Bianca Frondoni and Michele Lamanna Launch SEP T-shirt, an Art-Inspired Apparel Brand

In 2015, Bianca Frondoni and Michele Lamanna, a couple in their forties, left their careers in public relations and art photography to found SEP T-shirt, an entirely made-in-Italy apparel brand. Frondoni handles marketing, communication, and management, while Lamanna designs original graphics for men's, women's, and children's t-shirts. The first design, T-Beer, was inspired by late-night discussions and drinks with classmates and professors in Venice, featuring a hand holding a beer mug as an artwork breaking out of its frame. Early collaborations include a t-shirt for the Cortona On the Move festival, satirizing photographers who wear Leicas to exhibitions to be recognized. The brand later produced official lines for major exhibitions such as Marina Abramović's "The Cleaner" at Palazzo Strozzi in Florence and Damien Hirst's "Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable" at Palazzo Grassi in Venice. SEP T-shirt now sells in about twenty boutiques and bookshops across Italy, online, and at cultural events, expanding into hoodies, umbrellas, water bottles, mugs, and accessories. Lamanna emphasizes that each graphic carries a message, such as an anatomical heart on the chest or a large digital footprint on the back with the word "I'M," expressing identity without shouting.