My interview for the magazine Thessaloniki City.
(***exact translation from Russian)
Today our guest – Fashion Designer Irina Korneeva, founder of the women’s clothing brand “Stylati”.
– Good morning, Irina! How long you are in fashion?
– My passion to apparel started in young age. My father was an artist, so I grew up in a creative environment. I started to draw at young age and i was graduated from Fine Arts School. I always liked to create handmade things, to make decor, to sew and to knit something, to make jewelry, and even to create dolls. After school I study at Moscow University of Arts and Technologies, Department of Design and Applied Arts. I graduated from the university with honors. After I worked for 15 years as an assistant and then as asenior fashion designer in different Moscow companies.
– How did you move to Greece?
– In recent years in Russia, I worked in a big Moscow clothing company. The work was associated with frequent trips to Istanbul – we produced there 50% of our collection. There I met my husband, and soon i moved to Greece. For a few years I continued to work with the russian company, with regular trips to Istanbul.
– Is it difficult to start a business here?
– I was lucky, I met people with the same enthusiasm for fashion. Eastern Macedonia and Thrace was famous for their textile companies before the crisis. Of course we are at the beginning, we have to do a lot. For example, our web site, we did without any help, as well as photoshootings. For now we have released the first collection of dresses, jumpsuits and now we produce knitwear and jersey collection.
– What is the DNA of your brand, what is the difference with the others?
– Inspired by pure forms, i like to play with the silhouettes, textures, lines. I try to emphasize the feminine side of every woman without to shade her personality. I like to make a “flexible” model and to stylize it depending on mood. “Stylati” in Greek means “elegant”, which is 100% reflects the philosophy of our brand. Individuality, naturalness, simplicity, femininity, functionality – are the key characteristics of our brand.
– Where can I find and buy your collection?
– Our collection is presented on our website. We make delivery all over the world. Thanks to modern technologies, even people on the other side of the earth can learn about our brand. We work directly with customer and we believe that is the most effective way, because anyone can make a comment or post a question and immediatly to have a full answer.
– It seems that fashion design is your hobby and your job. Do you have any other interests?
– I like to travel, to learn something new. I have a garden with a huge variety of colors. I love all animals. I have a dog, we move together. Being in Moscow, I met a wonderful person – Ekaterina Panova. She has founded the Charitable Foundation for stray animals (RAY). Together we did a Charitable collection of T-shirts with thematic prints. All profits from this collection go to help to stray dogs and cats. Now we are preparing a new collection, more diverse – with shirts and sweatshirts for the whole family.
– What are your plans for the future?
– In the near future I would like to focus on the development of the company, to promote my collection and my vision of style and fashion.
