Designer quickie: Ada Zanditon.

As Dreft Fashion Week Zagreb is coming closer (22-24.11.), I got the chance to interview British designer - Ada Zanditon. This is the second time Ada is showing at DFWZ, last time she did an interview for Croatian press she said that she absolutely loves Zagreb and would love to come back, so she is coming again this year.

I first met Ada at DFWZ after party, we were coming out of the cars at the same time in front of one club and she said "Girl, you look fierce in that dress!" - I was wearing Lei Lou multifunctional fitted dress with long bat sleeves and later wrote a post called 'Ada the Fierce'.  Ada was all smiles that night after she showed her rather impressive collection called  Poseisus. 

My favorite thing about Ada is not only her amazing designer talent but also her passion for creating sustainable fashion pieces in this time of crises when most designers are focused on how to increase the income and not much thinking about how damaging their product creation might be for environment or where are they sourcing their materials. Also - Ada worked for the house of McQueen - my absolute favorite brand in the world. :)

What was your inspiration for SS 2013 season which you will show this week in Zagreb?

My inspiration for spring  summer 2013 is tigers, Particularly the way that the female tiger is both majestic elegant and beautiful and I made a narrative based around the tigress As if she was a woman in a Quentin Tarantino film. Here is the short preview. 

How much effort does your brand put into sourcing and producing eco-sustainable fashion pieces? Why is this important to you?

We make a great deal of effort to source our  fabrics sustainability and from transparent sources it is important to me to do this because I want to show that it is possible to create products which are desirable, innovative and interesting. I want to create a narrative that can be engaged with because it is a creative story or because it is analogy about our relationship to our environment, Whatever someone chooses to take from the collection as long as it's inspiring, then that's what's important. 

Either someone will choose my brands because it is sustainable and they like the product or they will choose it simply just because they like the product. 

Do you feel the impact of economic crises on your creative work? How much did the economic crises affect the sales of your collections if any?

It has been a very big challenge to grow a business during the recession however it has also given me resilience and strength that I have Milans how to grow a business on the download economic climate, make it flourish and continue to grow.

Alexander McQueen is my all time favorite fashion designer. How would you describe the experience of working for the house of McQueen?

I am very lucky to have had some good work experience before setting up my brand. All the work experience that I did helped me to understand how tough the fashion industry is and what level of dedication and perfectionism would be required in order to create a brand.

Do you think that in today’s day and age fashion designer needs to be equally a creative genius and a business person in order to build profitable brand?

In today's climate if you are a new designer and you are independent and you cannot afford to pay someone else to do the business side entirely for you, then absolutely you must be good at the business as well.

 I have to spend at least as much of my time answering emails and working on the business strategy as I do spend being able to design and make things.

Designer quicky: Victor de Souza

1.What kind of women is VDS women?

Although Victor de Souza Inc. will eventually expand into men’s fashion, currently VDS Inc. focuses generally on the sophisticated, timeless woman who loves to push boundaries. The Victor de Souza woman is chic, has character and doesn’t settle for the obvious. The VDS woman is someone who is looking for the qualities of historical couture but in a more contemporary and fresh manner.

2. How would you describe your style and what drives and inspires you for collections?

Victor de Souza, Inc. is dedicated to bringing refined, well-constructed and perfectly engineered designs to the world. Our goods, and the ideals they personify, blend classics with innovation, and are at the forefront of fashion. The house boldly embodies elegance and flair. I find inspiration in and around everything. The last collection was inspired entirely by the sea.

3. How does your brainstorming process looks like in between collections do you have the team you work with?

It’s not a structured process. Inspiration may hit at any moment and I have to be prepared to capture that moment.

4. What is your vision for your brand in terms of growth?

Our vision is to evolve this couture house and luxury brand into all areas of fashion and fashion-related products, such as fragrances, men's wear, eyewear, footwear, hand bags, watches, home furnishing and all types of accessories.

5. What are your future plans for your brand?

In addition to the vision for growth written above, we also want to inject social consciousness into the industry and business as a whole. We want to serve as a good example and eventually expand our philanthropic activities as well.

6. Do you plan to open your own store and where?

Eventually, we will open a VDS store but the timing must be right. Currently, you can find the VDS line at Bellhaus in Manhattan and the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. 

7. How many fashion shows do you do a year and does it pay off financially?

We typically do two shows per year (one in the spring and one in the fall). However, this year we did three since we also presented at Dreft Fashion Week Zagreb. The shows do pay off financially, because without a show I wouldn’t have the presence in the industry you must have.

8. What do you think about this years Dreft Fashion Week Zagreb? What are the good things and what are the opportunities for growth in upcoming years?

I was honored and excited to take part in Dreft Fashion Week Zagreb. The organizers and the people of Zagreb were very hospitable and warm. It was a pleasure to be a part of. Our goal was to create the same feeling of glamour that we created for our show in New York. I thought the space and the entire setup was well done.

9. What is your impression of Croatian young designers whose shows you had the opportunity to see during Zagreb's Fashion Week?

I found that the men’s lines were especially strong. I saw a few pieces that I could see myself wearing.

10. You seem to be very willing to work on charity projects - you donated one of your dresses for charity action during Dreft Fashion Week. Do you have any charity organizations which are especially close to your heart? Do you plan to do any such projects on your own?

As I mentioned before, VDS strives to be a socially conscious company and to give back to the community that has given so much to us. We are in the process of laying the groundwork to start a foundation. In the meantime, children’s charities are especially close to my heart.

11. What is your opinion about big fashion companies using sweat shops in third world countries?

It’s absolutely unconscionable. I understand that fashion is a business, but there’s a way that you can do it and elevate everyone in the process. It’s time to raise the consciousness within the industry.

 Source: Italian Vogue