Founders of Geneva based Fashion Label on the rise WORN sit down with our Fashion Editor KATARINA DJORIC for an exclusive interview. Fashion Designer MAGDALENA BROZDA and Accessories Designer PAULINE FAMY share with us their sources of inspiration, important lessons they have learned so far and where do they see their label in a decade from today.
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Read the interview after the jump:
How did you first get interested in fashion? – We were interested in fashion from our early childhood even if we didn’t know what was fashion really about… Since your age we were both making and transforming clothes and accessories around us. We were up-cycling long before it became fashionable! [laughs]
Did you always dream of becoming a designer? – No! Even now, it’s surreal for us. We prefer to be defined as “makers” both in a technical and creative context.
“We try to play with basic forms and shapes in order to create wearable containers situated between art and design, highlighting the beauty of simplicity as well as beauty of leather craft techniques.”
What are your sources of inspiration? – We are strongly inspired by everyday objects and we propose a radical vision of bags-containers that we call “‘bag-like’ objects” [baglike : adjective: resembling a bag]. We try to play with basic forms and shapes in order to create wearable containers situated between art and design, highlighting the beauty of simplicity as well as beauty of leather craft techniques.
How does your creative process look like? – We do not work by following a specific moodboard, instead we often work with shapes that we impose on ourselves for each collection.
We like the word “reinterpretation“. We do not intend to innovate but to reuse existing forms of the ordinary and reinterpret the ancestral techniques of leather craftsmanship in contemporary details.
How has your work evolved since you began your own label? – It has been organised, planned and structured. We try to find the right and honest compromise between artistic desires and commercial reality. We are constantly learning from the market and our customers.
How important is individuality to you when it comes to designing? – Individuality is essential for us. We don’t make accessories to grab attention of everyone, we have chosen a niche focus for our products and that’s fine for us.
This positioning responds to a desire for luxury that is not ostentatious, in a marriage of sophistication and simplicity.
“We love making the first mock-ups. This is the most creative moment when the idea meets reality. It’s this part of our design process that will define the final results and impact the rest of the collection.”
Do you have particular pieces you enjoy designing and making more than others? – In general, we love making the first mock-ups. This is the most creative moment when the idea meets reality. It’s this part of our design process that will define the final results and impact the rest of the collection.
If you could describe your design aesthetic in three words, what would they be? – Radical, minimal, luxe/chic.
What is the most important lesson you have learned so far about fashion? -Lesson n°1 : Authenticity is key! Lesson n° 2 : Follow your intuition and lesson n°3 : Work hard!
I’m sure you have come across moments of struggle, maybe lack of inspiration. How do you overcome these times; especially if you have a deadline? – The answer is teamwork. We have the luck of being two behind WORN and this is really a privilege. We fight together and celebrate together.
“The answer is teamwork. We have the luck of being two behind WORN and this is really a privilege. We fight together and celebrate together.“
Who would you consider to be the most inspiring person today? – Greta Thunberg! We can no longer talk about and make fashion today without thinking of environmental issues.
What are you working on now? – We are currently working on a brand new collection as well as developing a new line of ‘bag-likes’ that we should be able to release soon.
Where do you see your label 10 years from today? – We believe in faith and hard work. We don’t know exactly where we will be 10 years from now but we hope to have the right development opportunities for WORN and meet the right people at the right time on our way.
Keep up with worn and their latest collections on their official page wornofficial.com.
