THE WOMAN BEHIND THE BRAND 

Carmela (Carmé) Casillo Di Bonito was born in Pozzuoli, Italy in 1931. Sewing became an integral part of her person by the time she was six years old. She was introduced to sewing by fixing American soldiers’ uniforms during World War II to help her family earn enough income to feed her and her ten siblings. As she got older and tensions in her hometown that were ignited by the war began to dwindle, her knowledge and passion of sewing led to her earning a college degree–the first in her family and later served to inspire the generations following her. After completing her education, she became a live advertisement for her creations, walking through the wealthier parts of her town while wearing her clothing to gain traction, making herself highly sought after. By the time she was nineteen, she had fifteen women working for her and had established herself as a multi-faceted business woman and one of the most successful seamstresses/tailors in her city.  She later married and (begrudgingly) moved to the United States, leaving her legacy in Italy behind, but creating a new version of it in Salt Lake City, Utah, honing in on the tailoring side of her skillset. She continued to create original pieces for herself, and never failed to gain unfettering attention and awe at the incredulous detail in her works. She was always the dernier cri of any room. Carmela, Nonna (biologically to Nicola, the people’s nonna for everyone else), passed away in 2022 but continues to serve as the driving creative behind the brand and an undeniable force in the lives of those who loved her.