Designer
ALENA FEDE | Fashion, interior, graphic designer, artist, from Russia, Moscow, lives in USA, Charleston, SC. From Italian word Fede means Faith That you cannot give up. Always keep it moving
keep going. Do not be afraid of expressing yourself with your ideas and creativity.
When did you realize you wanted to be a fashion designer?
I was born with the desire to design clothes
I always just had a love of creativity and fashion for as long as I can remember. I was a little girl my mother was a seamstress (it was more like her hobby, she was making cloths for me and my younger sister) and she always had lots of fabrics at house. She taught me to sew and we made a sunbonnet. After that, I made all kinds of doll clothes. I was always making things for myself to wear, or playing around with clothes i had to make them more interesting, fit better. I often took vintage dresses from my grandmother′s house, simply for the fabric and took them in to fit my measurements, shorten them, wear them backwards, re-arrange panels, essentially do whatever instinctively feels right to take something old and make it relevant again but in a different way.
I loved creating drawings too. Besides dance classes, taking while elementary school, my parents decided to take me to the Art School, where I studied for 5 years. Then I entered the University of Art and Design The third year in is when I realized that fashion Design is what I wanted to do when I chose my major in Fashion Design after challenging myself participating in multiple-city competitions and a big support from people.
I wanted to go to a level of you can′t find that anywhere.
What′s the first piece of clothing you designed and/or made?
The first piece of clothing I designed was a dress for my doll I made when I was about 6-7 years old. When no one was at home, I took my mother′s scissors for cutting a fabric and cut off a big piece of curtains made out of lace that my parents just got from Germany. My mother was very happy to see that
:)
How did you go from design graduate to Designer and founder of Alena Fede Design Studio?
My business started as a hobby when I was making dresses for my friends, which eventually became my profession, and was solely financed by my savings. After my University I always hoped and planned for my clothing line to be a serious business. I moved to USA, Charleston, SC. I started from showing my newest collections on local Runways and shooting catalogs, to making private orders for the occasional client in my apartment and things grew from there. I learned how to manage a clothing store. And now I run my own studio and this is what I am doing full time-making new designs each season, and working with my clients.
Be unique, and feel special in the design of your dreams created and fitted just for you!
What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
There is nothing like seeing people on the roads of Charleston wearing and loving your designs
just gives me goosebumps
:))
I really enjoy dressing people. When people come into my studio, and I put an outfit together for them and they look fantastic they′re really happy. I like knowing that someone′s life is better because of what I do, that make the women who wear my designs feel special and one of a kind.
When I see that look of confidence on my client′s face
that′s when I know it′s the right dress
if she feels comfortable and confident,
she will look and feel beautiful.
How would you define your style?
My fashion is defined by the streets, the color, the vibe of the people who live here, its inspired by the mash-up of cultures. I like the easy elegance of my designs. I make sure that all the designs are very comfortable and very easy to wear. I really like simplicity and fresh/clean designs and i try to keep my collections this way. I like to work with structure, to go outside the lines. I am a modernist, but I always go to the past for research. I need to know what came before so I can break the rules and make something different and elegant.
A.F. is synonymous with classic elegance, understated, timeless beauty, chic, sophistication, earthy and natural, feminity and strength, with signature detailing of all natural fabrics, modernism and glamorous shapes of vintage, lots of lace, ruffles, beading at the same time minimalism
|