From self-expression to global business, from utilitarian necessity to art, the spectrum covered by fashion is wider than almost any other area of product design. The diversity of the fashion industry is also represented in Latvia, and this week we look back at articles from the FOLD archive that reveal this variety.
The brand One Wolf has been offering stylish unisex clothing for everyday wear for more than ten years; in parallel with fashion, Mareunrol’s are expanding their work in the art sphere; designer Sabīne Skarule is carrying the traditions of local artisans further to the world; while Elīza Drāzniece works on the fashion business side and has represented a number of world-famous brands.
Don’t chase the hype. Interview with Elīza Drāzniece
Having worked as a buyer for many years, Elīza Drāzniece decided to turn the tables and help brands bring up their sales figures. Having gained valuable experience with Stella McCartney, she accepted a job offer from Off-White, the street-style fashion brand created by Virgil Abloh. Elīza has also helped the Latvian children’s fashion brand Aristocrat Kids get into the famous department store Harrods, and now she heads the Latvian Investment and Development Agency representative office in France.
Repair 2 by One Wolf
Since 2011, One Wolf collections combine functionality, wit, intelligence, and ascethetics that reflect designer Agnese Narnicka’s thoughts on the modern city dweller. The spring–summer 2018 collection Repair 2 of One Wolf was dedicated to people with «golden hands» — masters of the trade, who care about their work. The collection was among the finalists of the Design Award of Latvia 2018.
Fashion duo Mareunrol’s work compiled in a book
In the book published by Arterritory.com, countless images reveal Mareunrol’s unique way of thinking, which has resulted in seventeen fashion collections, costumes for fourteen opera and theatre productions, and a variety of art projects. «They create a «new reality» or open the door to something that already exists but which we don’t notice in our daily lives and therefore think doesn’t exist. They are researchers, thinkers, and artists at the same time,» writes Una Meistere in the introduction to the publication.
Sabīne Skarule wins H&M Design Award with her collection +371
In 2019, Sabīne Skarule won one of the world’s most prestigious fashion industry awards for young designers, the H&M Design Award. In the award-winning collection +371, the designer’s childhood memories are interwoven with traditional handicraft techniques and elements of Latvian folk costumes. The designer continues to develop this direction in her work, and this year her latest collection, Vaguely Latvian, received a special prize from the jury of the Design Award of Latvia 2023.
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