about

Studio Zakuro is the name of the small atelier in Bergamo run by Risa Nakamura and Emiliano Montemaggi:

a red door down the slope of an old street of art galleries, in a building from the XVI century or more.

In the studio every piece is designed, patterned, cut, sewn and mostly bespoke made.

Risa, born in Tokyo, majored in Textile Design at Tama Art University, then moved to Italy to work for an Italian high fashion brand for three years.

Emiliano, born in Bergamo, after studying business administration and working as an accountant, majored in “Video Design” at the Istituto Europeo di design in Milano and then worked as a graphic designer and photographer.

From the establishment of the atelier, Risa and Emiliano are working together with a Juki’s industrial sewing machine, a large hand-cut wood cutting table, and a Finnish weaving machine, along with many vintage film cameras.

In autumn 2015 a small collection of hand-dyed and hand printed silk dresses was presented at the atelier. There was no intention to sell them in that space and time, but people passing by started to ring the bell, enter and try on the clothes.. That was unexpected, and led to many challenges, imaginations and discoveries.. to fine tune or change completely an attitude, a design, a shape.

Be practical, special, fine, simple.

Like the artisans dedicated in the creation of kimono and ceramics we wish to continue to make everyday things with a sense of aesthetics, aiming to reach an universal and original beauty.

Zakuro is the Japanese name for the pomegranate, a fascinating fruit that is more beautiful and colourful on the inside;

has inspired poets and artists of any time, a symbol of life and death and rebirth.

The atelier’s name comes in particular from the  deep fascination both have for  Sergei Parajanov’s film “The color of pommegranate” and Giosuè Carducci’s poem “Pianto Antico”.