Sita Murt

Sita Murt (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈsitə ˈmurt]; 1946 – 1 December 2014) was a Spanish fashion designer and businesswoman. Her name Sita is a diminutive from Carmencita. As a fast-expanding women's label, Sita Murt is designed with the young, feminine, fun-loving woman in mind and has an emphasis on soft, sensual fabrics.

 The Sita Murt designs are marketed by the company Esteve Aguilera SA, that produces more than 200.000 jerseys and other pieces of clothing per year, serving more than 1.900 sales locations, including international department stores such as Galeries Lafayette or Tzum from Moscow. Some of her products were used in the film Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Biography

Sita Murt was born as the daughter of the owner of a tannery in Igualada,Barcelona, and belonged to the third generation of a textile industry dynastyin Igualada. At an early age, she used to collect small pieces of leather at the family factory, which she tried to use for creating pieces of clothing. Sita studied at the Sarrià School of Textile Design, managed by Ramón Folch. She married Toni Esteve Enrich, manager of the Esteve Aguilera company founded in 1924 and incorporated as SA in 1965. After some years, when her kids had grown, Sita started being involved in the design of products, mainly knitted jerseys. Sita started to create her own designs. The early death of his husband Toni in 1984 changed all plans. Sita'sfather-in-law decided to appoint her as the company manager, despite the reluctance of some persons due to the fact she was young and a woman.

Since 1989 the company attends many fashion shows to present the new collections, including Salons Gaudí inBarcelona, Pasarela Cibeles in Madrid, Bread & Butter in Germany and Barcelona, The Brandery in Barcelona, Premium (Berlin), Gallery (Copenhagen), Coterie (New York) and Modefabriek, Who’s Next and Paris sur Mode (Paris).

 The company replaced the original brand Esteve, to Sita Murt, and has opened several direct stores and an outlet store in Igualada. Sita's descendants, Toni, Iago, Isabel and Albert, have worked at the company in different positions. In 2005 the company recruited a new CEO, Julia Cher, previously Commercial Director of a Catalan fashion Company DIKTON'S, and in 2007 with the assignment of the new CEO, Jordi Balsells, formerly Sales Manager of Desigual. In 2008 the company added a line of Fashion accessories and complements and in 2010 a collection of shoes. The first direct store outside Spain was open in Paris in May 2010 sponsored by the actress Victoria Abril. Miquel Ramis was appointed CEO in 2011.

Awards

• Premio al Mérito Exportador (2002) from the Prince of Asturias.
• Award "Barcelona es moda" (2008)
• Calderera de honor de Montmaneu (2010)

Death

Murt died of cancer on 1 December 2014.