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 Gwen Salakaia

 During my recent trip to Tbilisi I had the great pleasure to meet and photograph one of their bright young designers, Gwen Salakaia. Although Gwen was born in Georgia her label was born in the US and continues to grow and flourish there. Here is her story and how it all came about.

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

G:  Being born and raised in the country of Georgia my childhood was pretty cheerful and happy. I never liked sports but instead took part in almost every creative after school activity I could. Like music, dance, guitar anddrama. I loved dancing which I did for 8 years and only quit when I decided to go to the USA at the age of 15 to continue my studies. It was there when I started painting and took fashion history classes. When I got back home, being a designer was not a suitable profession in post soviet Georgia, so I went to Law school, continuing my studies in Paris. When in Paris I realized that I couldn’t be a lawyer. So, I put aside my Masters in Law and enrolled in the Parsons School of Design in New York. After my studies, I interned at Negri Firman PR which saw me me working on the Louis Vuitton and Chanel accounts. All of which enabled and prepared me to launch my own brand, Gwen Salakaia.

D: When you start thinking about a new collection what is your creative process?

G: It doesn’t have any specific order. Sometimes I might work on one collection and suddenly ideas come, which I know I will apply for my next collection. I write down everything that comes to me.  It often happens to me when I go to bed and close my eyes I see a dress or shirt sketched.  What I have noticed is that when I am stressed I get more creative, its weird but more ideas come to me in that condition.

D: What is the favourite part of your job?

G: The whole process is so pleasant for me. Even when it is very tiring to be fully engaged in every step of the project. I love it. I enjoy fabric sourcing and seeing my ideas transform into product is very satisfying.

D: Who or what inspires you?

G: I love observing details in nature, environment, buildings, objects, and places. I have a fragmented perception. My inspiration could be a small detail from an époque or a painting.
Strong women inspire me, those who have character, fierceness and knowledge.
 
D: Describe your own personal style.

G: My personal style always has some elements of masculinity. I love men’s shirts. I think they are more classic, with little bit of an edge.
 
D: Tell me something surprising about yourself.

G: I am a professionally trained dancer.

Gwen is wearing in -
Image 1 and 2 a yellow dress by Gwen Salakaia with Giuseppe Zanotti heels.

Image 3 a Zegna shirt with Current Elliot jeans and Gwen Salakaia green layover with Alexander Wang boots.

Image 4 and 5 total look Gwen Salakaia worn with Casadei pumps.

Image 5 Aganovich coat with Gwen Salakaia thigh high boots.