Ambassador of the fashion industry of the future – this honorary status designer Denisova Elena has received thanks to her innovative approach to fabrics and textures. She uses non-standard materials, innovative technological fabrics, complicated texture combinations, recycled plastic, and unique Japanese paper in her collections. Her collections translate the principle of sustainability and conscious consumption. In just one year, the best graduate of the British Higher School of Art and Design has created her brand, made a revolutionary breakthrough, and set the fashion industry’s future.
At the end of February, the Russian designer and her family moved to the United States. We decided to get acquainted with the new promising player in the American fashion industry and talk to her about fashion, eco-friendly approach, technological fabrics, and the big ambitions of the promising designer.
Elena, where did such a love for fabrics come from?
I grew up in a creative family – my mother was a textile designer, my father created different interior items and decorations from metal, and my sister studied at music school. Our house was like one big workshop where everyone was passionate about the creative process. I remember that we always had a lot of fabrics. I loved drawing clothes and even tried to sew clothes for myself and my sister. I liked the tactile feel of different textures, combining materials, and improvising. Cloth is one of the most pliable materials; in skillful hands, a scrap of joined fibers becomes an absolute masterpiece. This process captivated me; as a child, I could sit for hours and invent the next outfit for my dolls. But the strange thing is that I didn’t come into a design at once: first, there was a professional sport, then there was journalism, branding, various graphic courses… Soon it dawned on me that I could combine all my knowledge with my designer brand of women’s clothing. So I went to the British Higher School of Design.
You were the best graduate of the course. Was it easy for you to study?
It wasn’t easy, but the learning process fascinated me, and I devoted all my free time to developing in this field. I listened to many lectures, read biographies of famous designers, visited shows, and made acquaintances. I filled myself with knowledge and the fashion-industry atmosphere as much as possible. I realized that I had found my vocation. Most of all, I liked working with fabrics – textures, threads, and layering of different textures. By the end of my studies, I had already found my niche – I decided to become a designer of recycled textiles. In my graduation collection, the emphasis was exactly on technological fabrics and different textures.
How did your journey into the fashion world begin?
My graduation collection was recognized as the best in the course and was selected to show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia. The event took place just a few weeks after I received my diploma from the design school. So the graduation work was my debut collection and the beginning of great success and recognition. My innovative solutions in design were noticed by the leaders of the fashion industry, began to invite me to other shows. This proved my decision to create my brand. By then, I had already clearly understood the direction I wanted to develop – sustainability, conscious consumption, using recycled materials, simplicity of form, and elegance. This is the future of fashion. Immediately after Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia 2016, my life started spinning in a crazy rhythm. Invitations came pouring in from all sides.
Over the years, I have participated in the International Fashion Forum several times and twice won the Designer of the Year nomination – in 2017 and 2019. I am often invited to be a member of the expert jury of competitions for young fashion designers as a speaker at leading industry forums and professional exhibitions. At the invitation of the heads of one Russian and several foreign textile factories in China, Japan, and Switzerland, I gave lectures on the peculiarities of high-tech fabrics and the importance and the huge potential of using recycled materials, thus helping textile manufacturers to change their usual approach to work. Because the future lies in innovation and eco-design. In 2019, I became a member of the International Public Association “Union of Designers.” In parallel with this intense social and educational activity, I worked on new collections and continued researching fabrics. Demand, a busy schedule of participation in projects, numerous diplomas and awards, recognition by gurus of the fashion world, and numerous clients in many countries of the world – this is what today’s success of Helen Stracta looks like.
What does the name Helen Stracta mean?
I have concentrated on two words in the name of my brand – the concept of “structure” and the name Helen. A little play on words, and here it is, Helen Stracta. This is the most succinct description of the brand’s philosophy and what I do because the main thing in my collections is experimentation with textures and unique, heavy-duty, and durable fabrics.
The fashion industry is so structured that big brands dictate fashion trends, does this put you in a box?
I have never wanted to reflect on my collections’ current trends in a significant fashion. For me, creating in accordance with my vision of beauty is much more important. I understand that this approach excludes part of the audience, but Helen Stracta has many like-minded people with whom we are on our way. I’m for conscious consumption; Helen Stracta collections are created from technological and durable materials and can be worn for ten years. During such an extended period, many trends will change, factories will produce hundreds of thousands of pieces of clothing, and the same amount of things will be in the dumps by the following season. This picture of the world depresses me because it is a huge burden on the environment. I’m for the harmonious union of man and nature, durability, practicality, and style beyond time.
What inspires you to create new collections?
The world is bright, multifaceted, and multifaceted, and people are successful, self-sufficient, enthusiastic, and filled with deep meaning. To create the models of my first collection, I was inspired by a trip to Iceland – there, I clearly realized that I wanted to make clothes from unusual fabrics. Nature is unique – many different textures, colors, and unusual combinations. Looking around for inspiration is enough; you must slow down and observe. Nothing is as energizing as nature and people who share your values.
Do you plan to enter the American market?
Even though we only moved to the U.S. at the end of February this year, I’ve been involved in many local events for a long time. So I already have customers here as well, including regular ones. The brand’s online store has been up and running since 2017, and we sell and ship our models to many cities worldwide, including the States. In addition, I decided to register my trademark Helen Stracta only here in America. So, to answer your question, I will say this – we have already entered the American market, and we see excellent prospects for the development of the brand.
Can you already share any exciting projects in America?
For our regular customers for several years in a row, we have prepared dresses for the two most significant fashion events: Burning Man and Miami Swim Fashion Week. I myself take part in these events. Now I am in an active stage of a very cool and promising, in my opinion, project. This is a collaboration with the famous American rapper JT Money.
Can you tell us what it will be?
Within the framework of the collaboration of Helen Stracta and JT Money, I will work as a creative designer on textiles and will work on new fabrics for products of the singer’s brand. We have already discussed directions – there are a lot of ideas, but the emphasis will be on playing with words from songs and images. Somewhere the words will only complement the main print, and somewhere – they will act as an independent semantic center. The energy very inspires me in the music of JT Money – the main task will be to reflect this message in the clothes. I like new suggestions and formats of work – so I expand my opportunities, meet interesting people and discover new creative horizons. I am sure that Helen Stracta has a great future in America.
