Interview: TYT

Nostalgia, prints, collage, pop art, and British humor synthesize into creative director and owner Sasha Maria Bell’s hosiery and accessories brand, TYT. The name, an abbreviation for “tight” as in hosiery, is every bit as cheeky as it sounds. Having launched in Milan in 2020, the brand has since caught the attention of many lovers of all things absurdist, kitsch, loud, and most importantly, incredibly fun. If what you’re wearing doesn’t have at least a hint of fun to it, you might be doing it wrong— a thought that has crossed more than one’s mind after laying eyes on Sasha Maria Bell’s hypnotic creations. Accessories are all about how to be that little bit ‘extra.’ And if anyone knows how to be extra, it’s TYT. We spoke to Sasha to find out how she went from being an internet talk show host, fashion editor, and interviewer to a proud owner of a hosiery and accessories brand.

Your brand is called TYT, and your Instagram handle is TYTM8, is this internet slang for anything? How did you come up with the name?

Sasha: TYT originally stood for “tight,” an abbreviation of the word and our focus on hosiery. When we signed up to IG, the username @tyt was already taken, so I added the ‘m8’ in true Mancunion style. Turns out it was the cherry on top!

You started your career as a fashion editor and interviewer, and had your own online talk show called ’10 Questions & Answers with SMBCIAO’. Are there any interview channels right now that you love and follow?

Sasha: I’m a huge fan of the awkward charm of Amelia Dimoldenberg and her Chicken Shop Dates; IMO she’s one of the best interviewees right now! I also dive deep into old-school MTV’s House Of Style with Cindy Crawford and the former VFILES show hosted by Danielle Greco for research.

You currently are based in Milan but you grew up in Manchester. What’s one maybe surprising similarity that you’ve noticed between Manchurian’s and the Milanese? (if there are any)

Sasha: I’d jokingly point to the food, but my friends would murder me! Honestly, I don’t see many parallels between the two worlds and that’s exactly what makes it fascinating! Bringing them together with their bold differences and cultures adds an intriguing social dynamic.

What made you start your own brand, and what were some of the biggest challenges that you encountered in the beginning?

Sasha: TYT began as a playful idea back in 2018 when my obsession with printed hosiery reached new heights, fast forward to our 2020 launch and the amount of hype took us by surprise to be honest!

Managing the business side, especially dealing with Italian bureaucracy has proven to be one of the biggest challenges, especially for this Gemini!

“Managing the business side, especially dealing with Italian bureaucracy has proven to be one of the biggest challenges, especially for this Gemini! “

Can you take us through how ordering a custom pair of tights on your website works… for example, after you’ve submitted an image, what happens if you select “don’t be shy” as opposed to “collage” or “pattern”?

Sasha: Inventing the new custom feature was pretty fun! We’re still tweaking the coding to perfection but that’s about as exciting as it gets in the world of Shopify, unfortunately. You just have to dive in, upload your images, choose your preferred design method, and leave the rest to us!

In some of your collections like ‘Pat n Pals’ you also are doing prints on tank tops, sleevelet’s. Will there be more TYT garments, such as these available to buy on your website in future?

Sasha: We’re in the constant process of developing, testing, and experimenting with new products! Right now though, our spotlight is on our TYTkini’s for the summer season!

Do you have a physical store? (if not, are you thinking of opening a store?)

Sasha: We have just opened our first HQ in Milan, inside Volgari Ferragli Spazio. Our clients are free to order online and pick up in the studio, or even come and do a cheeky shop directly with us! The window shop goal in Paolo Sarpi (Chinatown, Milan) is still not accomplished, but it’s part of the five-year plan!

Are you a morning person or an evening person?

Sasha: I’m definitely a morning person. That’s when I hit my peak productivity, and it’s when I prefer to have my interns around too! My bff’s over at Volgari Ferragli find it hilarious because once I’ve finished lunch, you can bet I’ll lay on the sofa with an aqua frizzante and my trusty Iqos toot until it’s time to call it a day.

What’s the last movie you watched?

Sasha: I watched Challengers at the cinema a couple of days ago! I have to say, all three of them – HOT!