From “Vogue” demonstration to own brand
vikvdesign
In Interview Posted August 15, 2018
As the proverb says: “Never judge a book by its cover”, so if you want to be met good everywhere, you should select a qualitative brand clothes. Therefore, you should visit the “TERRASSE” VIP-clothes boutique network without any fail.
“TERRASSE” are the newest shops of Italian clothes for women, having the fresh perspectives and appreciating the practicality, functionality and elegancy as well as good taste. The truth is that the clothes should be not only as the wind or as cold protection mean, it is the demonstration of the own individuality.
Every time in its new collections “TERRASSE” uses the variety of clothes, and a lot of contrasts, and the colors are suitable for any case. The delicacy, design soleness, as well as the creative approach of the best fashion designers of IMPERIAL and Gil Santucci make a fresh impetus of delicacy and insularity into the each detail. Collections have an accent on the
individuality and exclusiveness, and the popular Italian women clothes brands draw the eye by its feminity and glamour. Created images will force to feel like top model of the great Italian designers fashion shows, and the price of these clothes is moderate, and the quality is excellent.
Viktoriia Vlasenko is the founder and owner of the popular store chain “TERRASSE” where the famous and successful people of Chernigiv region are dressed. The businesswoman pssed a long and persistent way of designer and finally created the network of the brand European clothes, which constantly extends and, as we hope, will become the countrywide network. How did all this story began, and what supported it? We can know it from conversation with Viktoriia.
– Why did you select the clothes design namely for you?
– Generally, I am a creative person, because I was born in Ripky, and since my childhood, I like the marvelous nature of my native land, and, since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, I was painting all the time, even in the kindergarten my paintings were the best. The famous heroes of Walt Disney were my first works, I almost portrayed all of them, and it was very good. I was transferred into the senior group even, where I helped children to paint. In the first gymnasium class, I have my own students. In addition to it, I liked molding and always took first places in different
competitions. But, in a moment, all my numerous molding works, occupying some of exhibition tables, has broken “accidentally”, and, as, my teacher tried to explain, all this was done before the regional competition (let it to be on her conscience). My creative impulse was petrified by this act, and I stopped drawing for a long time. But my mental feelings fond its reflection in poems, which became the reflection of my emotions and creative urges during the definite period.
– Whom you considered yourself to be in the future?
-When I was a senior school student, I choose the journalist’s profession finally and even I have a thought to enter into the correspondent metropolitan education institution. But then I remembered about my passion for drawing and decided to become a designer. But, at that moment, the having of skills was not enough to become a student, the definite amount of money was need also. In one education institution they demanded 5000 dollars for the entering, but in the other one I was qualified for free tuition. When I was a student of Kiev state institute of decorative and applied arts and design, the terms “academic painting, painting and composition” were unusual for me, but I have licked all the difficulties. But I have to leave the study for the sake of disappointment in the methodology of the study and the absence of free creative self-actualization.
– What did you do later?
– I was dreaming about America during the long time, but got a refusal and went to Canada, where I worked during one year. Especially I remembered two Canadian cities, Vancouver and Edmonton, due to their full complementary antithesis to each other: warm and rainy Edmont, where I wanted to sleep, and cold Vancouver with a temperature -50 degrees. During that period all my creativeness was painting on order and making of different sushi dishes, and I studied language speaking with the residents. After returning. I tried again to go to the USA and to enter into the American educational institutions to study, but constantly I have the refusals. During that period I even was an icon painter in a metropolitan monastery, it was interesting to me, but all the time I was frightening of monotonous work and visual deterioration. Then I worked as administrator in one famous metropolitan pub where the embassy workers were the frequent guests and due to this I could pull my English language.
– Did your parents was sensitive to such multiple life?
– First of all they did not understand me very much, but later the understanding and support have appeared, and now my mother Galyna full helps me, providing the administrative and staff management work, and I response for the shops fulfillment and fashion tendencies.
– But how did you find it in a fashion and textile design?
– I started sewing from the sixth form by cutting skirts of the mother and grandmother and their turnout into my own taste, and when the disco time has begun, I tried to create something interesting and inimitable for each time (even one hour before the dance) so all the girls were surprised. After some pause and fail to get to the USA I decided to enter the Italian education institution, but, by virtue of the fact that entering from Ukraine takes a year for wiating, I decided to go to Italy and enter there directly. It was done, and during some weeks only I took the need exams, completed all required papers and became the studentof the Institute of European design in Milano. It was unbelievable even for the Italians, because of our course was 100 students from all the countries, and only 6 were awarded by diploma, because the study had required the all-out efforts and possibilities without allowing to relax. Particularly, the boys were the best to rough such efforts, but they are not the same as our boys, because they are in the high fashion world the local men primarily have a nonstandart orientation, from teachers to students. I should tell that, being a student, I took part in a fashion show of the famous magazine “Vogue”.
– Why, having a well-respected diploma, you did not stay to work in Italy?
– You understand, even having a diploma, the foreigners in high fashion world are always a second class people, and the attitude towards you is outward, because the Italians are themselves the best- talented fashionists, and I did not want to live in such way. In addition to this, the fashion has two courses – fashion industry and tailoring. As for me, I did not want to work in commerce and stay in tune with the fashion because I got to the success of the different individual brand suits. So, I made the seventh, fortune effort to go to USA, because there the movie industry is developed, I planned to find my talents realization. I was not here for a long time, but it was not so easy to find the position of costume designer, because this position has almost familiar character and requires the membership in a specific masters and actors group. I was a graphic designer. Then I started my work in the low budget films as costume designer. By the way, I want to add, that even there have been the negotiations about the filming based on the famous Steven King’s story. But due to the family circumstances, I was forced to return to the Homeland.
-What was your fate after the returning?
– Having nothing to do is not my habit, and, having an experience on clothes, I’ve had an idea to open in our country the network of shops “TERRASSE, because I have already known a lot of French and Italian clothes designers. Shops design is also my handiwork, and the clothes is of well-known trademarks, but in my dreams I think about the own production and implementation of author ideas. In addition, I want to get in touch with USA with our brand, where the prestige European clothes, in my opinion, will have demand.
-I know, you work with our philharmonic center …
-Yes, I have already created some costumes for actors, especially for Olga Pechko (in a style of romantic and rock, using metal). In addition, for the “Alice in Wonderland” performance (phantasy style). I hope, that we will work in further.
-What is the origin of the original handmade dolls in your shop?
– It is my old hobby, because previously I liked molding, but now I also make dolls. First, it was an ordinary images, but then the images turned into the caricatures and they fit well into the separate collections. And, as in the major part of my collection reaches out forever due to its sold or gifting, because their saving takes alot of place (even threr is no photo), the dolls are the compact “chip” in memory. In addition, they decorate the windows in shops.
– Except work, what is your interest as a personality?
– I like cooking, for example, and cook all dishes, but often I have no time, but I am unpretentious, and, returning from abroad, I want to eat the ordinary fried potatoes and herring,
because they are not there. Last time I read professional design books. I like the experiencenature rest, in a wood on our Blue lakes. I like different music, but especially the “Queen”. I was in Vietnam (I liked it), in China (because of the contrast of poverty and prosperity), and in my dreams is to visit Japan, because it is a very original and interesting country from the design
point. I want to have a cat, but often and during a long time.
– What is your place in living dreams?
– With the soul component I like Ukraine, but, looking for career, I would live in USA, for example, in California, where in perspective to realise under our “TERRASSE” brand not only the European clothes, but the own creative projects, in order to make our country well-known in the world.
– How does your life credo sound?
– Never stop! In addition, live the life of worthy and interesting …
– And we also wish you the constant creative progress and rich life!
