EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW with Vika Gazinskaya

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past 3 years, you've certainly heard of the Russian designer/fashionista Vika Gazinskaya... Her personal style is one to admire and swoon over! Her designs are very fashion forward with the perfect amount of classicness, not to forget the most important element; her uniqueness. It was a perfect day that day when I got her approval for an interview; and that really proves that she's down to earth... She's one of my personal fashion icons of all time, the beautiful, the talented, the one of a kind, Vika.

 Here's my EXCLUSIVE with Vika:

F:When did you know that fashion was a part of your life?  

V:Since I was 16 years old I knew I would be a fashion designer, bearing in mind the fact that in Post-Soviet Russia there were basically no fashion magazines or TV shows, and of course no fashion websites or blogs. I once wrote in a school essay that I will become a fashion designer and will be protecting nature.

F:What did you study and did it help you as a designer?

V:I studied fashion design in University in Moscow, where I acquired sewing skills to some degree and academic art education, but all the rest I learned by myself.

F:What inspires you?


V:I don't have one single source of inspiration – the whole world inspires me! Everything that is going on around me influences me as a designer.

F:During these last few years, the world was introduced to the creme de la creme of Russian fashionistas, yourself, Miroslava, Elena, and Ulyana, what is it like to be the center of 'fashion' attention?


V:I am not sure you can say "the center of fashion attention". It is Just fun, but I want to be known not for being a street style girl, but for being a designer…

F:Who are your favorite designers?

V:
Stephano Pilati, Stella McCartney, Miuccia Prada, Raf Simons, Dries Van Noten, Francisco Costa, Nicolas Ghesquière, Alber Elbaz. Because these are important, real Designers, not the ones who have just yesterday decided to start designing.

F:Who are your style icons?


V:I can`t really name the one who is a true icon for me. There are two images of women who I admire: one is from a wonderful Russian movie "Love slave", actress Irina Solovei, where she plays Russian silent film actress from the past, Vera Kholodnaya. This movie and her role are epic and legendary. And the second icon is a ballerina, Maya Plisetskaya, who truly defines beauty to me: her majestic grace, force, and energy!

F:What do you like do in your spare time? 

V:spiritual practices and reading. 

F:List 3 items that are always present in your bag?

V:Keys, iPhone and money/credit card.

F:I know that your line is available in Kuwait. Are you thinking of stocking in Dubai, Doha, or Riyadh? If not, you have to be available online through your official website ASAP!   

V:First of all, I am not ONLY in Kuwait – I do sell in Dubai (Symphony), Browns (London), Spiga2 (Milan), Fivestory and Kirna Zabete (NYC), The Capitol (North Carolina), Corso Como 10 (Seul), Joice (Hong Kong), Colette (Paris) and etc… For the on-line you should go to thecorner.com and Avenue32.com. SO, you’ll find me there.

For more information visit: http://vikagazinskaya.com/