All roads lead to Paris.
Every designer, editor and critic knows that the height of style and sophistication reside in Paris, so it’s no surprise that many creatives are drawn to present their collections during PFW.
Dubai-based designer Kristina Fidelskaya travelled to the city of lights for the Fall 2019 season, and below she shares exactly what it takes to put on a runway show in Paris.
Fashion Never Sleeps
During Fashion Week, one week before the show, the whole team comes together and we follow a very tight schedule. We have a lot to do once we are on ground to make sure the collection is finished and looking great by show time. This means working long hours, sometimes until 2am. Styling and casting sessions take a long time, and time during fashion week is very precious. It’s very hard work, but very rewarding at the same time.
The Stage
The catwalk show during fashion week is when present our collection to the public for the first time. It is an important moment for me as a designer but also for my whole team who have worked so hard up until this point. AW19 was our fourth show in Paris, but the first one on the official presentation calendar. I wanted to show my vision of who the KRISTINA FIDELSKAYA woman is to the world and so I wanted to create a KRISTINA FIDELSKAYA universe through the choice of the location; Pavillon Cambon, the music, the collection, the models, the hair & make up, the collection/story.
Teamwork
A fashion show is a very big production and there are lots of different components to oversee. I am very involved in the whole operation, from the styling of the looks, to the choice of music, models, venue, and the creative direction of our show, I am fortunate to work with people who understand my vision and what I am trying to create. I couldn’t do what I do without my team and so keeping everybody happy, in good spirits and motivated is very important to me.
Paris
Paris is one of my favourite cities, but especially during fashion week as the place comes alive. You can feel in the atmosphere that you are a part of something special, hotels and restaurants are full, there are lots of stylish people on the streets and there are numerous fashion shows during the day and social activities during the night. It can be challenging to get things done because everybody is doing the same thing at the same time; models, makeup artists, media, buyers, the locations, everything is booked and packed. However, I love it, working in this environment is very exciting for me.
Love What You Do
I named my AW19 collection ‘Happiness’ and it mirrors a woman with bright energy and an unstoppable inner smile. What I found out is that if you want to be successful to get what you want, it’s important to love what you do
Kristina Fidelskaya Fall 2019 collection will soon be available at The Dubai Mall store.
Are you ready to take on Paris?
Media: Supplied
