HELLO THERE, BOLD RACER

In an exclusive interview for SWARM Mag, Georgian retro-futuristic designer Lado Bokuchava, creating under a namesake brand, takes us behind the scenes of his SS 2021 collection, which carries distinct urban and race-car fashion elements.
LADO

You have been inspired by all the time periods. Your work is a combination of historicism, futuristic elements, and minimalistic details in rich complex forms. What details would we find on your recent mood board for SS21? 

SS 2021 is science fiction, technology, aesthetics of elegant futurism, boyish silhouettes mixed with feminine ones, bright colors, geometric shapes and cutouts.

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The fashion business is going through big changes these days. What is the main purpose of fashion for you? 

Although my profession is very important and emotional to me, the field of fashion is associated with constant, hard work. Recent events have further complicated this process, especially for small brands and especially in countries such as Georgia. At this point, the only thing that matters is a lot of work, responsibility towards employees and love for the job.

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Is today’s fashion purely a business or a tool for expressing personal statements?  

In fashion, you have to balance two things as a designer – expressing yourself, showing your attitudes and inner world and, at the same time, not to forget the customer: people who finally see the product, perceive it correctly, have a connection with it and the will to wear it. For me, the combination of commercialism and creativity is the main foundation of the fashion industry, which often requires sacrifice, sometimes causing frustration but overcoming it brings pleasure.

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Is Georgia a good place to be creative? 

It does not matter where you were born, in order to be creative. A person can express their vision everywhere, however, the development of it is either facilitated or hindered under some conditions. In some places, you have to struggle with insufficient resources, such as here. In some places, the environment drives you crazy with diversity, with everything together. After all, we live in a time where your voice can reach anyone, and if you let the right people know, the results will be achieved soon.

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BIO / LADO BOKUCHAVA is a Georgian brand founded in 2017 by young Georgian designer Lado Bokuchava. The brand’s signature is 80’s underground style mixed with contemporary world. Every collection is a mix of classic and urban style with futuristic details, different directions together. Colour defines lots of things. The most important part of the creating process is the pattern. Most of the complex looks consist of many details that are detachable, which makes them multifunctional and comfortable to wear for any body type and also for different occasions. The designer uses classy and minimalistic materials. The sources of inspiration are always different – movies or books that are expressed in the mood of the collection. The use of colours is always vibrant and miscellaneous, highlighting a perfect balance between elegance and serenity. The designer adores synthesizing delicateness with harsh shapes, making looks that are posh yet savage, intended for someone who loves to show their uniqueness unabashedly and unconditionally.

The brand’s first collection was SS 2018, which enjoyed a huge success not only in Georgia but abroad as well. The collection has been featured in magazines such as Vogue or Dazed.

For more visit @ladobokuchva

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