Rising Stars: Meet Sarah Limone of Napoli

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Limone.

Sarah, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My passion for fashion began when I was a child. My grandmother was a seamstress, and she passed down her love for sewing and creating to me. As I grew older, I decided to pursue this passion by studying at the Fashion Academy in Naples, where I developed my creative vision and built the foundations of my journey as a designer.

It was after completing my studies that I began exploring sustainability through fashion. It started with something simple: a pair of old jeans I had at home, which I transformed into tops. That first experiment opened up a whole new world of possibilities and eventually led to the birth of 22Designer.

For me, 22Designer is much more than a sustainable fashion project. It is a creative practice built around transformation, experimentation, and the idea that materials can have more than one life. Every garment carries the possibility of becoming something different, something unexpected, something with a new identity.

At the heart of my brand is a message that goes beyond fashion: “It’s not broken, it’s evolving.” I believe we often judge things too quickly, seeing only what they appear to be on the surface. Through my work, I want to challenge that perspective and encourage people to look deeper, recognize hidden potential, and reconsider what they perceive as worthless or no longer relevant.

Today, I see 22Designer as a space where craftsmanship, artistic expression, and sustainability meet. Through the transformation of discarded materials into unique pieces, I hope to inspire a different way of looking at fashion, but also at life itself: sometimes, what seems to have lost its value simply needs the opportunity to become something new.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it hasn’t been a smooth road. When I look back today, I can smile at how far I’ve come, especially knowing that I’ve built this journey on my own.
Following a dream is not easy, especially when you have limited resources and have to find a way forward with whatever you have. I’ve always been a determined person, and when I truly believe in something, I give it everything I have. I’ve made—and continue to make—a lot of sacrifices to grow, evolve, and bring my dream to life.
When I was studying at the fashion academy, I would save every bit of money I could to buy fabrics and materials for my projects. I took on different jobs, sometimes underpaid and often unrelated to what I was studying, simply to invest in myself and my future. There were days when I came home exhausted and wondered if I could really make it. I thought about giving up more than once.
I remember a time when I invested everything I had into buying materials. Taking that risk was difficult, especially when there was so little room for mistakes. But I knew that if I wanted to build something of my own, I had to believe in it and keep moving forward, even when the circumstances weren’t ideal.
As a woman building her own path, I’ve had to learn how to create opportunities for myself rather than wait for them to come. And I know I’m not alone in this. So many young people are fighting to make their dreams a reality while dealing with financial limitations, uncertainty, and the pressure of having to figure everything out on their own.
I’ve always believed that when an opportunity comes along, you have to find a way to reach it. If that train everyone talks about—the one that supposedly only comes once—is passing in front of me, I won’t just stand there watching it leave. I’ll run after it, or I’ll find another way to get where I want to go.
If I had to describe myself in one word, it would be persevering. I’ve learned that not having the means to do something doesn’t necessarily mean you have to give up on it. Sometimes, it simply means you have to find a different way. And that’s what I keep doing, every single day.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My work focuses on artisanal upcycling, transforming discarded materials and existing garments into unique pieces through hands-on craftsmanship and artistic experimentation. I specialize in reworking materials, exploring textures, and combining different techniques to give each piece a new identity. For me, fashion is not just about creating something to wear; it’s a way to communicate ideas, emotions, and perspectives.
What defines 22Designer is the belief that materials often have much more potential than we give them credit for. I’m particularly drawn to working with scraps and overlooked fabrics, turning what might be considered waste into something meaningful. I see these materials not as limitations, but as opportunities to experiment and create something unexpected.
My approach is both artisanal and artistic. I value the time, manual work, and attention to detail that go into each creation, while leaving room for experimentation and imperfection. I want my pieces to feel individual, expressive, and different from what we usually see in mass-produced fashion.
The message at the heart of my work is: “It’s not broken, it’s evolving.” This goes beyond sustainability. It reflects the way I look at materials, but also at life. I believe we often dismiss things because they no longer fit our expectations, seem outdated, or appear to have lost their value. Through 22Designer, I want to challenge that mindset and encourage people to look beyond the surface and recognize the possibility of transformation.
What I’m most proud of is having built this creative path independently and seeing my ideas become tangible pieces that can reach people beyond my own world. Every project is an opportunity to grow, experiment, and discover new possibilities.
What sets me apart is the intention behind what I create. I don’t see upcycling simply as a way to reuse materials; I see it as a form of creative expression and a statement. My goal is not just to give materials a second life, but to change the way we perceive them, showing that what we overlook today can become something valuable, distinctive, and full of meaning.

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is the ability to see potential where others might see something that has lost its value. This is at the heart of both my work and the way I approach life.
Through 22Designer, I want to challenge the idea that something becomes worthless simply because it is old, damaged, or no longer considered relevant. I believe there is always room for transformation, and that sometimes we need to change our perspective to recognize it.
Sustainability is an important part of my work, but for me, it goes beyond the environmental aspect. It is also about questioning the way we consume, the value we assign to things, and our tendency to discard what no longer fits our expectations. By transforming discarded materials into unique garments, I want to show that what we overlook can still hold beauty, meaning, and possibility.
My guiding message is “It’s not broken, it’s evolving.” It represents not only the materials I work with, but also a way of looking at life: change does not necessarily mean an ending, and imperfection does not mean a lack of value.
Ultimately, what matters most to me is creating with intention and staying true to my vision, even when the path is difficult. I want my work to be more than something people wear; I want it to make them pause, look closer, and perhaps see things differently. If a piece can inspire someone to reconsider what they once overlooked, then it has already achieved something meaningful.

Pricing:

• Denim kimono jacket 150€/200€
• Custom jacket 80€
• Handmade custom dress 100€
• Custom 50/80€

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/22des_igner?cplk=a2JlMGl3ZXkyNnE4
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/

Image Credits
Sarah limone
Instagram: __sarah.l_

22Designer Instagram 22des_igner

Alessio filippelli

Instagram: alessio filippelli