Who Decides War, an honest manifestation of love Interview with Ev Bravado and Téla D’Amore

The role of a creative director, besides artistic production, is to build a loyal and cohesive community. The work of Everard "Ev" Bravado and Téla D'Amore for Who Decides War, a brand born on the basis of an intimate as well as a professional partnership, has achieved this by sticking to its New York foundations, immortalising the soul of the city with each collection. Through the use of clear references to the metropolitan and Hip-Hop context in which it came to life, Who Decides War finds pleasure in the study of denim: the designers have ripped it, dyed it and made it patchwork. And even though anchoring the brand's imagery to its birthplace is a traditionalist choice, it has allowed them enough space to look elsewhere and experiment without having to sacrifice the artistic heritage of their work.

With its roots firmly planted in New York, for the new collection Who Decides War has intertwined its path with that of Add, the Italian brand expert in cutting-edge textile technology and luxury outerwear. Together, the two brands have created a line of voluminous and soft parkas, puffer jackets and waistcoats, outlined by white linings and thin cords marrying the world of outdoor sports with that of urban living. «We have combined the fashion vision of Bravado and D'Amore with our product expertise and technicality,» explains Add CEO Marco Corbellini, «In this genderless capsule, our DNA has been retained in its entirety, with characteristics of the technical and luxury outerwear that you recognise in Add.» The collaboration, an integral part of Who Decides War's Fall Winter 2023 collection, was exhibited in New York last month, and was celebrated during Milan Fashion Week inside the Dazio di Ponente of Arco della Pace, a building of neoclassical spirit illuminated for the event by soft lighting and digital reproductions of the garments designed by Ev Bravado and Téla D'Amore, projected with artistic, high-tech installations. A few hours before the launch, Bravado and D'Amore sit on the sofas of the Dazio to discuss "Politics As Usual."

By this point in the interview, it is clear how deep the mutual understanding between the two is, as they take turns in conversation at a slow and confident pace dictated by the knowledge that what the other is about to say will be the right thing. Despite this, working together is not as easy as they make it sound. «It's difficult, we were just talking about it yesterday: open lines of communication are a must,» says D'Amore, recalling the moment when they both realized there were much deeper feelings beyond their professional relationship. «We established these ground rules very early on.» This strong sense of trust and transparency is also conveyed in the brand's corporate structure, where everyone has a say. «With the people who come to work with us, it's ride or die. In the past I've worked for companies that mixed business with family, it can be confusing, but I like to think that the people in the room with me are smarter than me, the best at what they do, so we don't want the people who work for us to be tethered to us, if they have projects they are working on, we support them. It's a give and takes.»

Still, a family business, Who Decides War and its founders have been receiving numerous investment opportunities, but do not feel ready to hand over the reins to a third party yet. «In a way, neither of us had this kind of training in traditional design and growing a business, we’re very self-taught. Before we expand into a larger position, we're trying to really understand what we're doing as entrepreneurs and as people who are meant to grow.» D'Amore's speech shows great positivity with respect to the future, in which she and Bravado will experiment with other media, from art to music, to consolidate the brand's community and return to it the same support it has shown the brand so far. WDW's imagery tells a story of war, religion, and New York urban life, but deep down, it has always expressed love.