24 Hours With Gvantsa Macharashvili: How The Fashion Designer Spends Her Day

The co-founder of sister act MACH & MACH starts and ends her day with reading, tea and her beloved family

6:00AM- 6:30AM: Since I was little I’ve always started my days early. Usually, I wake up between 6:00AM- 6:30AM. My secret to waking up refreshed is to not eat after 6pm and to drink a glass of still water on an empty stomach in the morning. The first thing I do when I wake up is check on my little girl Sophie, to make sure that she is sleeping peacefully. I then do some morning aerobics for 20 minutes to wake up my body and help me start the day in a positive way.

I always listen to music, usually Lenny Kravitz, in the bathroom at a low volume which gives me a little boost of energy. My bedroom is very neat, clean and cool which helps us to sleep well. Quality linens are also very important – we love Gingerlily’s silk linen and I wear their silk pyjamas too. My first coffee of the day is after breakfast. I drink two to three coffees a day and a tea before bed.

7:00AM: I take a shower, wash my face with Biotherm cleanser, and then apply my Augustinus Bader moisturiser. I apply light make-up for 10 minutes and then get ready for breakfast. I use a Chanel concealer, Dior foundation and powder, and a Saint Laurent eye palette. I try to have deep cleaning face treatments a few times a year plus mesotherapy procedures to boost my face with vitamins and antioxidants. I also have a blow dry once a week at either Keune or Aldo Coppola which speeds up my morning routine!

7:15AM: I get dressed. I tend to plan my outfits in the evening, but often I wake up in a completely different mood to the night before and end up choosing a different look anyway. I usually opt for a formal office style for work. I wear an oversized, masculine blazer, paired with a black turtleneck and of course some Mach & Mach details. I like men’s styles for my everyday looks – I cherish my collection of oversized suits which occupy the biggest place in my wardrobe.

Mostly, I wear everything from my own brand, but I also love discovering young, up-and-coming labels as they always have such unique pieces. My handbags are on a heavy rotation. I pick one special bag, carry it for a few weeks and then swap it out for the next. My handbag essentials are my lipgloss, my wallet, a few pieces of jewellery which I switch out for various occasions, my little notebook, a pen, keys and a charger… I can’t put a lot in my everyday small bags so carry an additional larger bag for my iPad, notebook and sunglasses.

7:30AM: My husband and I sit down for a light breakfast. My meal plan includes porridge with fruit or yoghurt, toasted avocado and salmon. I always finish my breakfast with an Italian coffee.

8:30AM: Usually I leave the house at 8:30AM our office is in the centre of Milan, on Foro Buonaparte street. We love to stay in our countryside villa and from there it takes about 30 minutes to get to work. On the way I always check emails and my Instagram feed for a morning update. Whatsapp is my number one app then comes Gmail and my bank app and so on…

9:00AM: I reach the office. I’m in three to four days a week and in our factory for the remaining days. I also travel a lot – we have partners all over the world and almost every month I am in a different part of the world. In the morning I try to ‘eat the frog’ and handle the most pressing issues of the day. I always write out my daily plan in my notebook. There are some days when I’m driven on new ideas and some days when I am more focused on details.

10:00AM: Every Monday and Friday at 10:00AM we have a team meeting to discuss and plan for the coming week. I love working in a quiet space but also love brainstorming and teamwork.

12:00PM: At noon, we have lunch – pranzo time. Our office is in a great location so there are lots of delicious restaurants around. I have two favourites at the moment – a Japanese restaurant Cinquanta Due and an Italian restaurant Trattoria Torre di Pisa. I always try to be healthy, avoiding sweets and dough during the day. After lunch, I try to walk for 20 minutes in Parco Sempione, which is in front of our office.

6:30PM-7:00PM: Usually, I leave the office at 6:30PM-7:00PM. During our busiest times when we are at the height of developing a collection, I can sometimes be in the office until midnight! After leaving the office, I try to spend the evening with my family. We often go to a restaurant for dinner together and make time to play with Sophie. I try to attend very few events during the month but when I do I wear something classic with a fun twist.

To unwind in the evenings I love to watch documentary movies and I really enjoy Japanese anime – they are beautiful. Every weekend, if the weather is nice, we get out of the city. We love to discover new places and travel a lot. It also helps me tremendously in terms of creativity and is a great source of inspiration.

10:30PM: I’m usually in bed around 10:30PM. Before going to sleep, I drink mint tea, which helps my body to relax. I try to read a little or watch a movie – usually falling asleep in the process. I recently picked up Sofia Coppola’s Archive book. I love her job and it’s proving a source of inspiration for me.

More often when sitting in bed I sketch on my iPad. This is my biggest hobby, which gives me a lot of pleasure. Usually, seven hours sleep is enough for me to be ready to go again the next day!

From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s February 2024 issue.