We discovered Coralie’s work when she submitted designs to our upcoming e-book, and were very taken by the collage-like, atmospheric look of her prints.  We asked her so questions about herself and her life, and here’s what she said:

Where do you live?
I live in Florence, Tuscany. I moved here last year, after 6 years in Milan; I was looking for a new job and I found it here.

What is your favorite thing about your city or town?
I love that you can ride your bike and be anywhere you want in 15 minutes. I love that you can see the hills around the city. I love the pine trees in town and the cypresses in the countryside. I love the flea markets every week. I love the colors of the old buildings and the narrow alleys. I love the piazzas where everyone gets together to hang out at night. I love the way tuscan people talks. Finally, I love the adorable friends i met here.

If you were not a designer, what would you love to be more than anything?
10 years ago I would have loved to become a translator. It’s the reason why I studied Italian language in Paris in the first place and i made several trips here. The last one never ended! I changed my mind about the future and I began studying textile design in Milan. And now, I think that I would like to run a vintage shop – with books, clothes, fabrics and bijoux. The kind of place where you can just sit back with a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and hang out.

Can you describe your style in fashion or home?
Definitely mix&match! I live in a big apartment with four roommates and it’s a big mess: 1/3 of the things I have in there is stuff I’ve been carrying with me during the years – some clothes, bijoux and accessories that I made when I had more time for myself, 1/3 are vintage items that I got from my grandma, or I found on the street or at flea markets, 1/3 are cheap things I get at high-street shops… (Un)fortunately, I can’t really get myself to throw anything away; who knows what might be interesting later on? It’s the same philosophy I stick to when I design a print: I like to take something that already exists and start from there, transforming and adding new elements to create something fresh.

Who are your favorite artists/designers?
I’m mainly fascinated by Art Déco style in jewelry, furniture and fashion and by the Vienna Secession age ornaments. I also love Collage artworks and the feeling I get from the colours of ethnic fabric and prints. For those reasons, Dries Van Noten and Antonio Marras are my favorite, for their ability to use references from the past and mix them together.

You can see more of Coralie’s work at coralieprevert.com