How did you become a designer?
After I had graduated from the Food Technology College I came to Łódź to apply to the Łódź University of Technology and study food technology there. I always liked cooking and I wanted to develop in this area.
A lady from the dean’ office, who took my documents, noticed my shirt. When she found out I had revamped it myself, she suggested that I should rather study design than food technology. I thought “why not?” I always had an artistic soul and I liked to draw and paint. I chose a different road because I come from a small town where artists are perceived as “frivolous”.
This time, without giving much thought to it, I put design in my application. Then I started to prefect my drawing skills to pass a necessary exam. This is how my studies began. During those five years I took part in many design competitions and they gave me the most, I think. I did the first one as a duo. We came second in the Off Fashion competition in Kielce. Later I regularly competed and won different prizes or diplomas. It made me gain more self-confidence and believe in my skills. This was very motivating.
Throughout my studies I made money as a barman. After graduation an opportunity came and I started to run a café where I had worked before. At the same time I created new collections. I started from the shows during Off Out Of Schedule at the Fashion Week Poland in Łódź and Designer Avenue. Since then I have already presented my collections for 10 seasons.
It is important to keep up and develop your skills from one season to another. Of course, the first off projects are single pieces and such collections are not intended to be sold. Their aim is to develop one’s artistic vision and learn. With time, when you get the skills and clothes are sold, you prepare the collections in a slightly different way.
The most important is this practical personal experience. In my opinion a designer should know how to sew and have practical knowledge of every stage of the clothes making process. It is not about knowing how to draw but to execute an idea and sew an outfit in order to know how it works, how to construct it depending on the fabric, etc.
I think that the knowledge of material science and design that I have gained at the Łódź University of Technology is very useful for me on daily basis. The main thing about designing is beautiful, high-quality fabric. When you find one you can draw the simplest design and it will speak for itself.
That’s why this technical aspect is very important. You can have an artistic vision but if you don’t find the fabric that will help it materialise, it won’t work! You have to start from choosing the right fabrics and when you have them, you start creating a collection – it’s much easier this way. It may seem that an approach like that limits an artistic vision but on the other hand such a foundation, a starting point fires up your creativity.
Where do you look for fabrics for your collections? What do you recommend?
It depends. In my autumn/winter 2016/17 collection I used Italian fabrics of very high quality that top international brands such as Chanel or Armani use. But I also use Polish fabrics, of course. I simply choose fabrics that match the idea behind a specific collection, those that I like because of the texture, colour or structure. It is important how fabrics work with one another and with the whole collection.
An interesting solution is provided by fabrics with polyester. Nowadays they are completely different than they used to be and they are often better than cotton, for example. Latest technologies are so advanced that high-quality polyesters cost as much as natural fabrics. Sometimes they are even more expensive. They are very comfortable to wear, they don’t require ironing and they provide designers with many opportunities. Sometimes they are so good that they are mistaken with natural fabrics.
How are your collections created?
An inspiration may come from music I hear or an interesting element and colour which I notice and which seems unimportant. First I have an idea for the whole show, including make-up and hairstyles, in my head. Then I choose fabrics, make designs and create particular outfits – step by step.
This is how my autumn/winter 2016/17 Sparkle collection was created. There was disco music from the 1970s playing in the background. I took a pencil and I draw all the designs in one day. Then the hard work started with all the details, constructions and fabrics selection to be done. My previous collections were quite subdued and monochromatic. This time I wanted to go away from that and surprise with something new, something more positive, cheerful and colourful – something like disco clubs from the 1970s and 1980s.
I don’t sew myself anymore because the day is not long enough. I only do it when I want specific details in my collection to look in a particular way. Generally, the whole collection is sewn in a sewing workshop which does it beautifully, paying attention to all finishing touches and details.
Clothes for the show are sewn as single pieces but one can order them and then everything is done to measure for an individual customer. I also usually sew a second line for a particular collection for sale, so-called classic line, which can be bought online as well as in our boutiques in the Manufaktura shopping centre in Łódź and the Posnania shopping centre in Poznań.
What advice would you give to young designers? What is most important about designing?
It is important to be consistent and stubborn; not to give up, even when you fail. If you set a goal for yourself you should consistently work to achieve it.
People think that if you are a designer you must make a lot of money and you are the king of the world. It’s not like that at all! It is hard work. You spend a lot of time moving around in your car looking for fabrics and accessories. You cannot avoid thinking about your business, paper work and stress.
In fact, you have to multitask. It’s very important! It doesn’t matter if there are many young and talented designers who present beautiful collections if they don’t have a marketing spirit in them and cannot sell the things they have created.
I think that apart from artistic subjects and designing they should have classes in sales, marketing and business. It doesn’t matter that you’re talented if you cannot sell what you have made. After you show your collection at Fashion Week you don’t immediately have thousands of customers. Our fashion market is young and it is still growing.
Many people still don’t make money from fashion – it’s rather their passion and they work somewhere else to make a living. Some people do earn money from designing clothes but it’s very difficult – you have to look for new markets all the time, go to fairs and work with determination.
How far do you look into the future of your brand?
I set small steps for myself and I make plans for a year or so. I don’t look too far ahead and I don’t make a sophisticated plan to create a global chain. (laughter) I set goals one after the other and I achieve them consistently.
You have to remember that the more you have and the more you do the more worries and problems you have to face. This results in more and more stress. People who have a lot are not always happy. After all you can lose everything easily. If you have a lot of money, you spend a lot of money and you need even more. Running a large company is connected with high costs. I think that everyone should find his or her comfort and safety zone. There’s no point in running after unknown. Living is not about having more and more material stuff.
What do you like cooking most when you find the time?
When I cook I experiment a lot. I often make duck with different kinds of stuffing. Cooking is very like designing – you have to have the same intuition for mixing and matching different elements. Some people strictly follow a recipe while others experiment all the time.
Official designer’s website: Jaroslaw Ewert | FB | Instagram
Portrait © from the private archive of Jarosław Ewert
Photos © Anna Karahan /Show of the collection by Jarosław Ewert during the 14th edition of FWPL