Heavy on Fashion Talks to Olga Pastyrnak

Hello all my fashion divas and gurus! I am so happy to bring you an exclusive interview with fashion designer Olga Pastyrnak. Olga Pastyrnak is a great fashion line that premiere in late 2014 in New York City. The Olga Pastyrnak collection is all about the modern women with a wardrobe that reflects both her strength and her beauty.  

So without any further ado, Here is 

Heavy on Fashion Talks to Olga Pastyrnak!

Where are you from? ​

I am from a small town in the middle of Massachusetts, lived in western Europe for a few years as a teenager, and moved permanently to New York in 2010. 

Where do you get your inspiration?​ ​

My inspiration can be absolutely anything. Recently I was watching a child’s cartoon, and something about the color combination and the pattern of an animated dinosaur caught my attention and turned into a dress concept. That’s not the norm, of course, but in a profession that requires creativity, you train yourself to stop and consider anything that strikes your attention. Even if it’s a memory or an emotion invoked by a sight or a smell – it can be turned into a practical idea. 

What are your favorite colors to work with and why? ​

I love both neutrals and very saturated, dark tones – midnight blue, deep Bordeaux red, heavy purple. There is something inherently serious and sophisticated about these color categories which works nicely with the silhouettes and the aesthetic that I create. That being said, color theory is a fascinating science to me, so I welcome all color. My favorite piece in the current collection is a bright persimmon red. 

What was the first article of clothing you ever designed? ​

Impossible to say. I have thousands of sketches from my childhood, and unfortunately I only started dating them a few years in. I have a dream of one day creating every design I ever came up with. I think it would be really unique to incorporate some of the roots of OP into the collections as the brand grows. 

Describe the general process you go through to design and realize a piece of clothing. ​

It is very long and involves a lot of staring. Staring and thinking. If I try to put pencil to paper and just “come up” with something, I usually end up hating it. But if there is a concept in my mind that I envision for a couple of days, usually by the time I sketch it I already like it quite a bit. And from there, it is a process of editing, which, like I said, is a matter of looking at it for a couple of weeks, and tweaking it until it is what I want it to be. 

How would you define the style your line exemplifies? ​

I use the word “professional” to describe it, although the line has nothing to do whatsoever with work wear. I don’t know that there exists a word that carries the same weight as ‘professional’ but applies to life outside of work. But if there does, that would be the word I use. It’s for the woman who is serious, cares about the way she presents herself, but still wants to look beautiful, sexy, and effortless. She is wildly confident, intelligent and multi-faceted, and her style is a reflection of this. 

If you had the chance to dress *anyone* who would it be.. who do they think is the most stylish person around? ​

Amal Clooney. 

What are some of your proudest accomplishments as a designer? 

​I think so important is the moment you find your point of view as a designer, and for me that is a moment I will always remember and be proud of. 

What do you hope to have achieved in the industry, 10 years from now? ​

Ten years from now I hope to have translated my idea of dressing into men’s, children’s and more accessible fashion. The message I preach I believe should be available for everyone, and I hope to have expanded the line into many directions in ten years. 

Finally, what does fashion mean to you? ​

Fashion for me is a language. When you walk into a room, I believe your look should do a certain amount of talking even before you do. When getting dressed, a woman should look into the mirror and ask herself, “what are three words a stranger who sees me for the first time would use to describe me based on what I’m wearing?”. Remember, what someone judges about your style they usually will attribute to you, too, so take charge of the message you are sending.

Check out more of the Olga Pastyrnak collection at: 

Website: http://www.olgapastyrnak.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Olga_Pastyrnak

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olga.pastyrnak/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olgapastyrnak/