Focus On Katrina Macpherson

Our Inspirational Woman this week is Founder and Owner of In+Addition. I have photographed Katrina quite a few times over the years but usually in her office with her team around her. For the first time she was was relaxed during the shoot and we had a lot of fun (well I did anyway :)) Katrina is a Brand and Communications Strategist which allows her to merge her love of business and fashion. Here is her story - 

D: Tell me a bit about yourself and your journey in fashion so far.

K: I’ve always had a strong interest in business, even from a young age. My favourite game as a child was pretending I had an office, answering calls, taking meetings - I liked to be busy! As I grew older, I realised I also had a creative side, and whilst I wasn’t particular artistic myself, I loved cultivating ideas, I appreciated good design and had an acute sense of aesthetic. Fashion, and more concretely the business of fashion, brought these two worlds together for me. I love how they interact and how dynamic the industry is. I set up my consultancy “IN+ADDITION” after working at Vogue Spain, Louis Vuitton, British Fashion Council and Harrods to cater to luxury brands and projects that require 360 degree expertise across Branding, Marketing and Communications. 

D: What made you decide to set up your own business?

K: I always thought I would have my own business, however IN+ADDITION actually happened almost by accident initially. I had started consulting for a start up after Harrods thinking I would work for them full-time once they were funded, but in the meantime, I had many people and opportunities present themselves to me and before I knew it, I needed an office, a team and a limited company etc in order to fulfil the work coming through. 

D: I have read you can speak five and a half languages. Do you think being multilingual has helped you in business?

K: Almost certainly! I’m in the business of communication and being able to communicate in the likes of Spanish, French and Italian has been so helpful and particularly relevant. Understanding how people think via language is a whole psychology in itself. It’s interesting that now there seems to be a bit of a spotlight on Poland in the fashion world, I’m hoping I might be able to practice my Polish, which I learnt from my mother. I so wish I could speak Arabic and Chinese - maybe one day. 

D: Who or what inspires you?

K: People. My team, my clients, our extended collaborators. Chemistry is so important in making the magic happen. 

I am also inspired by the international side of fashion. I like discovering new places and designers; connecting and bridging countries and/or continents with the work that we do. 

D: Describe your own personal style.

K: I’m not sure if I have a personal style per se! I tend to adapt my style depending on my mood, where I am, what I am doing and who I’m with. I love to support our clients and independent designers and don’t tend to buy superbrands other than accessories here and there. 

I do most of my retail shopping at The Shop at Bluebird - call me bias but they have the best buy in London! 

D: You travel a lot both for work and for fun. Where is your favourite place?

K: That’s an impossible one to answer! I love travelling for work and fun, ideally combing the two together. I think there’s always something interesting to see and learn wherever you go. Highlights have included Sao Paolo, LA, Mumbai, Tulum, Dubai and Cape Town. 

Finally 

D: Tell me something surprising about yourself.

K: I obsessed with ice cream and my dog Chilli (@chillithepomsky). I won a Maths scholarship when I was 11. If my career doesn’t work out in fashion, I will most likely become a spy as I’m a good shot and my languages will come in handy - watch out everyone ;)

Credits - 
Shot 1 & 5

Wrap Jacket - Forte Forte 

Choker - Monica Sordo 

Pants - Zara 

Sandals - Zeus + Dione 

Shot 2

Top - Helmut Lang 

Skirt - Marni 

Choker - Monica Sordo 

Shoes - Rupert Sanderson 

Shot 3

Robe - For Restless Sleepers 

Silk Top - Anine Bing 

Earrings - Katerina Makriyianni 

Jeans - Zara 

Shoes - Dorateymur 

Shot 4

Shirt Dress - Racil 

Earrings - Vanda Jacintho 

Belt - Anine Bing 

Shoes - Le Monde Beryl 

 

Focus On Giorgia Cantarini

I am very lucky to be able to travel as part of my job. It gives me the wonderful opportunity to meet great people from all over the world. I first met Giorgia in Georgia (the country) during one of my favourite fashion weeks MBFashionWeekTblisi. She always stands out for me, I love the way she dresses. Not only does she look great she is also very good at what she does. There is something very special about Giorgia as you will see from our interview. Working and living in Italy, I was pleasantly surprised to see from her insta stories that she was in London and as luck would have it everything fell into place for our story to unfold.

D: Tell me a bit about yourself and your journey in fashion so far.

G: I started styling for fun at the age of eleven when I was happy to create the look for my three year old sister, who was my model. I was organizing fashion shows in my house, whose audience was my mother, it was just a game for me. I turned my sister into Queen of Atlantis, flamenco dancer, witch, princess, harlot, all using my clothes or family ones, my grandmother's jewellery, carnival costumes, doll clothes, and whatever I could make work. 

I started working during university, interning in a small editorial department where I was doing everything from writing the newspaper to styling photo shoots. 

A very interesting experience I had was at the BBC in London during a summer when I was only 17. I also did summer courses there at Central Saint Martin's School for fashion design and styling. I was in London for most of my teenage years. It is the city that holds a very special place in my heart.

Then I landed a job on the editorial staff of an independent Magazine called Made05, the first free press, where I was guided by Stefano Guerrini. He is an important professional figure in my career and over the years has become a great friend. 

Then a bit of freelance styling from Glamour, Rolling Stone, Joy, Verve. At one point I chose to try digital and for almost three years was the Fashion Editor of yoox.com. I was writing for the webzine The New Yooxer, taking care of the site image, following special projects, working alongside giants such as Nicola Formichetti, Nick Knight, Simon Foxton, Terry Jones and all the crew at i-d. However I missed the magazine world so I went back to work for Glamour with a role of fashion and web editor. While also continuing to contribute for Vogue.it for the Talents section under the guidance of Sara Maino, who is a very special person to me. 

After a brief return to e-commerce in a digital society, I found my true calling as a freelance writer and stylist: I have a blog on the website of d.repubblica.it where to talk about accessories, I act as Managing Fashion Editor for the online magazine manintown.com, I write for the Italian daily Le Repubblica and contribute for Vogue.it (also styling for them) Hunger Magazine, Whitelies magazine and recently highsnobiety.com. My collaboration with Diane Pernet on asvof.com it’s also a very important side of my work as a scouter, I also consider her as my mentor and one of the most important people in my personal life.

D: Your work allows you to travel a lot. Do you have a favourite city or country you like to be in?

G: I love Georgia and its capital Tbilisi. It’s been the place where I rediscovered myself as a stylist two years ago. I love the vibe there, the Soviet influence and aesthetics. I also found very good friends there and designers that will be truly promising in the fashion scene.

D: What do you like most about your job?

G: The idea of creating something that people can enjoy discovering and they can mirror themselves in it, saying “yes I would dress like this” or yes I enjoying reading this story because it gives me something.

D: How do you go about building your team (or tribe as it is referred to a lot these days) for a shoot?

G: I start with the concept and the type of shoot I have to do, if it’s in the studio or if it’s outside and then I match them with the photographer I think will fit the story. Generally every photographer also has a team of grooming people he/she likes or we both feel confident in working with.

D: Who or what inspires you?

G: I’m always attracted by the new, by the cultural and artistic contaminations of the countries I have visited. There is always something beautiful, a detail that intrigues me, a feeling that impresses me when I observe the creations of the up-and-coming designers. My latest discovery is POAN, Peoples of All Nations, a new London based brand designed by GeorgWeissacher.

I examine the style (if it is edgy), the creativity of the item, the presentation of the look. I’m mostly inspired by the people I meet, diversity is the key to finding inspiration. I have no particular muse, I follow my instinct.

D: Describe your own personal style.

G: I don’t like to be a fashionista and follow any specific look. I find it really easy to look good in total looks as they come out from the runway, I’m more interested in personalizing the outfits and give them a new twist. I like refined sportswear at the moment, always with a feminine vibe that is part of who I am. I often mix vintage with high-end, emerging designers with established brands. I like to promote new brands because it’s related to my work as a scouter and also because it’s exciting and never boring to go for new forms of expression that make your style unique and not a copy of someone else.

And Finally 

D: Tell me something surprising about yourself.

G: I was a professional gymnast for 4 years. I also did ice skating to a senior level acting in competitions when I was young. I have also won lots of medals for running races.

I love dogs and animals in general, I feel I have a great understanding with them, I try to support causes to help animals in need around the world.

A very special thank you to Georg Weissacher  the brilliant designer behind People Of All Nations for allowing us to shoot in his amazing home.

Credits:
Shot 1 - Giorgia is wearing a vintage leather jacket and cap, Nosomnia T-shirt, Levi jeans, Iro shoes and Givenchy sunglasses.

Shot 2 and 3 - Giorgia is wearing a vintage Squad body with POAN denim shirt and leather boots.

Shot 4 – Total look POAN.

Shot 5 – Shirt and dress by POAN with Iro shoes.

Focus On Sofia Tchkonia

Sofia like most entrepreneurs has many hats, that is what is makes them so interesting. Sofia is the Founder and Creative Director of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Tbilisi, Art and Fashion Foundation and ART Georgia and BeNext contest. Originally from Georgia (the country) she lives and works between Paris and the home of her heart. She embodies the elegance of a Parisienne and the strength of a business woman with kindness. It was great to get to know her better during our shoot and interview. 

D: Fashion, Art and Film, the three loves of your career. How did you get to them and what drove/drives you in this direction.

S: I’ve studied film, I am cinema critic and I’ve studied art. I wanted to become film director but in the 90’s Georgia was criminal, dangerous a completely destroyed country. Young people during that time didn’t have many opportunities to study and make a career. My love for fashion started when I was about 14 years old, through books and magazines. What drove me in this direction? Hard to say, it just evolved. 

D: You live I Paris but your home country of Georgia is the catalyst for everything. Making you a great ambassador for your homeland. A lot of people leave their homeland and never look back. 
What would you say keeps your passion alive for your country of birth?

S: I love my country as I think that Georgia is unique and very rich in culture. To tell you the truth I also wanted to leave and never come back, I had these moments in my life, but it does not matter where you go and where you live, your homeland is the only one, it’s like mother, only one, and if you can do something to make it better place to live, you have to do everything to make it so. Georgia is small but there is so much in it, so many talented people and if I can be a little help to promote it in a good way, show the best of it to the world, I would dedicate my life to it. 

D: What would you say is the most important advice you would give to an up and coming designer?
S: Work hard, its not enough to only dream. 

D: What is your favourite part of your job?
S: The process itself is my favourite part. Working with the designers and seeing the changes. 

D: Who or what inspires you?
S: A lot of things inspire me, books, museums, travelling, film… 

D: Describe your own personal style.
S: Simple. Classical. 

D: How do you relax?
S: I relax with my family, my children. Spending time with my children is the best relaxation.

And Finally 

D: Tell me something surprising about yourself.
S: When I studied in USA at age 14, I played field hockey. It looked really funny.

Focus On Olga Yanul

 

When I first met Olga she was wearing my favourite Frame suit so I just had to photograph her and so our friendship began

D: Tell me a bit about yourself and your journey in fashion so far.

O: I studied Economics, but was always in love with fashion and magazines in particular. If you ask my Mum she will mention my school newspaper. It was not about fashion but (believe it or not) it was about music and nature. However I made it myself with my own hands and a very old computer. Then I tried to sell it to my school friends. It made me realize very quickly that I cannot do the things I don’t like. It had to be fashion and the creative industry.

D: Your bio says you are a visual artist, fashion editor, stylist. Tell us who you work for/with and what your multi faceted jobs entail.

O: I was recently appointed Fashion Director of L’Officiel Ukraine. They have been around for a long time. I am looking forward to shaking things up and aim to change the visual politics and strategy and be more current. Before that I worked for Vogue Ukraine for 4 years, which was great but I was ready for change. Currently I am relocating to NYC which is allowing me to work with other titles too like Vogue Mexico and Interview USA.

Ideally, I would like to continue my work, but with a more artistic emphasis. The dream is to continue building myself up as a visual artist alongside the creation of more installations, performances and art objects and to conquer the art world.

D: What is your favourite part of your job?

O: I love every single step. From the idea and trend watching. To building communication with my team. And discussing the moodboard in particular.

D: Who or what inspires you?

O: Everything around me. I believe everyone we meet and everything we see is given with a purpose. If we don’t act on the influence now we do so at a later date.

D: Describe your own personal style.

O: It changes all the time. I like to be open and see what I feel. I like to experiment too. It is great I have this job, means I always have excuse to try everything.

Finally 

D: Tell me something surprising about yourself.

O: Well, I was supposed to have a PHD in Economics. I passed all the exams and had almost finished my paperwork. However my work and career stepped in and I had to stop one path suddenly as the other took over.

I would still like to go back to Uni but this time to study Arts.

Olga is wearing

Shot 1 Studio Nebo suit

Shot 2 Theo shirt and belt

Shot 3 Daria Y Maria leather jacket (on seat). Sayya Skirt.

Shot 4 Diphylleia dress

Straight after this shoot we shot an editorial together. Images glimpsed at the end of this link

Focus On Daria Shapovalova

Still under 30 Daria has an impressive list of achievements to her name, her CV would be the envy of someone twice her age. Starting with reporting fashion on TV at 19 Daria went on to become a founder of  Mercedes Benz Kiev Fashion Days. She tireless works to promote and champion the fashion industry in Ukraine and the work of young fashion designers from the region. Daria very cleverly had (and still has) a very visible presence during the big four fashion month attending shows and wearing the designs of the fashion designers she has under her wing. Initially this clever but simple tactic gave the designers a presence on the international stage through street style galleries. However it takes a lot more that just walking around in front of street style photographers to grow your business and with degrees in both marketing and PR Daria  also co-found the More Dash Showroom based in Paris which promotes further the work of the designers to the international press and buyers. What does the future hold? Lets see.

Dv: Daria, you have come a long way since starting your blog Daria’s Diaries, working in TV, launching MBFW Kiev and this year becoming one of Forbes 30 under 30. All in ten years, it is a truly amazing achievement. May I dare ask where you see yourself in the next five years?

DS: 5 years, seems like an entirely new life away with the new pace we experience. I have some aims I am sure I will achieve in the next 5 years, and I think I am just at the beginning of my story. I am my biggest critique and I understand now what I want to change in my life and my work. I certainly will continue to work in fashion, but I might add some special projects in a nearest future. You will be one of the first to know! 

Dv: Can you describe to us what a typical day for you involves? If indeed there is such a thing for you.

DS: Each day is planned beforehand. I use Google calendar a lot, I write down all of my meetings. I try not to work without a plan, as I hate spending time in vain. I know I still need to improve my planning technique though;) my usual day involves some sport (I love it!), time spent with my son David, couple of hours with my teams (I have several projects, so a couple of meetings each day are necessary to ensure that business is working properly). I also try to read every day, at least for 10-15 minutes, no matter how tired I am.

Dv: What would you say is the most important advice you would give to an up and coming designer?

DS: I will quote Estée Lauder: "I never dreamed of success, I worked for it!" I think every designer, especially a young one, should work hard. That's a biggest secret! 

Dv: What is your favourite part of your job?

DS: The fact that I meet lots of different, amazing people from whom I can learn how to be better.

Dv: Who or what inspires you?

DS: Definitely my son, my friends and my trips to different countries. The eye has to travel, as Diane Vreeland used to say!!

Dv: Describe your own personal style.

DS: I love fashionable pieces like Jacquemus runway looks, but I am also a great fan of classic looks like a Alaia dress. I love to mix high and low, young designers and established houses in my looks. I would say that my style is "fashion with a dash of quirkiness"!

Dv: How do you relax?

DS: For me best day of relax is full of sport, reading and time spent outside! I love nature and it gives me so much power.

And Finally 

Dv: Tell me something surprising about yourself.

DS: In my childhood I wanted to be a paleontologist. 

Daria is wearing

In shots 1, 2 and 5 Litkovskaya

In shot 3 Chakshyn

In shot 6 Jacquemus jacket with JW Anderson bag.