Last year we featured BA (Hons) Fashion Illustration alumna Alina Zamonova‘s live illustration from Ukraine’s Fashion Week, while the country was facing on going uncertainty and turmoil. At the time she discussed the Ukrainian crisis and how the divide is fuelling a creative cluster of designers and artists in Kiev. Six months on the creative community and bohemians are slowly transforming pockets of the city and fashion scene and Alina has taken this opportunity to launch her own brand. We caught up with her ahead of next week’s Fashion Week to find out how she went from illustrator to designer.
We last spoke before Ukraine Fashion Week, what have you been doing since?
I have been freelancing a lot since we spoke last year. I’ve collaborated with some really cool creatives like Kylie Jenner, Sasha Samsonova, Shaun Ross, Anna Daki, Alan Badoev and many more. I also worked as a print designer and launched my printed scarves collection for London based brand Harper&Blake that showcased this season at London Fashion Week.
Your about to launch a new brand, congratulations. What made you want to start your own thing?
I always wanted to bring it to life, this seemed like the perfect time to launch my brand. I feel armed with skills that I’ve earned during over the years and I have some awesome people surrounding me to help.
BA (Hons) Fashion Illustration alumna Alina Zamonova is launching her brand before next week’s Ukraine Fashion Week.
How would you describe the brand ethos, and where do you get inspiration from?
The brand aesthetic is edgy, artistic and at the same time luxurious with details. I want to push the idea that ugliness and beauty can coexist, and that art and fashion have no boundaries. Stay true to your style and embrace your creativity! The inspiration for my debut collection came from my favourite artworks and fashion illustrations that I’ve created over the past year. Being very straight forward with slogans and signs is on point in the collection as well.
BA (Hons) Fashion Illustration alumna Alina Zamonova is known for her signature illustrations on paper and on people.
What makes the brand different from anything in Kiev or Europe?
For now I am focused on producing luxury fashion scarves that are mainstream and nothing new. But the other fun part of my brand for now is creating exclusive hand painted clothing collection in collaboration with different designers. My degree was in Fashion Illustration so the role of constructing the garment is not yet something I can do by myself. This meant I had the opportunity to work with some awesome designers so we could create something interesting together. This season is a collaboration with London based designer Bianca THOYER-ROZAT that created designs and canvases for my art interpretation.
You can do so many things with illustration, is that why you wanted to study it at LCF?
That is so true! Its given me such a broad range of possibilities I can work on. Now its my brand and even a clothing line, but still with my iconic fashion illustration brush touches. I’ll never give up art and fashion illustration, it keeps me alive and excited.
Do you have a business strategy? Where do you see the brand going in the next one, five or ten years…
There is no specific strategy but I think I will create and create, then see where that leads me. In the future, I see the brand growing with talented people working in a team and creating some bloody cool stuff.
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