Lolita Blanka by Blanka Zgonjanin INTERVIEW

By Nerina

Lolita Blanka is a designer from Bosnia and Herzegovina whose designs have recently become a “Must-Have” of all the fashionistas from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Croatia.  Her pieces are romantic, luxurious, lady like, and trendy. She is a master of crafting amazing dresses, skirts, and blouses. Blanka designs for all those girls who love to show off their figures in a playful way. Her pieces are sexy without being vulgar: her suit jackets can be worn to a business meeting, afternoon lunch/coffee, drinks with girlfriends, and a night out around town.  We have caught up with this young designer to discuss her love of fashion, future plans, and much more.

CFS: When did you start your “love affair” with design?

Blanka: Since I can remember, I have been around art: I practiced pottery making, acting, and ballet. I also played the piano and tried my hand in photography. Even as a child, I was completely fascinated with drawing, collage making, and clay molding. Art was an opportunity to escape into a magical place where there was no time. I remember how I wanted to continue with my art projects while my mom was calling me to go to school. I always thought about how wonderful it would be if there was no school and I was only allowed to do what I love the most: practice art! 

CFS: What do you enjoy the most about your work?

Blanka: I enjoy absolutely everything: sketching, creating the final look, packing it all in my custom made bags and boxes, and contacting my satisfied customers. 

CFS: What would you tell young people today who want to become a fashion designer? What are some of the pitfalls and benefits of this profession?  

Blanka: There is nothing more satisfying than doing what you love and being successful at it. Young people should know that being a designer has many pros and cons (just like any other profession). It is not enough to have talent. You must also dedicate a lot of time and energy. Presentation of the products, your relationship with clients, management, work and dedication are all key ingredients in establishing a successful brand. 

CFS: Do you have favorite colors, types of material, or accessories that you love to use when designing your collections?

Blanka: I enjoy many colors but make sure to always pick quality materials for my collections. I also have some materials and accessories that I keep in mind when designing. Motives that are always present in all my collections are bows and lace. 

CFS: In November, you presented your latest collection in Sarajevo Fashion Week and Banja Luka Fashion Week. Have you had other fashion shows recently? What are your plans for showing the latest collection of Lolita Blanka? Can you tell us a little bit more about your inspiration? 

Blanka: In Bosnia, only ABC Models agency organizes fashion week in Banja Luka. Furthermore, I have an excellent relationship with ABC Models and we have been collaborating successfully for about ten years now. Also, I believe that two fashion shows per season are enough for me to display my collections for the public to see. There are also additional shows for designers to which I have been invited to attend. However, it often becomes hard to arrange additional showings as most of my collection is sold out as soon as the fashion week is over. Currently, we are hardly able to cover existing orders and this is the reason why additional presentations are difficult to arrange. 

CFS: Where can we order your romantic creations? Are they available on the Internet?

Blanka: I am available through my Facebook page. All creations are tailored specifically to client measurments and I ship them via express mail. 

CFS: Who is your style inspiration? Are there any designers, models, photographers, and makeup artists you would like to collaborate with? 

Blanka: I have an incredibly talented and creative team, and we complement each other very well. There are, of course, disagners from around the world that I respect very much. They are, however, not my idols. Fashion industry is a giant composed of creative people, media, shows, campaigns, presentations, and large sums of money. What I do is still quite simple and a lot more relaxed. I truly do try and enjoy myself while I am working.

CFS: What are your favorite stores, fashion magazines, and websites?

Blanka: I truly enjoy fashion magazines. I cannot even explain the kind of excitement that comes over me when I am holding Vogue, Elle, Glamour, and Marie Claire in my hand. I passionately read every page and absorb all the details. I have developed the same fondness towards interior decoration magazines as well. 

I do, however, only wear my own creations. My passion lies in the accessories (they are my “fashion fetish”). Recently, I have been obsessed with sunglasses and I adore the ones from Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, and Dsquared. I also like to indulge in shoes and bags, and often times I end up with more shoes than shirts in my closet. I adore brands like Loriblu, Casadei, Giuseppe Zanotti, Loretta Pettinari, and Alberto Guardiani for their beautiful workmanship. When it comes to bags, Louis Vuitton and Prada are my two favorites. From jeans, I adore Miss Sixty, Diesel, Billabong, and Replay. 

CFS: Blanka, who or what is your biggest source of inspiration? 

Blanka: For me, fashion is fun. When I design, I keep the following ideas in my head: what would I like to wear, what would make women or girls look and feel even better, and how to emphasize women’s biggest “weapon”- their FEMININITY! 

CFS: Finally, what is your recommendation for the New Years Eve party outfit?

Blanka: New Years Eve is an opportunity for us to dress up and be happy. It is a chance for us to enter the next year with style, hope, and many wishes. Your outfit should complement your personal style and body type. My advice is not to get overly dressed up so that you are not able to enjoy yourself. The most important thing is to feel comfortable and happy. Happy New Year!

CFS: Blanka, we would like to thank you for taking this opportunity to speak to Club Fashionista. We wish you all the health, happiness, much inspiration, and hope to see more amazing collections from you in the future! May your 2013 be exceptionally fabulous and stylish!

Romantika, damski izraz,trend, luksuz, bajkovitost....sve to spojila je ona i napravila prekrasne haljine, suknjice, kosulje! Dizajnirala je za sve one djevojke koje zele istaci svoju figuru na onaj najfiniji nacin, dovoljno sexy a da nije vulgarno za lude nocne izlaske, zatim za sve one business dame koje ne zele podleci dosadnim crnim kompleticima sako&suknja za dan u kancelariji, potom je dizajnirala haljine za duge romanticne setnje, pa kompletice za kaficu s curama, pa haljine za koktel druzenja.....Sve to djelo je mlade i uspjesne dizajnerice Blanke Zgonjanin s kojom smo malo porazgovarali, te vam u nastavku priredjujemo pravu modnu poslasticu: intervju i fotografije prekrasne Blanke & njenih bajkovitih kreacija! Fashionistas, uzivajte!

CFS:.Kako, zasto i od kada ste vi i modni dizajn u bliskoj vezi?

Blanka:Cjelozivotno prozimanje culnim i naglaseno lijepim ...oduvijek sam bila u neposrednom kontaktu sa nekim od umjetnosti: od vajarstva, glume, baleta, klavira, fotografije...

Od kada znam za sebe znam da su me crtanje, glina, kolazi i sve sto se radi rukama potpuno obuzimali...tada bi vrijeme stalo za mene...kada bi me majka opomenula da imam i skolu, znala sam pomisliti kako bi na svijetu bio raj da nema skole i kako bih cijeli dan mogla da radim to sta volim.

CFS:.U čemu najvise uzivas pri svom poslu?

Blanka:U svemu! B ilo da biram materijale i ukrase za novu kolekciju,stvaranja iste, nastajanje novog modela pa do pakovanja u moje vrecice i kutije gotovog proizvoda i naposljetku kontakta i druzenje sa mojim zadovoljnim klijenticama.

CFS: Sta mladi ljudi trebaju znati o zanimanju modni kreator? (prednosti, nedostaci)

Blanka: Ne postoji nista ljepse na svijetu nego baviti se i biti uspjesan u poslu koji volis i koji bi radio tek onako iz hobija.

Mladi ljudi trebaju znati da zanimanje modni dizajner je isto kao i svako drugo zanimanje, nije dovoljan samo talenat...potrebno je puno rada i ljubavi. Prezentacija je kljucna u ovom poslu, odnos sa klijentima i naravno osjecaj za posao, novac, usmjeravanje istog, kontinuirani rad..

CFS: Imas li omiljene boje, vrste tkanine ili neke detalje koje najradije koristis na svojim kreacijama?

Blanka: Meni su sve boje lijepe ako su materijali kvalitetni, a iz kolekcije u kolekciju imam odredjene koje su  mi u fokusu. Light motiv koji se provlaci u mojim kolekcijama su masnice i karneri :)

CFS: Izlagala si svoje modele iz kolekcije «Lolita Blanka» na novembarskom Sarajevo fashion week, zatim na istoj modnoj manifestaciji u Banja Luci...jesi li u posljednje vrijeme imala jos nekih revija? Kakvi su planovi za prezentaciju tvoje posljednje kolekcije u narednom periodu? Reci nam nesto vise o toj kolekciji?

Blanka: U BiH samo agencija ABC Models sa kojom uspjesno saadjujem vec gotovo 10 godina, koja kontinuirano iz sezone u sezonu proljece/ljeto,jesen /zima organizuje fashion Week u Bl. i Sa. Dvije revije za sezonu su mi sasvim dovoljne da bih napravila prezentaciju. Naime postoje druge manifestacije na koje sam pozvana, ali zbog udaljenih termina od prvobitne ne mogu cuvati svoju kolekciju, jer ja prodajem svoje kolekcije, bilo bi apsurdno odlagati prodaju zbog jos prezentacije,a proizvodnjom jedva pokrivam postojece narudzbe.

CFS: Gdje se mogu kupiti tvoje romanticne kreacije? Da li postoji mogucnost narudzbe odjevnih komada putem interneta?

Blanka: Svojim klijenticama sam dostupna u svojoj Facebook stranici ,sve kreacije se rade po individualnim mjerama i narudzbi koje na adresu saljem brzom postom.

CFS: Imas li uzore u modnom svijetu, te s kim bi voljela poslovno saradjivati? Dizajneri, fotografi, modeli, make up artisti ?

Blanka: U mom okruzenju je nekoliko kreativaca i svi zajedno super funkcionisemo i zajedno rastemo,od fotografa do zanimljivih ljudi sa kojima razmjenjujem ideje.Naravno da postoje dizajneri cije djelovanje u svjetu mode jakopostujem, ali to je daleko od idola. Modna industrija je jedan gigant kreativaca, medija, showa, kampanja, prezentacije i velikih novaca.

Ovo sto ja radim je mnogo bezazlenije i dakako opustenije, zaista gustam dok radim!

CFS: Koje su tvoje omiljene trgovine odjece i obuce, omiljeni modni casopis, omiljene modne web stranice?

Blanka: Modni magazini su za mene prava poslastica, ne mogu objasniti slatko uzbudjenje dok u ruci drzim novo izdanje Vogue, Elle, Glamour, Marie Claire...Strastveno ih citam i upijam. Isto je i sa casopisima za enterijer.

Iskljucivo nosim svoje kreacije, modni fetish su mi suncane naocle,u posljedne vrijeme svidjaju mi se Tom Ford, Marc

Jacobs, Dsquared...Cipele i torbe su takodje ono u cemu pretjerujem i cesto mi se zna desiti da imam vise pari cipela nego majica.Loriblu, Casadei, Guseppe Zanotti, Loretta Pettinari, Guardiani...torbe LV i Prada.

Jeans Miss Sixty, Diesel, Billabong i Replay.

CFS: Sta/ko je najveci izvor inspiracije za Blanku?

Blanka: Moda je za mene igra, jedine ideje koje me vode dok radim su da to  i sama zelim  da nosim, da djevojke i zene u njima izgldaju ljepse, da se ugodno osjecaju i naravno da istaknu svoje najjace oruzje koje prirodno posjeduju ZENSTVENOST!!!

CFS: I za kraj, Blankina preporuka za najludju noc u 2012.-oj godini ?

Blanka: Nova Godina je jedinstvena prilika da zablistamo i obradujemo se necim lijepim kako bi u predstojecu usli u velikom stilu sa novim nadama i zeljama. Naravno da ce te novogodisnju toletu i kombinaciju prilagoditi osobnom stylu i tjelesnim atributima.

A moj savjet je nemoj te se presrediti, lezernost je u fokusu.

Happy New Year!!!

Uz zahvalu za izdvojeno vrijeme za ovaj intervju, u moje licno ime i u ime kreativnog tima Club Fashionista, Blanki zelimo sve najljepse u novoj 2013.-oj godini, uz zdravlje i srecu, mnogo lijepih trenutaka, inspirativnih momenata, romanticnih kreacija i odlican stylish provod u noci izmedju 31.12. & 1.1.2013.!!!