The start of the school year marks the return of fashion shows with New York opening the show next week. Less elitist than yesterday, the fashion sphere is also opening up to designers from countries with less mature industries. Kurdish designer Lara Dizeyee, a star in her country, has been living a waking dream since her Parisian show this summer. His heritage and refined creations have been praised by fashionistas and specialist journalists. Meet the woman who achieved the feat of putting the sumptuous silhouettes of her country of origin on the world map.
You are the first Kurdish designer to have presented a typically Kurdish couture collection during the last Paris Fashion Week. So you were eagerly awaited… What is the first feedback?
Lara Dizeyee : It was more important for me to show my heritage and the beauty of my culture in Paris, rather than positioning myself as the first Kurdish designer to show in the fashion capital. That being said, I am also proud to have been a pioneer by participating in Paris Fashion Week. I was very excited and grateful to share the colors of my culture through my creations. It was a night full of love and emotions that I will always remember!
There was inevitably a symbolic dimension in this Parisian parade. Are you on a mission somewhere?
I design my collections with a heart full of hope for my native Kurdistan and for the world. I am driven by love and attention to every detail. Everything is possible when your work transcends borders, when you believe in the merits of your mission.
By internationalizing your brand, right here in the fashion capital, what have you chosen to reveal about your clothing heritage?
My clothing line exudes love, hope, passion, strength, fulfillment. When you wear my outfits, you feel this strength, this beauty emanating from the sartorial heritage of my country of origin.
What are the strong pieces in your collection?
On the Parisian podium, I staged three different paintings that told the story of Kurdish women: the first represented femininity and sensuality, the second passion, and the third power.
What remarks touched you the most?
I would say it’s a general feeling, that of seeing the audience fall in love with my costumes, of seeing wonder on their faces. This is what I aspired to when creating my silhouettes.
You were born in Vienna and grew up in the United States. How to stay connected to your roots far from your country, your original culture?
Whether I am established abroad or in Kurdistan, nothing will prevent me from always being connected to my roots. My love for my country and my culture is endless.
What challenges did you face?
I had very little time to prepare for this Parisian meeting… Only six weeks. I had to make 30 costumes for this fashion show and match each creation with the appropriate jewelry. I am satisfied with the result even with such tight timing.
And now ? After this Parisian recognition, what direction will you give to your House?
I will continue to work on my new collections and design to please my growing clientele. I have a lot of orders to fulfill and I’m excited about it!
Lara Dizeyee House, in three words?
Creative, conscious and endearing.
