Bianca DePietro’s love of fashion began at a young age.
“I learned how to sew as a child and my grandmother would bring me fashion magazines from Italy,” the owner of Toile Custom Atelier recalls fondly. “I started altering and customizing my clothes, and although my parents weren’t a fan of the 1990s safety pin look, I came from an artistic family and they supported and helped to immerse me in all things creative when I was growing up, – including going to performing arts school in New York City, modeling, dancing and costume design, which all contributed to my love for clothing and design.”
DePietro got a degree in fashion design from Philadelphia University. She also studied at Accademia Italiana in Florence, Italy, with a focus on tailoring techniques and evening wear construction, as well as at London’s Central Saint Martins for innovative pattern cutting.
“Any place you choose to visit gets your mind working as a creative,” she explains. “For me, travel inspires not only the items I carry … but it also influences my displays and the vibe of the store.
“After 2020,” she added, “I branched out to carry designers outside of Philadelphia, and I have a handful of European designers I learned about while traveling there.”
DePietro has drawn inspiration from Alexander McQueen and Iris Van Herpen, whom she calls “masterful innovators.” In the bridal realm, she “adores” Ashi Studio and Paolo Sebastian for more avant-garde bridal, and Leah Da Gloria and Berta for bespoke bridal.
She opened Toile Custom Atelier in 2013, selling small-batch, domestically produced, ready-to-wear and custom garments made exclusively by independent designers, including clothing, jewelry, accessories and home goods. The Atelier also offers custom bridal and accessories and tailoring.
“Starting with only six designers, we now feature more than 40 designers and makers, including my own ready-to-wear line, Bianca Rachele,” she notes proudly.
DePietro’s in-store collection includes BlckBts – pronounced black boots – by Shannah Warwick, an independent artisan who creates nuno-felted garments and accessories, felts wool into silk and then hand dyes everything. Products include hand-carved and hand-finished steel jewelry designs from Dennis Higgins in upstate New York; The Handloom’s cotton fabric made in Turkey, empowering women in remote villages; and Lily from Witch’s Way Craft, who makes spell candles adorned with herbs, flowers and crystals.
Another unique aspect of Toile is its custom evening and bridal gowns from the Atelier. And coming soon, DePietro will open a bridal shop and atelier in Hudson, New York, where she will feature her custom bridal collection, Atelier Bianca, in addition to four other independent European brands.
“I’ve been designing and making wedding gowns for 15 years now,” she notes. “I have a few collections of my own, but I also work one on one with clients to create their very own custom gowns.”
The personal attention given to each client is what makes Toile more of a destination than a retail shop.
“Our customers love the hands-on experience,” DePietro reports. “It’s something you aren’t going to get shopping online or going to a corporate store. Our stylists are there to assist one on one for your needs, whether it’s styling an outfit for an event or buying a gift.
“The attention does not go unnoticed by people and it enhances and improves their shopping experience,” she added. “In a world where many people feel like they fall through the cracks on a daily basis, it’s wonderful to be seen and heard.”
In the same vein, DePietro encourages people to look at fashion as a necessity, and not a luxury.
“I always hear people in the store say, ‘I love this, but I don’t need it,’” she points out. “I always respond, ‘We really don’t need anything. Besides food, water and sleep – the bare minimum. But if something makes you happy, if something makes you feel good about how you look, if something serves a purpose in your life, I consider that a necessity.’
“I am a huge proponent of retail therapy, for the simple daily-life inconveniences and major life-altering events.”
Fishtown has been an integral part of DePietro’s story. She moved to the neighborhood after college at 21 and was enticed by the area’s low rent and the proximity to friends.
“I lived with a few girlfriends in a house that had a finished basement where my work studio was,” she recalls. “I was paying $500 per month. Because of the low costs, obviously all of the artists and creatives lived in Fishtown, converting warehouses to workshops and working part-time jobs so they can work on their craft.
“I’ve seen Fishtown change tremendously over the past decade, but I believe the heart and soul of Fishtown will always still pulse,” she adds. “There are so many inspiring people who have made their home here and continue to contribute to the ever-flowing creativity of Fishtown.
“I’ve met the most truly unique individuals that I can safely say I would never have met anywhere else in the world, and it is all of them who make Fishtown the unique haven that it is.”
Toile Custom Atelier is located at 1333 Frankford Ave. in Philadelphia. Visit https://shoptoile.com for more information. Toile regularly hosts events and pop-ups from local artists. Visit visit www.instagram.com/shoptoile for up-to-date-information. The next big event will be the Fishtown wedding stroll on Sept. 10.
Visit www.atelier-bianca.com for more information on the Atelier Bianca store coming to Hudson, New York.
