SILVIA Pellegrino has unruly hair.

To look at her chic brunette bob you would never guess. But she is adamant.

"When I was 19 I got it all pleated so I would not have to blow dry and iron it every day," says the 32-year-old in a thick Italian accent.

"My hair is so difficult that it was so much easier to wake up with it all in pleats. But in the end it ruined it."

Silvia found the answer five years ago. When she launched her label Chouchou (pronounced shoe shoe) one item seemed to attract more attention than the others.

Now she is regularly selling out of her innovative Hollyhoods and is receiving interest from American retailers after showcasing her collection at Tartan Week in New York last month.

She says: "I love being able to put up my hood. It protects my hair and having a collar makes you stand taller, it makes you feel good. I just want to make my customers feel good in what they are wearing."

Chouchou was born in Silvia's home city of Rome, but Silvia quickly moved to Glasgow to expand her business because she was so inspired by the city.

"It was between London and Glasgow," she says. "I chose Glasgow because there is nowhere else like it in the world.

"I wish Glaswegians could see themselves from the outside.

"I lived in Amsterdam, I lived in Los Angeles, I lived in London. Glasgow is wonderful. It is easy to be an artist and people here are incredibly talented."

Silvia admits her biggest inspiration is city artist, architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

"I always take Mackintosh as an example. I love him.

"There is always that kind of dualism in Glasgow; you have people who are practical, then you have people who are trying to promote something ahead of the time and are unique but they just needed the exposure."

Silvia had not always planned to enter the fashion world.

She took her degree in modern languages and began teaching Italian to school pupils in the Isle Of Wight.

"You know how some people go in a straight line, and there are other times you go in circles?," she says. "For me it wasn't straightforward."

While she was in England she did a part-time course in Central Saint Martins College Of Arts And Design, London, before studying design and styling at Amsterdam Fashion Institute.

Silvia found it tough but valuable and went on to work for the first American Apparel in Holland. The budding designer then decided to travel to Los Angeles to work for more designers.

She says: "Going to LA allowed me to feel free.

"I remember sewing a little wallet and I had made a mistake when I was at Cocoon. One of the bosses said, 'Don't worry , mistakes are really welcome'. That motto changed my life."

After a year in America, Silvia travelled back to Rome, where she eventually ended up working at Italy's most prestigious Christian Dior boutique.

She says: "It was in the most expensive shopping street, number one Via Condotti.

"I learned so much about the workmanship, the bags that were made in Paris and the jewellery made in France."

When Silvia decided to live in Glasgow she took a part of Italy with her. The designer was so inspired by the food and artist markets held in Rome she launched them here.

Bold Souls brought together creative brands so customers could buy products directly from the designers.

Silvia is now hoping to be part of similar events, such as the Finnieston Fashion Pop Up, which was held last Thursday, in Kelvingrove Cafe.

She will also be developing her brand in New York after the success of Tartan Week, where model Sophie Kennedy Clark glided down the catwalk wearing Chouchou.

But for Silvia it will always come back to Glasgow's leading man.

She says: "Mackintosh has this motto: There is hope in honest error, none in the icy perfection of the mere stylist.

"I have that on a postcard in my room. He is my icon. His wife Margaret, too."

Prices start from £35. For more information see the websites: www.chouchoucouture.com and https://marketplace.asos.com/boutique/chouchou-couture

rachel.loxton@ eveningtimes.co.uk