Project N11: A Reason to Get Dressed

At 82, the grandmother of Project N11’s founder still dresses every day as though she were walking a runway. Stilettos included. The two speak daily, and her advice has become something of a guiding thought for the brand: dress for yourself, for how you feel, and give an ordinary day as much consideration as a special occasion.

Her birthday, November 11, gives Project N11 its name. Her influence offers something more personal: a belief in getting dressed as an everyday expression of identity.

That feels like a good place to begin understanding the label. Before the cities, the silhouettes, or the collection, there is a woman with a very definite sense of herself.

A wardrobe with an address book

Project N11 carries traces of several places its founder has called home. Buenos Aires remains its emotional centre, grounding the collection in Argentine culture and a close connection to her roots. London introduced a practical understanding of versatility: clothes that accommodate different occasions, schedules, and ways of living. Milan sharpened her eye for elegance, innovation, and detail.

Now living in Madrid, she sees another perspective taking shape, one she expects to bring greater maturity to the next collection.

These influences become particularly clear in the Pampa Shirt. References to the traditional gaucho shirt give the design its Argentine connection; a clean silhouette brings those references into a contemporary wardrobe. The collar allows for different ways of wearing it, while the cuffs reflect the precision she associates with Milan.

It is a useful introduction to her design process. Personal memories become decisions about proportion, construction, and how a garment sits on the body. The result leaves room for someone else to bring their own life to the piece.

The pleasure of wearing it again

For Project N11, the ambition is to make clothes that earn their place in regular rotation.

Fabric and construction are central to that proposition, as is comfort. A piece should hold its own through a full day, adapting to changing settings without demanding an entirely different wardrobe. Feminine silhouettes carry a sense of discretion, with character expressed through considered details and the confidence of the wearer.

“You should always dress for yourself and for how you feel,” her grandmother taught her. That thought also explains why the founder resists imagining a single woman as the brand’s ideal customer. Different personalities can inhabit the same garment differently; several pieces can also be shared with men.

The collection invites that freedom. Its identity comes into focus through the way people choose to wear it, combine it, and return to it.

Milan, revisited

On Wednesday, October 21, Project N11 celebrates its Milan debut at Chapters. For its founder, the occasion has a particular resonance: Milan is where her career in fashion began.

Returning with her own label gives that connection a new dimension. At Chapters, the collection enters a setting where the stories behind the clothes are part of the experience—a perspective she recognises in her own approach to design.

Her suggestion for a first encounter? Try the Sur and North Trench coats. She describes them as pieces that make the wearer feel protected and powerful, capturing the strength, elegance, and versatility she wants Project N11 to convey.

Then try something else. Change the combination. See what feels like you.

Discover Project N11 at Chapters and join us on Wednesday, October 21, 6 PM, for a cocktail, DJ set, and an artful food experience to celebrate its arrival in Milan.