Meet TALULAH’s New Designer, Toni Dameglio

Fashion house TALULAH is a staple in Australian fashion closets and wardrobes around the world. The brand recently adopted former Miu Miu designer Toni Dameglio to be head of design where she will introduce her first collection this September, titled, Superstition.

Toni brings with her eight years of experience working with Italian powerhouse Miu Miu. She plans to pull inspiration from her Italian aesthetic to further grow the TALULAH brand into the luxury Australian fashion market. With such an exciting future ahead for her, we caught up with Toni for a glimpse into the creative world of this rising fashion label, with her designs playing an imperative role on its path to success –

TALULAH Designer, Toni Dameglio

CULT: In the last 24 hours, what has inspired you?
Toni: I was looking through all the photos I took while on holiday in India with my partner. How could you not be inspired by India?! All those beautiful colours and draping fabrics. I loved it there.

CULT: Describe your design process from concept to completion.
Toni: My design process starts with research and taking inspiration from a lot of visual and cultural references: from art to movies; music to design. Everything and anything can help when coming up with ideas for a collection. When I have a general feel for what it might look like, then I start sketching and sourcing fabrication. Once everything has been designed and signed off, which is a back and forth process through the design team, the collection designs are then passed to the pattern makers and finally produced.

CULT: What do you love most about your job?
Toni: I love that nothing is predictable, there is capacity for amazing surprises in what I do, so it’s always fresh and exciting. And I love how fashion is an ongoing discourse; it’s always evolving.

CULT: Who is the Talulah girl? What elements of her inspire your designs?
Toni: I think two really important aspects are modernity and sophistication. Obviously the Talulah woman is complex, as every woman is, but I would consider these aspects to be a constant. Modernity and sophistication fuel the Talulah woman. She is committed to fashion and plays with the notion of femininity and strength.

CULT: What was your inspiration for your first collection with TALULAH, Superstition, launching this September?
Toni: The aim I had with Superstition was to depict a modern and sophisticated woman. I wanted to focus on drapery, asymmetric silhouettes and form fitting pieces. I wanted to create shapes that would compliment a woman’s femininity. The focus was to mix softness and structure in its most alluring forms.

TALULAH, Superstition

CULT: What’s one thing you know now, that you wish you knew starting off?
Toni: The truth that it is not always as glamorous as one thinks, its a lot of hard work and long hours, but considering it’s my passion it’s not too bad.

CULT: The best advice you’ve ever received?
Toni: To put your happiness in no one else’s hands but your own.

CULT: If you could raid one person’s closet, whose would it be?
Toni: Carine Roitfeld’s. Imagine it!

CULT: Which piece from the Superstition collection are you coveting?
Toni: I am dying to have the Alexa drape dress, it is a form fitting dress with a beautiful back drape detail. Can’t wait for that one. I’m sure I’ll thrash it for a long time too.