With an innate flair for design, Katerina Kosterina’s work is something of true innovation and imagination. Chasseur was able to have a chat with the multi-talented artist and fashion designer where you will see that she is certainly on the rise to triumph in both the art and fashion industries. Read our exclusive interview with her in which she fills us in on how she can’t live without art, how human life is so fast-paced these days, and what it was like to show her graduate collection at the Academy of Arts in Moldova.
What came first – your passion for art or fashion design? Or was there an immediate simultaneous love for both?
Sometimes I think that I can really imagine my life without the fashion industry with its business rules, but I can’t imagine myself without art, in any form of it. The passion for fashion came to me rather late, at the age of 22. Seemed to be a risky life changing step, considering that there are a lot of already formed young designers at the age of 20. But I decided to try this way in spite of many hesitations. I just had to try, there were no other ways. At that moment I had tried painting, digital illustration, but fashion was something of an unknown for me.
What was it like showing your graduate collection ‘Sintetiq’ at the Academy of Arts?
To tell the truth, when I came backstage after the show, the only feeling I had was devastation. “Is that all?” I asked myself. A lot of months of work and energy just flashed in two minutes. The real show in our academy was far away from the ideal picture of the runway show for this collection in my mind. The sleepless nights, a lot of unfinished work, and deadlines uncovered all my reserve capacities, but at the same time exhausted me so much that I couldn’t even feel the real anxiety.
You have definitely become a master of detail from every pen or brush stroke in your artwork to each little stitch in your apparel designs. Where does your aptitude of intricacy and perfection stem from?
Thank you for the compliment, although I think that everything is relative and there is a constant process of improving. There’s a wonderful quote of Salvador Dali, which our teacher of painting used to tell us; “Don’t be afraid of perfection, because you’ll never achieve it”. The other idea I keep in my mind is that presentation makes about 70% of work. I love what I do and I like to present it at its best.
There’s this very perceptible gift you have of integrating human life and non-human life through your art. For example, the floral illustrations used in “Sintetiq” possess such human-like qualities like facial features and expressions. What was the thought process as you were drawing them?
Man has always been and still remains a great inspiration for me. I love the human face along with its changes and different expressions. It’s not always just perfect, but nonetheless being very inspiring. I create without thinking about it. Speaking of prints for “Sintetiq,” non-human creatures were of great interest for me. Insects and flowers- mutants, the pictures under the microscope. Amazing, how much expression they have!
How do you think you were able to successfully achieve the contrast of the minimal yet assertive nature of the ‘Sintetiq’ collection?
Just as you mention, one of the characteristics of my collection is minimalism. I am interested to take a plain form and fill it with my own thoughts and content. Illustration helps me a lot. Each designer has his own language which he uses to tell the story to the viewer. It has often happened that my designs are based on illustrations. There is a strong connection between the idea and images. I would be very happy if my concepts were clear without any words and description. However, sometimes it seems that I complicate things way too much.
The theme of humans evolving, forever seeking change, but possibly never feeling satisfied or fulfilled seems to be quite pronounced in your work. Was there any specific circumstance that sparked that influence for you?
It’s in the air. I think it is much more serious, than it may seem. And it is not about the fashion only. The speed of today’s life is incredible with most people forgetting the word ‘serenity’. Our mind has forgotten how to relax and we are taught to keep acting, developing, finding and creating something new, constantly consuming like a giant hungry monster. Its name is ‘Civilization’. Interests, emotions, fame, life itself seems to be so fleeting nowadays…
What will you be up to in the near future? Any new projects in the making?
Right now I’m working on another series of illustrations focused on revealing the human nature. The idea came long ago and I expected to finally finish it after graduation. An interesting presentation of it is planned at one of the local establishments. I think it’s going to be interesting. And of course, I want to continue creating clothing. There are more financial aspects and risks that need to be taken into consideration, but I know that if you wish something strongly enough, the opportunities will come!