Meet Maria Abdala Zolezzi | Ultime knitwear design label & Bespoke – Wildlife friendly certified.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Maria Abdala Zolezzi and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maria, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When I returned from France after working for many years in the fashion industry, the first question I asked myself was with what natural resources I would be able to work with that could be found in Argentina, to be able to make a local product and maximizing the local industry. When I started investigating about the natural resources that I could count on for my brand, I found out that Argentina is the second largest exporting country of merino wool and luxury fibers in the world which encouraged me to start working with these natural resources. I started building a contact with local workers and artisans to start making our first products. Thanks to these, Maydi is born, mixing my parisian background and the resources from my country creating the perfect marriage.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My brand is a self-taught fashion company, where I express my commitment to quality, art and fashion. Being so, my brand lays its foundation upon a particular concept of time: ageless contemporary design. We respect both workers and environment, creating top-quality durable knitwear ancient crafts. Another thing that sets my brand apart is the Wildlife Friendly certificate, which we are very proud to obtain. My fashion career started in Paris where I studied fashion, I worked more than twelve years in Paris and Milan fashion industry, as marketing consultant and developing international markets for brands such as Band of Outsiders, Golden Goose Deluxe Brand, Sonia Rykiel, Isabel Marant, Nick Hart, Totem Press Office, PLC Consulting Paris for the Fédération Française de la Couture “Designers Apartment Showroom”, among others, the people mentioned as my inspiration, It is never an easy path, but with the right mindset and coworkers, I was able to accomplish my goals.
Some lessons I learned along the way I owe to my experiences, working in communication and production, which gave me the assets that allowed me to create Maydi. Without these experiences, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
To drink – have lunch Casa Cavia https://casacavia.com
Los Galgos https://www.instagram.com/losgalgosbar/?hl=fr
Narda Comedor https://www.instagram.com/nardacomedor/?hl=fr

To have diner
Roux restaurant https://rouxresto.com
Sucre restaurant http://www.sucrerestaurant.com.ar
Alvear Roof bar http://alvear-roof-bar.mesa.express

Dada bistro https://www.instagram.com/dadabistro/?hl=fr

Places that I like so much in Buenos Aires
Los Ezeiza San Telmo vintage store https://www.losezeiza.com.ar
La Percalina vintage store https://www.instagram.com/lapercalina/

Museums

Museo Malba https://www.malba.org.ar
Museo de Arte decorativo https://museoartedecorativo.cultura.gob.ar
Jardin Japonés https://jardinjapones.org.ar
Jardin Botanico https://turismo.buenosaires.gob.ar/es/otros-establecimientos/jard%C3%ADn-botánico

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Firstly, myself, for an instinctive feeling and inspiration. My mentor Patricia Lerat, who encouraged me during my return to Argentina and create my own brand.
Robert Dodd, who I worked with during my experience in Paris, who saw a talent in me who also gave me the freedom to work my way into the fashion industry.
My grandfather, who bought me my first sewing machine, with which I would make dolls dresses as a child, he also gave me colored pencils which gave a start to my designer spark.
My father, startup curious entrepreneur, who is always filled with ideas, who I look up to and who helped me through the business part of the brand.

Website: https://maydi.co/en/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maydi_az/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mar%C3%ADa-abdala-zolezzi-6626268/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/maydi_az

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maydi-az-599860036712490

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCH9_Vvg6NBWtshsCi6P9V1Q

Other: Pinterest https://www.pinterest.fr/maydi_az/_created/

Image Credits
Daniel Chen Dolores Palmeiro Michelle Maessen