Polina Pleshkova is an LA based fashion designer. She invites you to immerse yourself into a world fashioned from her creations. For her, this is, indeed, an entire world. After all, everything that exists in it is imbued with the emotions, thoughts, and energies which she wants to share with you. She does not sew, she construct things—she forms them without a single seam. In these fabrics, like two elements, cold silk is fused with warm wool. The light breathability of the organically joined natural materials gives you a feeling of harmony, comfort, style, and a sense of your own uniqueness.
I came across her designs via Flaviyake, a past blog interviewee. (You can read my interviews with Flaviyake here and here). I wanted to know more about Polina and her unique designs, so I reached out for an interview. Keep reading to find out more about Polina.
1. How did you get into fashion design?
I always wanted to be a fashion designer, as a child I learned from my grandma how to sew and to knit. But when I graduated school I went to study Finance in Prague. After 5 years I met my husband and he helped me to make my dream come true to open fashion studio.
2. What is your typical day like?
My one and a half-year-old son usually wakes me up at 8 a.m. We have a breakfast, I played with him and his babysitter comes at 10 a.m. I have my studio downstairs, so I start work at 10. Usually, till 12 I'm doing some research or continuing with the project I started before. At 2 I have lunch with my husband at home, or we drive to one of our favorite places on Ventura Blvd. I continue to work till 5 or 6 it depends on what I'm doing. After I spend the rest my day with my son, at 9 I put him to sleep and continue to work, usually, it's some sketching and marketing. My husband and I really love movies, so some evenings, we watch a movie.
3. Who or what inspires you?
Usually, it's nature, some modern architecture, fabrics.
4. You call your pieces wearable art. How long does it take you to complete a piece?
Yes. Mostly all of my designs are one of a kind, it takes about one and a half weeks to finish a dress or jumpsuit, for a shawl - few days, gloves one or two days.
5. What is your dream project?
My dream project is to make a dress for a red carpet or some crazy outfit for a show of a famous singer like Beyonce or Rihanna.
6. Who is your dream client?
That's really hard question because I don't have one. I just love all my clients and I'm really happy to see them wearing my clothes and feeling unique.
7. What's the best piece of artistic or creative advice you've been given?
I'm still waiting for one.
8. Do you have any advice for any aspiring creative professionals?
Never give up and always believe in yourself. If you really love what you are doing and believe in it, you are going to succeed.
9. What has been the highlight of your career so far?
Actually, it was my first client she bought my entire collection, even the piece I was wearing!
10. What's next for you?
Launching my prêt-a-porter collection in Los Angeles.
If you'd like to see what Polina is up to next:
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Interview by Glodeane Brown
All photos provided by Polina Pleshkova