Vedrana Mastela is an independent fashion designer from Croatia. She earned her MA in Fashion Design from the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Textile Technology.
During her studies she was actively involved in the world of fashion, participating in numerous projects, competitions and exhibitions in Croatia and worldwide; INFLUENCE Mediterranean fashion festival 2009 in Slovenia, Triumph Inspiration Award Croatia 2011, Habitus Baltija 2011, competition of young fashion designers in Riga, Latvia, 2012 iD International Emerging Fashion Awards in Dunedin, New Zealand; The Exhibition of Croatian Design 1112. Vedrana has also showcased her work at events like Design Day in Zagreb and Month of Design in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
As a finalist of Fashion Incubator 2013 she showed her collections at the 23rd Schwarzkopf Cro A Porter fashion show and was also invited to present at the Cro A Porter AVANTGARDE 2014 fashion show in Zagreb. She has continued to showcase her work at the following 25th and 26th Schwarzkopf Cro A Porter. In 2016 she showed her collection at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Central Europe as Gombold újra! finalist and she was 2017 OPENMYMED Prize finalist.
Her work has received plentiful positive reviews, primarily for exploring different ideas with conceptual thinking, as well as for bringing an innovative approach in the study of textile materials and fashion silhouettes. She is focused on her growth as a designer, as well as the growth of her brand, but retaining local focus by embracing ideas of fashion that are sustainable and support local communities and artisan craftsmanship.
‘NO SEASONS, JUST IDEAS’ WITH VEDRANA MASTELA
Can you tell us a little about your childhood cultural background and when did you decide to become a designer?
I was born and raised in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. My childhood was marked by the Croatian War of Independence, spending time with my grandma in the countryside and later my teen years were marked with subcultural expression. I was into fashion and design early in my life but decided to follow that path when I enrolled in University of Zagreb Faculty of Textile Technology.
How does your creative process work? Do you have a specific strategy or just ‘go with the flow’?
I get many different ideas and then I work on them, I organize them in a way and explore and research them or I’m drawn to certain things, explore them, get ideas and work on them (sketches, fabrics, moodboards, prototypes etc.)
What about education in the fashion industry? Do you think is important before launching your own brand and why?
Even if educational systems are not perfect I do think education is quite important. But also it depends what kind of brand you are launching and what you want to do. Some people are more into a brand as pure business and some are about expressing creativity, making interesting products etc.
What’s it like to see someone wearing your creations?
Amazing, that’s the best prize ever.
What’s your favorite place where you feel more inspired?
The universe inside me.
How challenging is the business part for a brand like yours?
Usually you just have to learn, do lots of it yourself. It’s a bit of a trial and error thing.
How challenging is Eastern Europe for a fashion brand?
Well, the major fashion centers are in the West so it’s always challenging. Online presence and this global connection, helps to show the world, there are creatives here too.
It can be an exciting region to create. I think there is a growing number of solo designers or small businesses here, lots of them producing sustainable lines. In Croatia, and in Eastern Europe in general, there is a legacy of big textile industries, but unfortunately a lot of it has been ruined too.
Share with us a few thoughts for the future.
To keep working, evolving, sharing and reaching new places and people.
KREEP. 