Interview: Fashion Designer Alona Zozulia (Poland)

Since I remember I have wanted to be a designer. A fashion designer. I've been drawing carvers sketches in my notebook since school times. It was unbelievable. Now I’m 25 and I know where my first projects are and every time I can open it and laugh at myself remembering these fun times. Design is in my blood. In my opinion every girl has such experience: you show mum’s shoes and say they suit you perfectly fine; it doesn’t matter that size is too big. It quite ordinary situation but you can't imagine how many times I have spent wearing Mom's accessories. That's why I have a huge collection of jewellery and sunglasses. It’s a significant mark from childhood. I used to go shopping to flea markets with vintage items and second hand clothes as well so much. It has helped me to develop my own identity as I have nowadays. I was a lucky child who had a chance to make a lot of experiments with my style. I had colorful hair, piercing and different style mixes. These days I always laugh from these old photos but of course, it was very important. Now I rarely wear the same sets of clothes. I have a desire to mix clothes in different ways every time so they don't bother me.

I am an open-minded person and I try to learn something new every day. I attempt to make all projects by myself and not to outsource even small parts of it. I like to do some hand made items. For example, my last collection “Freedom+bonus” 2019, has a top on which I have spent 120 hours. After busy working days, it is sometimes hard to understand how I've managed to do the project. My inner voice tells me: You are crazy! Maybe it’s true. My main goal is not to stop moving and go on developing. Futurism inspires me a lot, I love space fashion nevertheless, projects depend on my mood and personal feelings. The best time for work is a late evening and at night. When I've been studying fashion design in my lovely Ukraine, in Kyiv (yes, yes, yes, I'm Ukrainian designer living in Poland), I thought at first, I should create a sketch and then I could choose manufactures that would help to make my ideas alive. I stick to this rule when I am designing and making ready-to-wear clothes. Futhermore, I am opened to the mystery of improvisation; that’s how I’ve met and find Polish photographer Marcin Ciepieniak. My last projects were pure improvisation without even a single small sketch. When you sit and don’t know what are you going to do, these are such interesting emotions, you can feel like a child with your fabrics and dry goods like puzzles. It keeps your brain active and allows you to think, make decisions quickly. I have all I need to do something unpredictable. Sometimes I use old things in my projects. This helps me to look at them in a different undiscovered way. I buy diverse atypical parts of toys or hats, belts and designing something a brand new. In my designs I like to use other types of plastic sheeting, they remind me materials from space life. I believe every creative project has a soul… It's a part of our inner world.

I have a team of people holding the same views with whom I make indoor and outdoor photo sessions and having a lot of fun working together obviously. I cooperate with model Yuliia Mykhaliuk. Also, from time to time I pull together with Altergroup Poland and we present our atypical fashion on festivals. I've participated in more than 10 fashion shows, such as Pyrkon (the main fantasy festival in Poland), Cytadela, Comic-Con, International trade of fashion, Tattoo convention, LL fashion art festival (Lublin) and so on. I like challenges, so I often take part in competitions. I've already participated in the following contests:

- Clothing at the court of King Jan III, Wilanów (1st prize in the category of inspirations),

- Olimpiada for creative shaping of forms (3rd prize in the category «Uniform Character»),

- International Nessebar Art Competition, Bulgaria (1st prize),

Moreover, in 2018 I had my exhibition where I showed not only clothes but also my drawings. When I need to express myself in another way I draw and paint using aquarelle paints, markers, and gel pens. I am applying these techniques to create prints of clothes.

Most frequently asked question is how I can find inspiration. Honestly, it can happen anywhere: I can find my old sketches and create new associations, it can be going shopping to second hands, goods there can influence my creative thinking. Of course, the best way to get new emotions and ideas is to travel. I am traveling a lot and I see inspiration almost everywhere: in buildings, in people in the streets, in museums even in leaves laying on the ground. I like to meet and talk to the people, it gives me energy.

Please feel free to contact me on facebook. My facebook page is

https://www.facebook.com/alyona.zozulia

I wish you all live with inspiration in every part of life. Thanks, MODELLENLAND MAGAZINE for the publication.