Categories: Fashion

Work:Space – Geoffrey B. Small

Last month I got a chance to visit the studio of Geoffrey B. Small, the American-born designer who has been working in Cavarzere, in the Veneto region of Italy. Veneto is the heart of the Italian fashion industry with a storied tradition of clothes making. It used to be that you could not throw a stone without hitting a fabric manufacturer or a shirt-making factory. Globalization has killed all that by outsourcing much of the work to other countries in Europe and Asia.

But this has only made Geoffrey more determined to carry on with his ethos of hand-made, artisanal production. All of sample-making and production happens in his studio – cutting, dyeing, and garment construction. Some of the lovely Italian women I met are, despite being highly skilled seamstresses and tailors, refugees from the global production crisis that has hit Veneto hard. But Geoffrey is determined to carry on, and his newly found success is a testament that there is still an audience for artisanal clothing.

Below is my photo essay from Geoffrey’s studio, which includes the introduction to his new footwear, completely handmade by a single artisan. I have tried to capture not only the skills of Geoffrey’s team, but also the humanity of his operation.

Photography by Eugene Rabkin and may not be reproduced without expressed permission.

Eugene Rabkin

Eugene Rabkin is the founder of stylezeitgeist.com. He has contributed articles on fashion and culture to The Business of Fashion, Vogue Russia, Buro247, the Haaretz Daily Newspaper, and other publications. He has taught critical writing and fashion writing courses at Parsons the New School for Design.

Recent Posts

RAKUTEN FASHION WEEK TOKYO FALL / WINTER 2025RAKUTEN FASHION WEEK TOKYO FALL / WINTER 2025

RAKUTEN FASHION WEEK TOKYO FALL / WINTER 2025

Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo wrapped up last week. The showcase highlights local and up and…

Mar 26, 2025
HYKE FALL / WINTER 2025 – TOKYOHYKE FALL / WINTER 2025 – TOKYO

HYKE FALL / WINTER 2025 – TOKYO

We would like to present to you HYKE’s Fall / Winter 2025 Women’s collection. Photography…

Mar 25, 2025

m.a.+ by Maurizio Amadei Spring / Summer 2025

We would like to present to you the m.a+ by Maurizio Amadei Spring / Summer…

Mar 20, 2025

Phoebe Philo – Collection C

We would like to present to you Phoebe Philo Collection C. This collection will be…

Mar 18, 2025

NOIR KEI NINOMIYA FALL / WINTER 2025 WOMEN’S – PARIS

We would like to present to you our backstage photos at Noir Kei Ninomiya’s Fall/Winter…

Mar 12, 2025