i
interview 71
— And what is the self-teaching process like? — It seems very natural to me--at some point you ask yourself 'How should I twist this?' (moves hands as if twisting a piece of cloth), and you discover that it works much better one way than another, based on trial and error... But many times errors form part of the creative process, and what was a mistake becomes the better way of doing something. All that experimentation has served me well. It has also served me well to live in a country where there was not a lot of money to create collections, not a lot of types of fabric, and not a large industry to fall back on, because it forces you to create something new in spite of the limitations. Like my grandmother would say, 'hunger makes a genius', and the need to create new things forces you to find ways to make something unique using the same old materials. That sort of exploration is extremely fun for me. Now we have access to so many pre-fabricated items, but as I look back I see, for example, that when we get compliments on our color palette and how personal it feels, it's that way because I didn't have color swatches to choose from, so I had to make my own. So, the handicap of having to make my own colors became a distinct advantage. And there are countless other examples, such as pleating. In order to do what I wanted with the same ordinary cloth, I had to not only change its color, but also break it down, twist it, essentially destroy it. That allowed me to create a series of textures that later became industrialized. — Now the obvious question: What inspires you to create? — Calling it inspiration seems a bit pretentious. I feel that you can get inspiration from life, on the street, from the needs of those close to you, or even acquaintances who aren't that close. That's what makes you tailor your work to a specific audience. In the end, you're providing a service. I have always said that fashion has to make our lives easier, not more complicated. I cannot tolerate