Stories created by a Montenegrin designer Ana Krgović they are far from the usual fashion conventions. Precisely thanks to her vision of non-standard fashion, Krgović was invited to participate in the FASHIONCLASH Festival, where there will be designers from more than 20 countries. This festival gathers young designers and artists whose work is closely related to fashion, and the event itself aims to market the most innovative fashion solutions.
With the previous collection "Invisible Path", Ana managed to push the boundaries, attract the attention of fashion lovers and visit events related to this field of art around the world, and at the aforementioned festival she will present a collection for which she drew inspiration from her personal life.
"At the Fashionclash Festival, which will take place in the Netherlands, I will premiere the "Pieces of You" collection. The collection was created through research into the psychology of transformation and personal loss - a personal but also universal theme. It is inspired by the philosophical thoughts of great thinkers who were concerned with questioning transformation and authenticity. I am proud to present my collection at one of the most prestigious festivals dedicated to fashion, which reflects exactly the kind of fashion I create. Fashionclash is not just a fashion event - it is a platform that pushes the boundaries of fashion and gives young, talented artists from all over the world the opportunity to show their most innovative solutions. It is an extraordinary honor that, through the application, I was chosen as one of the six designers who will open the first and main night of the festival", says Krgović in an interview with Vijesti and adds that this moment represents not only a great success, but also a fantastic opportunity to present Montenegro on the world fashion scene.
"In co-production with Fashionclash, I had the opportunity to create a fashion performance for the first time, which was a special challenge because until now I had never done performances, but only fashion shows. Since May of this year, we have been working with professional trainers who helped us create such unique and inspiring performances. The fashion performance will take place in the Church of St. Anne in Maastricht, which is not the first time that fashion is positioned in such a place. Big designers like McQueen and others made fashion shows in similar locations back in the nineties," Krgović reminded.
This festival gave birth to many talents who later became very successful. Just showing her ideas somewhere where fashion is not seen only through evening or prom dresses, but where every segment of its creation is appreciated - draft, production, details, cut motivates her, but also inspires her to show her creativity without fearing that she has to wash it off. current trends.
"When I create, I never think about creating something that is a trend. I always think about how to remain myself and authentic, because that is the most important thing for a brand", she explains and points out that in addition to countless trends, it is crucial to remain consistent with herself and recognizable, which she succeeds in doing.
"That's where the real strength lies - that I don't adapt to passing fashions, but create something that has a long-lasting and personal stamp. The creations I create reflect the spirit and time of this era, but they are not just passing trends - they are part of something that transcends time frames. It is this combination of modernity and timelessness that makes my works unique. It's actually amazing how fashion and time coexist, because it's almost impossible to separate fashion from the time in which it was created. Fashion is inextricably linked to the social, political and cultural circumstances in which it develops. That's why it's extremely important in my work to research as much as I can, because designers have to keep up with the times in order to create fashion that changes at an incredible speed”.
Through her work, she has shown that she is happy to push boundaries, and the pieces with her signature are not simply cut, but are very creative and demanding in terms of design. He admits that sometimes it is difficult to find a creative solution and bring something new, unusual, different with each piece, he says.
"Often, when we design something, I face the challenge of not being able to immediately find a technical way to realize my vision. My creative side is often much stronger than the technical side, so a long process of searching for solutions, experimenting and adapting follows. It requires a lot of time, patience and effort to make the idea, which was just a concept in my head at the beginning, become a reality. That process is challenging, but at the same time, it gives a sense of achievement when you manage to realize what initially seemed like an impossible mission", said Krgović honestly, who showed that she is ready to face risks, and that she prefers to explore rather than go. to safety”. In this way, he creates an authentic story, but like any other art, so does fashion - someone can understand the idea of a designer (painter, musician), and someone can't. However, the audience must also be educated in order to be able to understand, and perhaps one day present something that is not simple and has already been seen.
"Over time, I realized that it is not important that everyone likes what I create and that everyone understands me. Fashion, like any other art, carries a certain risk and challenge - it is possible that some people understand it, while others do not. In some countries, there is a more developed sense of conceptual design and art in fashion, while in others it is not yet so accepted. However, the most important thing for me is that people hear my story, and not just see the pieces I create. Fashion design is not only about clothes; there is also a narrative part, an idea, a philosophy, a process. I think it's important to present what I do, because behind every piece there is a deeper story", he explains and says that in the process of educating the audience, it is crucial that people understand that fashion is not frivolous, as many consider it today.
"It has many more meanings that I can discover and understand over time. Fashion is not only about brands, luxury and looking beautiful. It is a broad field, an inexhaustible source of inspiration that has been dealt with by writers, theorists, artists, sociologists and many others who questioned it through key moments, social changes, movements, etc., Krgović reminds.
Her approach to fashion is not limited to the aspect of dressing, but explores, as she herself states, its deeper sociological and psychological context. In the previous collection, she combined many incompatible cultures - African and European, and precisely the combination of the incompatible gives greater creativity and freedom, because whatever she does is unexpected and different.
"It's a challenge, but it's this freedom in combining different influences that allows me to create something new, unexpected and different. In fashion, as in any other art form, I think there should be no boundaries. The union of the incompatible does not mean only aesthetic innovation, but also the creation of a deeper connection between cultures, time and space. Through such a multidisciplinary approach, I create a dialogue that is authentic, challenging and far from what has already been seen", explains Krgović.
But she didn't just connect the incompatible. Namely, Ana has so far explored the language of colors in her models, but also combined two. When asked how wrongly combined colors can change the message she wants to convey with the creation and whether there are any colors that, in her opinion, should not be combined, she answers:
"Rules and stereotypes in fashion often limit creativity and individuality. These are the stereotypes we hear most often about combining colors, shapes and materials. I think it's important not to adhere to those frameworks, because true freedom and authenticity come precisely through breaking those norms. Fashion should be an expression of itself, and not be perfectly coordinated according to some established rules, because then it is boring and uniform. Perfectly matched colors or pieces may meet aesthetic standards, but true richness comes when we dare to be who we are, when we play with the incompatible and create something that is authentic, free and true. This is not only about appearance, but also about expression and exploration of identity, and the only way to remain ourselves is to reject limitations and not be afraid to be different", concludes Krgović.
Fashion is not only about brands, luxury and looking beautiful. It is a broad field, an inexhaustible source of inspiration that has been dealt with by writers, theorists, artists, sociologists and many others who questioned it through key moments, social changes, movements
That's where the real strength lies - that I don't adapt to passing fashions, but create something that has a long-lasting and personal stamp. The creations I create reflect the spirit and time of this era, but they are not just passing trends - they are part of something that transcends time frames. It is this combination of modernity and timelessness that makes my works unique
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