Lauren and contemporary innovators like Aimé Leon Dore, our greatest source of inspiration often stems from observing everyday individuals. Rather than solely focusing on renowned designers or luxury brands, we draw inspiration from how ordinary people confidently express themselves through clothing. Whether it’s the precise tailoring of a suit or a bold mix of colors and patterns, it’s the genuine authenticity and individuality embodied in their style that resonates most strongly with Blugiallo.
An essential aspect of our style is ensuring excellent comfort for the wearer, allowing them to genuinely enjoy the product they’re wearing. This comfort stems from the personalized fit tailored to each customer, inspired by our house cut for the specific product category. Additionally, it arises from aligning the style and quality of the product with the customer’s preferences.
Our collection setup is structured into various levels of creativity regarding materials, colors, and designs,and functions as inspiration of how we like to demonstrate styling depending on the customer’s context.
