Enela, the Albanian who works in the "celebrity" department of Gucci in Milan

By Entela Resuli

We are citizens of the world and it is often the world that gives us the most opportunities to find ourselves in the fields where we have talent, bearing in mind that Albania is a small country and the spaces are few. Today we will tell you the story of a girl who had a passion for tailoring as a child and leaving Tirana made her look for more about her profession and now she has gone through all the daily life she dreamed of for herself.

Enela Kondaj has been living in Milan, Italy for 25 years. She is from Tirana and the first job she did here was as a seamstress.

It seems that this passion, to build important clothing with a pe' and a needle, followed her, but she also cultivated it herself over the years.

Today he works in a privileged sector of one of the most famous luxury firms in the world, "Gucci".

But nothing has been simple for Enela, who left Albania to start a family with the man of her heart in the neighboring country, leaving behind her parents, the most precious people in her life.

Today she lives in Bareggio (Milan) with her family. She is the mother of two daughters Edrien (18 years old) and Emily (11).

"I came to Italy at the age of 23-24. Here I worked for 15 years in a laboratory where clothes are produced for brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent. Thanks to these years of this experience I am here today ", says Enela.

She is currently a qualified professional in the celebrity sector of the "Gucci" brand.

Tirana - Milan

Like many other Albanians who have emigrated and tried to create a profession in the country where they decided to live, Enela also has her own path...

" My day starts at 05:30 in the morning, with getting ready for work (which takes me 1 hour and 30 minutes to go, and the same time to come back, and like every mother, wife, professional almost every minute is organized in detail because due to time I always have to be in control of every second" , Enela tells us about her current rhythm.

As she looks back on her memories, she tells us her first jobs.

" My first job in Tirana was in a tailor's shop where, just by chance, it made me go much deeper into this profession, while my first job in Milan was as a babysitter and cleaner in a family" .

Her work at "Gucci" started by chance.

" After completing a 'di altamoda' model school, I started working more and more in this field. I worked for 15 years in a laboratory where clothes were made for the biggest fashion brands, such as LouisVuitton, Gucci, Dior, YvesSaintLaurent. I am currently a qualified professional in the 'celebrity ' sector of the Gucci brand.

- But what does it mean to work in this sector, for him!

"There are 11 of us in the 'celebrity' sector of the Gucci brand in Milan, working here means privilege because every day you learn and grow professionally, it means sacrifice and responsibility because every day you have to give your best to be in the height of the product that you create, satisfaction because even working in a team and individually increases you and gives you value both personally and professionally".

- Are we curious about the customers who wear clothes from this sector?

" The clients who are dressed by this sector are celebrities like many actors, singers, artists and clients of the highest economic class. They are exclusive clothes designed and made specially for every customer ".

This is considered an important achievement for Enela, as all the sacrifices she has made to win this job are listed behind her.

" Working for these levels means a lot of discipline, a lot of patience, it means working a lot with yourself at all levels.

My journey to get into this group has not been easy at all, I can say that it has been a real challenge that even though I had dreamed of it since the first days of my arrival in Milan, I did not think that I would succeed I reached because it seemed difficult for me to be part of such a group, as I didn't think I was at the right height ", says Kondaj, who seems to have exceeded the expectations she had for herself.

COST

And when we get to the cost of clothing, the numbers are staggering.

" The clothes that are made have a cost that starts from 25-30 thousand euros and up to clothes that many times exceed the figure of 100-150 thousand euros. I managed to make a dress in velvet and embroidered all with crystals, which had a cost exceeding 85,000 euros.

"Working in this sector is beautiful, full of pleasure and of course behind it lies passion, will, discipline, sacrifices, continuous work with oneself to give the best and to grow more and more as a person and as professional.

I have learned a lot from this job and I think that every day we have to learn even though I don't feel enough, I have learned to enjoy and appreciate my work every day. The passion I devote to it has made me never give up and try and work until I get the right result. My goal for the future is to be able to create my own company. This is my dream ."

This was the story of Enela, whose emigration made her work in one of the most important fashion laboratories in the world. Often, leaving Albania has led many people to have open doors and opportunities, and therefore to make a career but also to qualify for important jobs, where in their country they would hardly be able to get them.

*'Confession Room' exclusive column of Vox News.

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