When the rest of their friends were dressing up as cats and princesses, Giulia and Camilla Venturini were scrawling “FUCK OFF” onto their pants with permanent markers. Much to their mother’s initial dismay, the twin sisters behind Milan-based brand Medea have always felt different. Thankfully for us, whatever wavelength they’re on is the same one.
There’s fashion that declares and fashion that eludes. The Medea Sisters Prima bag is the latter. An instant ‘It-bag’ seen on the likes of Dev Hynes, Rihanna, and Petra Collins, the unassuming accessory is designed to look like a paper shopping bag, which you wouldn’t know is made of matte calfskin leather unless you looked really close.
WHEN WE STARTED MEDEA; OUR DREAM WAS TO CREATE A PROJECT THAT WOULD BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER
Its makers are Milan-based twin sisters Giulia and Camilla Venturini—creative directors, really, more than designers. The duo describe Medea as a “project” rather than a label, and have used it since day one as a way to collaborate with the artists they admire—from i-D’s Creative Director Bunny Kinney, who captured witched-up versions of the Venturinis (complete with hooked prosthetic noses) for the brand’s SS19 campaign, to Nan Goldin, Kiko Kostadinov and Judith Bernstein, who have each designed exclusive iterations of Medea’s signature bag.
Borrowing a name from Piero Paolo Pasolini’s 1969 film, and a design approach (“strong but feminine”) from German actress Hanna Schygulla, Medea is a manifestation of the Venturini’s eclectic moodboard and their unique creative vision. To talk twins, grins and Insta tactics, the Venturinis met up with the visionaries behind TOILETPAPER—founders photographer Pierpaolo Ferrari, and artist and fashion impresario Maurizio Cattelan.
OILETPAPER: When you launched your brand Medea Sisters, we were really surprised that you opted for ‘sisters’ instead of ‘twins’. What was the reason for this decision?
MEDEA: When we started Medea, our dream was to create a project that would bring people together and we felt like ‘sisters’ was the right word for this purpose.
TOILETPAPER: From your experience, what would God be like if he had a twin?
MEDEA: Aren’t we all brothers and sisters of God?
TOILETPAPER: What do you have in common with the mythological character of Medea?
MEDEA: Medea is a tribute to the homonymous Pasolini film starring Maria Callas. We were subjected to cinema at a very young age and our mother—the woman we most look up to—embodies some of the characteristics of these famous women we are inspired by: hard working, dramatic, understanding, uncontrollable and passionate.
OILETPAPER: When you launched your brand Medea Sisters, we were really surprised that you opted for ‘sisters’ instead of ‘twins’. What was the reason for this decision?
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The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
Nelson Mandela