Up-and-coming Luxury Designer Hires an Italian Expert on Freelancer

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Yvonne Rieser, 29, a lawyer for the Austrian Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Interiors, decided to become a luxury fashion designer. Inspired by Italy’s La Dolce Vita and La Bella Figura, she always dreamt of accessorizing a modern-day diva: cosmopolitan and independent, yet feminine and enchanting.

Her brand, called AMALFITANA, was named after Habenaria Amalfitana, a special variety of an orchid (also Colombia’s national flower), and Amalfi, the most glamorous of Italian coasts. “AMALFITANA combines European tradition and elegance with Latin sensation and lifestyle,” she said. Yvonne moved to the sunny Caribbean Coast, Colombia from Vienna, Austria early last year to work on her first collection, “Una Storia d’Amore”.

Yvonne Rieser, AMALFITANA founder

Having no extensive background in the nitty-gritty of production, she sought the help of veterans. First, she looked for an experienced designer, and then an artisan. “I had plenty of ideas and was able to prepare a mood board, but since I’m a lawyer, I’m not able to draw tech sheets. I needed an experienced designer who understood my ideas and would add details to them.”

She spent several weeks looking for someone locally, but could not find the right person. She resumed her search online, and found Freelancer.com. “I picked the platform because it felt trustworthy to me. I liked the Milestone Payments because it gave the assurance that my money will be safe and well spent,” Yvonne said.

AMALFITANA's signature plate

Skipping a Flight to Italy

On the platform, she found Silvia Ferrari, an Italian designer. Yvonne was ecstatic. “She has everything I need and more!”

Silvia graduated from Instituto Europeo di Design and has over 10 years of experience in the fashion industry. She has worked for several leading Italian brands and her designs have been published on the covers of Marie Claire and Vogue.

Working with master craftsmen to materialize Silvia's design

Initially, she hired Silvia to design one handbag but she was so impressed with her work that she ended up hiring her for the entire collection for US$450. “Working with Silvia through Freelancer.com was amazing. I downloaded the Freelancer App, which allowed me to stay constantly in touch with her. Silvia lives and works in Rome, while I’m based in Colombia and travel a lot. Through the app we could always discuss things, and I could release Milestones to her without any trouble.”

Yvonne and Sylvia’s leather bag and wallet designs are currently being handmade by Colombian master craftsmen.  Their work will hit stores in Colombia and the United States late 2016 and Europe in 2017. “Working with Silvia was such a pleasure that she became an integral part of the AMALFITANA family. I will definitely hire her again on Freelancer.com for our next collection.”

A handbag that is a part of AMALFITANA's first collection

Crowdsourcing an Identity

Impressed by the efficiency of the platform, Yvonne also decided to launch a logo contest for AMALFITANA. For US$100, she received over 200 quality entries.  “I liked the contest option a lot because it produced great results from day one. Elsewhere, it would have been necessary to pay up to 30 designers to get comparable choices.”

The AMALFITANA logo designed by a freelancer

Yvonne is also currently working with several freelance graphic designers for press materials and business cards. “Freelancer.com is really great. My expectations were not only met but also exceeded. The service, chat feature, and app are outstanding. Most of all, the freelancers I got in touch with are professional, polite, and highly qualified.”

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Posted 23 March, 2016

Nikki Hernandez

Wired and Inspired | Content Coordinator, Freelancer.com

I'm the coordinator of Freelancer's Case Study Program. I write inspirational success stories of employers and freelancers. When not busy writing, I play video games.

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