Sophie Kula at FASHIONCLASH Festival 2015

photo Piotr Domagala

Today we present one of our polish talents, who are going to present and sell their pieces at FASHIONCLASH Festival Market 2015. Sophie Kula, polish designer Warsaw-based, established her brand in 2011. Since that time she presented her designs in many places in Europe, including Paris or Tbilisi. She graduated at International Costume and Fashion Design School in Warsaw. Her newest collection 'La Magie Noire' is inspired with slavic legends and original samples will be exposed at the Market!


What is your most name worthy achievement up to now in relation to fashion field?
I am proud to say that I have been a finalist for a number of competitions such as: ‘‘Off Fashion’’, “Fashion Oscars” , NOWFASHION; Mod’Art in Paris, or Art&Fashion Forum in Poznań. In 2013 I was nominated for the prize: Silesia Fashion Point. In 2014, I won one of prize in Contest “Be Next” in Georgia. Award was a scholarship “Fashion Marketing &Buisness for Professionals” in Domus Academy in Milan. 

My first collection was named as ‘Thmubelina/Patchwork Soup’, but my second collection named ‘Global Warming’ was the one, that started to gain attention from fashion professionals and audience. ‘Global Warming’ was shown at the 11th Open Air Festival in Gdańsk, Festival Neo Fashion Jamboree in Bielsko Biała and Silesia Fashion Look 2013 in Katowice. My third collection – ‘Sweet Memories’ was presented at ‘Elite Model Look Final’ competition in August 2013. In January, during Haute Couture Fashion Week in Paris, at Young Fashion Designer Exhibition Art Georgia, my third collection was presented. My last collection ‘La Magie Noire’ had premiere during Paris Fashion Week in showroom POLISH FASHION NOW in March 2015, and lastly I have presented my collection recently at MB Fashion Week in Tbilisi. 

I want to keep my designs in cheerful and colourful character. In my clothing I use high-quality textiles and majority of my pieces are hand-made ended. I design for individualistic and energetic women.


Who are your artistic influences or inspirations and why? 
My inspirations are coming from my travels, meeting new people and the celebration of life. I also find inspirations from movies and music, which I love equally as fashion.

Photo Filip Skronc

Finding your own voice is difficult, where and how do you find your personal creativity (before you start designing; during the design process)?
In my design process. I am looking for interesting subject, topic, which give a start for a whole collection. Then I am looking for fabrics, ending, accessories with correspondent to the subject. And that is the begging of the designing process.

What was the most important thing your parents taught you, that you now bring into your work? 
My parents always support me in my fashion careers, what I see as very essential in taking another steps. They taught me to always be myself and that nothing comes easily in life

What was your most memorable experience in your life? 
When I was seven years old I went to Euro Disneyland in Paris and it became the strongest memory from my childhood. Also the trip with my grandfather to India, Nepal and flight above the Himalayas totally blown my mind.

photo Laura Dolegowska

Which item in your wardrobe really typifies you and why?
A pieces from my wardrobe that strongly typifies me are my dresses and my foulards which were designed by my aunts because they look adorable and really match to my sense of style.

What is your most favorite accessory and why?
My favorite accessory are hair dress and colorful foulards because they have a dose of craziness which I adore.

What is your most favorite brand and why? 
My favorite brand is Manish Arora because his designs are positive and colorful, they contain a lot of details which take a lot of time of work on.

Photo Michal Pukowiec

How would you define fashion? 
I see fashion as a mix of vanity fair with art pieces of art.

What do you strive for in your work?
I want to grow my skills and have a good brand, with strong identity, high quality product and proper distribution.



What makes your items different from others (What is your designing philosophy)? 
“Create your own visual style… let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others. “ — Orson Welles

What is the contemporary condition of fashion in your place of residence? 
Poland is one of the post-communist country, therefore the fashion, art and culture development after the war took more time to recover. National and regional brands, fashion magazines, cultural events are less than 25 years old. For many years fashion was on the bottom of the Poles hierarchy of needs – mostly because of the financial problems. Now, slowly the high-end and luxurious brands are ‘entering’ Poland, and more and more polish designers can seek for the clients. However, Poles are still not entirely ready for clothing experiments and brave-colours matches. But every year is getting better and better.

Why have you decided to participate at FASHIONCLASH?
It will be my first time at FASHIONCLASH Festival - many people have recommend me this event, so I decided to try for new experiences and contact with industry professionals and potential clients.

What is your price range? 
My pret-a-porter projets start from 70 euros, but hand-made (collection PREMIUM) will starts from 200 euro.

How do you balance between the function of the items and the appearance of them? 
I find solution in combining both of these aspects by creating two kinds of collections. My first, pret-a-porter focuses on more casual forms, but obviously includes many colours. Collection premium requires a bit more of imagination and a strong personality – this is why many of my premium clients are artists and musicians, who want to catch the attention during their performances.

photo Michal Jedrzejowski and Tomek Lisboska