Maria Nastaca- Getting Healed- Gala UVT Moda 2015

Unfortunately this year I wasn’t able to attend the UVT Gala due to a lack of time and a few unplanned events. I didn’t miss the chance to still catch up with the after show pictures and the collection designed by Maria Nastaca caught my attention. I asked Dani Ignat( you can read his interview here) who the designer was because I wanted to ask her some questions and introduce her to you too.

So let’s meet Maria Nastaca and her collection Getting Healed.

Din pacate anul acesta nu am avut la Gala UVT Moda din lipsa de timp si putina dezorganizare din partea mea. Nu am ratat insa sansa de a urmarii pe facebook fotografiile postate de dupa eveniment, iar creatiile Mariei Nastaca mi-au atras atentia instant. L-am intrebat pe Dani Ignat ( interviul aici) cine a semnat aceasta colectie pentru ca vroiam neaparat sa ii pun cateva intrebari si sa vi-o prezint si voua.

Asa ca, sa o cunoastem pe Maria Nastaca si colectia semnata de ea, Getting Healed.

Care e cuvantul care te descrie cel mai bine ca persoana?

Sunt o persoana optimista, dar realista in acelasi timp.

What word could describe you better?

I am an optimist but at the same time I try be realistic too.

Designerul preferat si motivul pentru ca iti plac creatiile sale?

Am mai multi designeri preferati si mi-e putin greu sa aleg, dar voi incepe insa cu designerii din Romania, pe care-i cunosc si ii apreciez, incepand cu designerul timisoarean Sergiu Bechian, care cu ultima sa colectie extravaganta MECCA, mi-a adus confirmarea carui motiv ii admir munca, perfectiune. Maria Lucia Hohan pentru drapajul meticulos si Natalia Vasiliev pentru rochiile de mireasa de poveste.

Dintre designerii celebri ii admir pe Christian Siriano castigatorul emisiunii Project Runway sezonul 4, Elie Saab, Zuhair Murad si casa Marchesa pentru rochiile spectaculos de perfecte, Valentino si Dolce&Gabbana pentru ultimii ani in care ne-au incantat cu adevarate capodopere de basm.

Your favorite designer and the reason you admire him/her?

I have several favorite designers and it’s pretty hard to pick. I will start with Romania designers first, the ones I know and appreciate. Sergiu Bechian with his extravagant collection MECCA, his latest work with which he reminded me why I love his work, pure perefection. Maria Lucia Hohan for the detailed drappings and Natalia Vasiliev for the dreamy wedding dresses.

Talking about more famous designers, I admire Christian Siriano one of Project Runway’s winners in season 4, Elie Saab, Zuhair Murad and Marchesa for the spectaculous and absolutely perfect dresses. Valentino and Dolce& Gabbana for the latest collections, fairytale designs.

Care e materialul preferat cu care iti place sa lucrezi?

In general imi place sa lucrez cu materiale ferme, cu o textura rigida dar moi, usor de manipulat, si daca ar fi sa aleg unul din ele, as alege stofa.

3.Which is your favorite fabric to work with?

Generaly I love working with firm fabrics, a stiff texture but also soft and easy to manipulate and if I would have to pick just one, I would pick cloth.

Cum vezi piata din Romania?

Romania a evoluat mult in ultimii ani in materie de moda vestimentara, as putea spune ca e din ce in ce mai alerta schimbarea in materie de vestimentatie mai ales datorita marilor retaileri de haine precum Zara sau H&M. O remarca a mea ar fi ca din pacate, vis a vis de culori, o tendinta inca foarte clara, este cea a adoptarii culorilor inchise. Multe persoane mai ales cu inaintarea in varsta, adopta culori inchise, si intr-o mare de negru nu ai cum sa nu devi adeptul usor al depresiei.

Piata din Romania se bazeaza pe consumerism datorita economiei precare. Mai ales in perioada reducerilor se cumpara chiar daca nu e nevoie de acel produs, sau mai rau, nu are nimic deosebit, si multe din aceste haine raman astfel nepurtate. Nu multi isi permit produse de designeri, si care isi permit totusi, datorita educatiei nesolide, fac de cele mai multe ori alegeri nepotrivite. Sunt incantata insa de deschiderea romanilor catre comertul online ce a inregistrat cresteri semnificative in ultimii ani, implicit o deschidere catre noile tendinte din afara.

How do you see the fashion market in Romania?

Romania has evolved lately and it;’s more obvious that people changed the way they dresses probably also because of the big retailers like ZARA and H&M. A thing I noticed is related to colors, which unfortunately is mostly going for dark colors. So many people especially when they grow older they tend to pick dark colors, and while being surrounded by all that black, going into a depression is almost inevitable.

Romania’s fashion market is based on consumerism because of the bad economy status. Especially when it comes to sales seasons when people tend to buy anythinng and everything just because it’s on sale and they end up not being worn at all. Not everyone can afford designer brands, and the ones that do, make the worst picks because of the lack of good taste. Still, I am very happy about how romanians have percieved the online market that grew significantly.

Ai prefera sa lucrezi pe comanda sau sa faci serie si sa vinzi produsele finite pe masurile standard?

Planul meu este sa comercializez colectii ce vor fi produse in serie. Voi incepe cu un magazin online atat cu livrari in Romania cat si in strainatate, apoi ulterior mi-as dori sa-mi deschid magazine in cateva locatii cheie.

5.Would you prefer working on custom designs or to produce collections in all sizes?

My plan is to design collection that are meant to be produced in series. I will start with an online shop that would deliver both in Romania and worldwide, then open several shops in key locations.

Care a fost conceptul colectiei de licenta? Ce te-a inspirat?

Getting Healed este un omagiu pentru tata.

Lucrarea de față reprezintă o cercetare în scop terapeutic, un demers ce a provenit dintr-o nevoie personală, de a fi din nou împreună cu tatăl meu. Acest lucru s-a putut materializa, pentru că am selectat din fotografiile lui personale, doar cele pe care le simțeam apropiate sufletului meu. Cu ajutorul lor, m-am lăsat ghidată în designul colecției Getting Healed. Folosindu-mă de fotografiile tatălui meu, am realizat imprimeurile ce dau viață sentimentelor ce au definit relația mea cu el. O poezie. Conflictuală, cu o sensibilitate dureroasă, cuprinsă de o iubire neîmpărtășită.

Am dorit să creez o colecție pret a porter, funcțională dar elegantă, care să reflecte respectul ce-l port pentru el. Stilul minimalist al ținutelor reflectă sentimentele pure, dar pline de substanță. Colecția este accesorizată de asemenea de o serie de genți elegante, funcționale, nonconformiste dar clasice în același timp.

6.What was the concept of your collection?

Getting Healed is a homage for my father.

This collection represents a therapeutical quest that started from a personal need, the need to be with my father again. This was possible because I actually picked some of the photographs he took, some of my favorite which I felt attached to more. Using his photographs, I made the prints you can see on my designs. Following these prints I left myself carried away while designing the pieces. The photographs, the prints define the feelings, the relationship I had with my dad. A poem, drawn by a hurtfull sesitivity touched by an untold love.

I wanted to create a pret-a-porter collection, functional but elegant that would mirror my respect for him. The minimalistic style reflect pure feelings but full of depth. The collection features some classic but also unconvetional handbags designed in the same manner.

Ti se pare costisitoare meseria de designer? Ce suma ai investit in lucrarea de licenta?

Intradevar tot ceea ce presupune cheltuielile unui designer sunt mari, uneori chiar la limita falimentului, mai ales daca produsele realizate se doresc a fi originale, de calitate si in ultimele tendinte. Dar rezultatul cat si succesul de dupa, toate acestea recompenseaza din plin dificultatile avute pe parcurs. Investitia in lucrarea mea de licenta a fost mare, pentru ca nu m-am limitat doar la a-mi prezenta licenta, am vrut mai mult. Am investit in imaginea mea, in promovare, fapt ce a generat o serie de cheltuieli in plus fata de ce ar impune o simpla licenta. Atat oamenii cu care am colaborat, cat si serviciile la care am apelat au fost de calitate si in perfecta concordanta cu mine cat si cu conceptul colectiei Getting Healed. Ma bucur si le multumesc tuturor colaboratorilor mei pentru acest perfect rezultat.

7.Do you feel that being a designer is very costly? How much did you spend on your collection?

Yes, the investemnets that a deisgner has to make in order to design and make an original collection are very big, close to bankrupcy almost. But the result and the afterward succes are all worth the money. My collection was very expensive because I didn’t limit myself just by presenting it, I wanted more. I invested in my image, in promoting it which generated extra costs besides the simple graduation collection. The people I worked with and the service they provided were in perfect balance with my overall concept. I am very happy with the result and I want to thank each and everyone of them.

Ai fi vrut sa faci ceva diferit pentru colectia de liceta si nu ai reusit ? Care a fost motivul?

Multe mi-as fi dorit sa fac diferit, in frunte cu materialele pe care cu greu am reusit sa le gasesc cat mai potrivite pentru colectie, in magazinele disponibile. Dar m-am limitat la ceea ce am gasit si mai ales la ce stiu, iar cu resursele pe care le-am detinut, am incercat sa realizez cea mai buna varianta reprezentativa conceptului meu. Continui sa cred ca am dat ce-i mai bun din ce resurse am avut si am reusit sa fac rost.

8.Would you have wanted to make something different for this collection and you weren’t able to? Which was the reason?

I would have done so many things differently starting with the fabrics that I barely even found. But I limited myself to what I could find and worked with what I had in order to make the best of the whole concept I started with. I still believe it is the best thing I could do with what I had in hand.

Ce urmeaza sa faci pe viitor si pe ce segment de piata vrei sa intri?

Viitorul pentru mine acum incepe. Ma mut definitiv in strainatate de unde imi voi continua activitatea in moda.

Segmentul de piata dorit este cel de haine si accesorii pentru femei. Pe parcurs ma voi extinde asa cum imi doresc pe haine de copii si barbati.

9.What are your future plans and which market niche would you want to go for?

The future starts now. I will move outside Romania and I will continue working in fashion.

My plan is to design and sell collections made in all sizes. I will start with an online shop that provides delivery worldwide and afterwards open some shops in key loctaions. I would love to design clothes and accessories for women but I will expand my business in kids and men’s wear too.

Un sfat pentru tinerele din Timisoara legat de felul in care se imbraca?

Consider ca frumusetea sta in simplitate. Trebuie sa te simti bine in propia piele cat si in propiile haine. Trebuie sa-ti alegi haine potrivite ca numar (aici ma refer la faptul ca sunt persoane care-si iau haine mai mici decat ar trebui) si in functie de evenimentul la care urmeaza sa participe. And the last thing be yourself, you’re unique!

10. Any advice for the young girls in Timisoara regarding the way they dress?

I consider that beauty lies in simplicity. You have to feel good in your own skin and clothes. You have to pick the right size , not too small and they have to fit the event you will be going to. And the last thing be yourself, you’re unique!

Intro for the Show: