Fashion » Moda | 61 anemail to the company sevendays previouslywhichwe hadn’t seen, inwhich itwas stated that the next day they would be preparing for some Madonna shoot in London... Panic, stress, checking, hysteria, craziness, chaos of global proportions...Therewas no chance that I could sendanythingby thenext day, therewasno time tomake something tofit hermeasurements. Everything is handmade, and the garments take anywhere froma fewdays to several months to make. I turned the world upside down. Luckily, I have a team. It's night time, the shift is working until morning, I borrow money for the trip. The hotel in central London is too expensive, I borrow and head out, feeling ill. I take the things to Madonna; they call to tell me that everything is too big for her, tellingme to come to collect the things, nothing from Madonna. Fortunately, I’d brought everything that I had in stock, even things that they didn't request. I get acall after sevendays: ‘Madonnasaw some dress in the box you brought us... Send it urgently!’ That's how it started...” How are world stars when it comes to cooperation? “Cooperation with world stars is done via their stylists, in contrast to cooperation with local and regional stars. Stylists differ, some arewonderful, somearedivas.There are most commonly two forms of cooperation: one is to select something fromyourexistingdesignsand thenadapt it totheirmeasurements, which often differ from those that we imagine. The second form is for them to send us a theme and for us torespondwithsketches for themto approve.That’s howwe, a few years ago, found ourselves among ten of 150 world designers who received an opportunity to create a costume for Beyonce.” Do you have someone in mind when working on your new creations? Is there some world or domestic diva you’d like to see in one of your dresses? “As my designs emerge, I imagine a strong woman, intelligent, certain in her own existence, independent. A woman who knows who she is and what she wants. A woman who defies everyone and who you can't disturb. A woman who wants you to look at her because she has something to say and something to show. The pigeonhole towhichshebelongs is completely irrelevant, while what’s important is that she’s authentic and can carry all these invasive things thatwe create. Apart from these kinds of women, I also find inspiration in various cultures, materials, but also trends. I find it very challenging to create a trendy piece in the Demode style.” Who are your world fashion scene “idols” and why? “Idols on the world fashion scene change from season to season. One year it’s Balmain, one season it’sMcQueen, but I always love to see Dolce &Gabbana. Actually, those three brands have had the greatest influence on my work. I love what people call kitsch, and I call it luxury andwealth. I like to connect everything, and use that tomake a piece that evenMadonna wants to wear. It’s easy to sew a little black dress, with a straight cut and simple lines. Combining silver, gold, copper and jeans... That challenges me.” What fashion advice would you offer our ladies? “Fashion shouldbe fun for you, for you to thus express yourself, for you to be creative, to combine the incompatible... Tospend15euros to look like you spent 1,500. For those who see you in that styling to think about you, for you to intrigue them, for you to tell them a story on the basis of your look, or do that to bluff them. Whatever your intention, apart from ending up naked, it is important that it’s fun, and not burdening. Fashion is fun, it should make you feel happy…” You stated in agreeing to do this interview that appearing in our airline’s magazine is a wish you’ve had since childhood. Why? “I travel oftenand thefirst thing I always do is to open themagazine of the airline with which I’mflying, untilmy favourite part of the flight, which is the food. With Air Serbia, I’ve always read very interesting interviewswith some literate, honest, intelligent and talentedpeople, and imaginedhowIwouldonedayopen thismagazineduringaflight toNew York, reading my own interview while Lady Gaga waited for me at the airport. And that the flight attendant would recognise me and “use connections” to give me an extra sandwich. I hoped that my interview would also be readby someonewhohadn't previously had anopportunity to hear about Demode. That you would read this interviewofmine. Yes, you, the person reading this right now, and that youwould think: ‘Fashion isn’t such a superficial thing and success is possible! For all! For all who labour and have belief ’. Just as I’mnow reading an interview about myself in Elevate.”
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