There are a lot of interesting, talented people around us. Lots of professionals whose work we admire, whose names we don’t know. Professionals who can share their experience, who can teach us to do our work better. If it’s all about you – please, don’t hesitate to send a request to olga{at}olgabohan.com, let’s meet.
We’re glad to start our People column with a talented girl, fashion illustrator and TSUM Department Store Deputy Creative Director – Alena Lavdovskaya.
Alena, please, tell us about your educational background
I’ve started to dig into fashion at Academy of Art University in San Francisco when I was 15, then graduated from Moscow State Textile University and took fashion course at NABA Milano.
How come you become interested in the fashion industry?
I grew up in a very artistic atmosphere. Once when I was a little girl, I was sitting and watching how our family friend (Georgian artist Malhaz Zizkishvili) was drawing costumes for the play. At that moment I saw how the lines can create beautiful dresses and drapes. From that time I decided that I want to do fashion.
What are your responsibilities as a TSUM deputy creative director?
We have a very strong creative team at TSUM which we’ve been putting up together throughout years. Designers, artists, decorators, 3D designers, production – every person is essential, everyone has his own vision and is a perfectionist. My role is to generate ideas, draw illustratios, to put everything together in one complete story, together with our Creative director Daniil Berg to make the beauty&commerce work. TSUM Creative Department is producing the windows for TSUM Petrovka &TSUM Barvikha, designing the in-store promotional spaces & graphics, atrium and as well is responsible for the advertising campaigns.
How often do you change window displays design for the store? What is the main idea that you attempt to convey through those displays, do you collaborate with famous artists and designers?
We usually change the windows 6-8 times a year, featuring launch of the new season, Christmas time, Promotional stories & Arts, Sales and Back 2 school. We focus on the key trends and advertising campaign on the ”New Season” windows, create a classical fairy-tales for Christmas and do outrageous stories for Promo&Art windows (ex, “China Forward”, Indian weeks).
You also work as a fashion-illustrator, is it the only one theme for your illustrations and why? How could you describe your style?
Yes, it’s my favorite hobby, which I dedicate all my free time to. At the moment I’m collaborationg with glossy magazines such as Elle, Glamour, International Textiles, Styles, etc. Also I’m drawing illustrations for on-line trend-forecasting services such as www.stylisight.com (NY) and www.beautystreams.com (Paris). I’ve been always interested in fashion illustration because I love to capture the beautiful people in their stylish looks.
I started to take it more seriously after doing the illustrative TSUM advertising campaign (FW 2010/11). During the process of creating the images I realised how important it is to work in a team with stylist and to draw from the life-model.
I collect books and old images on fashion illustration, as I feel that there’s nothing better than hand-drawn illustration. My style is inspired by Rene Gruau – the master of all times. His feeling of line and color is iconic for me. I love to do fast emotional illustrations and use mostly pencil, ink and good «faded» paper.
You’ve been to Paris Fashion Week this year, tell us about this experience. What did you do and who did you meet there?
It’s essential for a professional in fashion industry to see the shows in-live. I agree that style.com is a great tool to review the trends ,but nothing is compared with the drive&atmosphere of the show. I’ve made lots of quick sketches on the shows and just enjoyed every moment.
How do you see your future in the industry?
Successfull:)
Tell us about your plans for the season
To draw tonns of illustrations, to travel to new places, meet new amazing people, to love, to work with passion.
Who is your favorite designer?
Alber Elbaz for the cut, Tom Ford for his seductive style, Donna Karan for her dresses, John Galliano for his courage, Domenice Dolce&Stefano Gabbana for their italian feminity, Rick Owens for his darkness, Rei Kawakubo for her never-ending experiment…There are quite a lot, but lately I’m very much addicted to Tomas Meier for Bottega Veneta. For the elegance, purity and beautiful colors.
We wish Alena successfull career and a lot of new interesting projects!
To see Alena’s portfolio go to http://www.lavdovskaya.com/ and follow our updates, we’ll post TSUM windows design by Alena pretty soon!
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