VIKTORIA MARCHEV

LEGENDARY INTERVIEW

Design Legends ("DL") had the distinct honour to interview legendary designer VIKTORIA MARCHEV ("VM") for their original perspective and innovative approach to design as well as their creative lifestyle, we are very pleased to share our interview with our distinguished readers.

DL: Could you please tell us a bit about your design background and education?

VM : I studied architecture, but I am a self-taught fashion designer, I learnt along the way. My knowledge for that reason is mostly practical. I experiment a lot, so in that sense curiosity is my greatest teacher. In the past few years I have been working for a men’s suiting company.

DL: What motivates you to design in general, why did you become a designer?

VM : My everyday emotions. I live through a lot of emotions everyday which are hard to process or express and whatever would be suppressed becomes part of my design process. As an example, the very start of my design career, I started as a swimwear designer, the motivation for that was that as a child, I spent a lot of time swimming as Hungary offers a lot of natural thermal spas and it is part of the culture. However as I started to grow into a woman, the joy of enjoying water got suppressed by the fact I didn’t feel comfortable being exposed and carrying the attention that comes with it. When I started to design, I always aimed at designing pieces that provide the wearer with the sensation of being dressed up, so swimsuits have always been a major element of my collections. I also felt it gives me a bigger surface to create. I wanted to be able to express my feminine side and the joy of water.

DL: Did you choose to become a designer, or you were forced to become one?

VM : Definitely not forced, I was gently pushed into this direction by life.

DL: What do you design, what type of designs do you wish to design more of?

VM : Swimwear remains the main aesthetic of my lines. I really love designing bodysuit-type garments, statement pieces, which can be worn on stage, on the red carpet or in films.

DL: What should young designers do to become a design legend like you?

VM : Take as many opportunities as you can. You cannot possibly predict which opportunity you take is going to thrust you to the next level. A fashion designer’s path can seem convoluted sometimes, but there is a way to navigate. There are multiple designer platforms where you can showcase your portfolio. A’Design Award is a wonderful opportunity for talent artists to showcase their work, receive world-wide recognition and get constant media coverage. Participate at fashion events. It doesn’t have to be the biggest Fashion Week right away, you can take it step by step. Be part of a fashion community. Surround yourself with like-minded people who believe in what you believe in. Even if it is just one person who believes with you, or even if it is only temporary. At the same time familiarize yourself with the concept of loneliness, because sometimes it can be a very lonely lifestyle.

DL: What distinguishes between a good designer and a great designer?

VM : Persistence. It is true within one project or throughout the years too. It requires a lot of discipline, because nowadays it is so popular to search for instant gratification and projects, especially complicated, new and big projects take time. You have to be able to hold the vision for a very long time, sometimes without being able to show anything to the public or even to people close to you. Sometimes you just have to put in the hours and keep working until it resembles the vision in your head. This is definitely not a quick process.

DL: What makes a good design a really good design, how do you evaluate good design?

VM : Everything has a purpose. It is important to find the right one and to dedicate the whole design process to that purpose. If it is self-expression then the design has to be humble enough to embrace the story, it cannot be overly complicated, it has to be proportionate to the message. If the purpose however is to solve a technological challenge, then the design has to be a bit more risk-taking, as right now this project is the perfect platform to shine as an inventor or an innovator. It is always the purpose that matters.

DL: What is the value of good design? Why should everyone invest in good design?

VM : Designs which are well thought through can last longer and represent a higher energy frequency. Surrounding yourself with less, but higher quality items can create a cleaner environment, than overcrowding your life with multiple, quickly made objects which only serve one or temporary purposes. Usually getting even just one such item can inspire you to completely restructure your life.

DL: What would you design and who would you design for if you had the time?

VM : I am very excited to design for science-fiction movies and live concert performances, these both have been dreams of mine for a long while. I would be very happy to work with some of my favorite actors, actresses and singers.

DL: What is the dream project you haven’t yet had time to realize?

VM : One of my dreams is to open my flagship store in NYC, where regardless of season I can sell my collections and connect to my customers.

DL: What is your secret recipe of success in design, what is your secret ingredient?

VM : I think a lot before I start doing anything. I love thinking through all the details even before making a sketch, I elaborate on the ideas for months if it is a collection and I only start working on them when I am very clear about what I want to accomplish. It is an invisible process and it requires a lot of discipline, as no one around you thinks you are even working. But a huge part of the work is internal.

DL: Who are some other design masters and legends you get inspired from?

VM : While he is in a different field, I will mention Santiago Calatrava, Spanish architect. His innovative approach towards Architecture, his clean and minimalist designs have always been in the center of my attention. He is clearly creating the future.

DL: What are your favorite designs by other designers, why do you like them?

VM : To continue the previous question, one of his buildings, which can be found in the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, the L’Hemisferic. I feel the integrity of the concept to create an eye with the building and the building’s reflection in the water in front of it is unique and inspiring.

DL: What is your greatest design, which aspects of that design makes you think it is great?

VM : Pieces of my most recent collection, the S/S 2024 ‘YOLO…this time’. I feel that this is a collection where I found a balance between using innovative technologies and something that is easier to process.

DL: How could people improve themselves to be better designers, what did you do?

VM : Less is more. Let it be the number of looks in a collection, the number of challenges you are facing, sometimes it can refer to the number of colors or shapes. I think focus is a very important skill. Don’t try to put everything into one design or in one collection.

DL: If you hadn’t become a designer, what would you have done?

VM : There were a couple of other options, but if you ask me now, I would be a painter.

DL: How do you define design, what is design for you?

VM : I will approach it a few different ways. Design is a mean of self-expression to me. A platform where I can fully be myself and "say" things I wouldn't dare to in everyday conversations, being as shy as I am. At the same time design is a meticulous process where you imagine everything ahead of time, so when it gets to the physical manifestation of it, you don't have to think just do. I learnt this approach during my studies in Architecture, that the more you think ahead, the faster the implementation will be.

DL: Who helped you to reach these heights, who was your biggest supporter?

VM : It is a different person in every era of my life. Somebody always decides to join.

DL: What helped you to become a great designer?

VM : Patience. As you see my process now, even within one collection there are long periods of time, when nothing is visible, so you have to have the patience to come out with a collection. Also a fashion designer’s path is definitely not an overnight success, so building up a brand is a meticulous job, you cannot quit after a year.

DL: What were the obstacles you faced before becoming a design master?

VM : Time. I think I never left enough time for myself to work. By the moment I had everything ready to create I always had very little time. I think you have to be very mindful of your resources and time is one of the most valuable ones as that is not something you get back.

DL: How do you think designers should present their work?

VM : I do believe a proportionate and attractive presentation is vital in showcasing your designs, so as for me I find it important to have beautiful campaigns every season when I bring out a collection. Gladly, my husband, Dobrin Marchev (www.dobrinmarchev.com) is a fashion photographer, and he has been the official photographer of campaigns for recent years. His minimalist style is very much in alignment with how I love to present my sometimes very colorful work. I feel it creates a perfect bond, where the designs can shine, while the photos are subtle and sophisticated.

DL: What’s your next design project, what should we expect from you in future?

VM : My next collection called the S/S 2025 ‘Under Pressure’, which will be showcased at NYFW.

DL: What’s your ultimate goal as a designer?

VM : I want to create memorable pieces and unforgettable experiences for the wearer and the observer.

DL: What people expect from an esteemed designer such as yourself?

VM : Integrity. And maybe sometimes perfection. Rarely, but I also encountered people expecting me to be entertaining in person.

DL: How does design help create a better society?

VM : When things are thought through they can be implemented better and can last for longer. They can serve the purpose better and longer.

DL: What are you currently working on that you are especially excited about?

VM : Besides my new collection, that is coming this September, I am working on expanding the F/W 2024 ‘Love Addiction’ collection, which is full of faux fur and silicone looks, an interesting and unusual combination. I showcased this collection this March in San Francisco at Fashion Community Week, 8 looks, but before the commercial launch I am planning to add a few more looks and create a beautiful campaign, celebrating women and love. “Love Addiction’, the title of the collection is controversial, you cannot decide if it is positive or hurtful, so it is about both the warm and the hard sides of a romantic relationship, or rather the way a woman experiences it, and all of these emotions formed into garments.

DL: Which design projects gave you the most satisfaction, why?

VM : My Barbie-theme collection, called S/S 2023 ‘PINK FLOW’. This collection was born after my 10-year mark in the fashion industry, and I feel for that reason it was very lightweight. I left a lot of heaviness from my quest for balance from the first 10 years behind to enter a new and exciting era. It was also a collection which I had the concept for a couple of years, so I was very content when I finally launched it.

DL: What would you like to see changed in design industry in the coming years?

VM : The opportunity for artists to stay artists.

DL: Where do you think the design field is headed next?

VM : More use of Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality.

DL: How long does it take you to finalize a design project?

VM : It depends on the project. I elaborate for 6 months on my collections usually, unless there is an idea I skipped to implement, in which case it can be years. Smaller projects can be 1 month or less.

DL: When you have a new design project, where do you start?

VM : Color scheme.

DL: What is your life motto as a designer?

VM : Be brave.

DL: Do you think design sets the trends or trends set the designs?

VM : Design definitely sets the trends.

DL: What is the role of technology when you design?

VM : The core of it. My designs are very much revolving around technological improvements.

DL: What kind of design software and equipment do you use in your work?

VM : I sketch in Adobe Illustrator. I used to hand-sketch but as I design a lot during my commute, I switched to jotting down the looks in Illustrator. Currently that’s the only one I use.

DL: What is the role of the color, materials and ambient in design?

VM : These are the key elements, these are the very first things I think about when I want to create a collection, right after I have an emotion to express.

DL: What do you wish people to ask about your design?

VM : I receive very similar questions in general. I wish sometimes people wanted to get to know the person behind the designs, what I mean, when I say I design based on my emotions, that I experience in my everyday life.

DL: When you see a new great design or product what comes into your mind?

VM : Admiration. Inspiration.

DL: Who is your ideal design partner? Do you believe in co-design?

VM : I am not very open to it, so it will be hard for me to answer this question.

DL: Which people you interacted had the most influence on your design?

VM : It can be anybody, people with a great mindset.

DL: Which books you read had the most effect on your design?

VM : It is not easy to admit, but I am not much of a reader. I prefer movies and music performances. I am sure these are the very things that formed what I consider beautiful or exciting.

DL: How did you develop your skills as a master designer?

VM : Passion. I think it is very important to have that fire inside you to want to know more, to explore, to develop yourself, to search for fabrics and materials and solutions.

DL: Irrelative of time and space, who you would want to meet, talk and discuss with?

VM : Etienne Sandorfi, who was a hyperrealist Hungarian painter who lived and created in France, sadly I only got to know about him and his gorgeous artworks after he was not among us anymore. I really enjoyed watching interviews with him and understanding his creative process. His paintings were basically sold while he was working on them. Tamas Kiraly, who was a Hungarian fashion designer, I feel that his concepts of sculptural fashion resonate a lot with my perspectives.

DL: How do you feel about all the awards and recognition you had, is it hard to be famous?

VM : I haven’t dared to call myself an award-winning designer until I collected a couple of awards. The good thing is that the awards come when the work is done, so it is a wonderful recognition, and this way it can keep you grounded. Because you know that you had put the work in before you got recognized. I won’t say that I don’t feel famous at all, because sometimes the most surprising things happen, when I meet people I have never met before and they seem to know a lot about me and my designs, but I am definitely not that famous where it would interfere with my everyday life.

DL: What is your favorite color, place, food, season, thing and brand?

VM : Depends on the season, mostly for all of these.

DL: Please tell us a little memoir, a funny thing you had experienced as a designer?

VM : During backstage of my runway show of the S/S 2019 ‘SPLASH’ collection, which was my first ever runway show at New York Fashion Week, and the first and only so far with a big number of looks, I was hesitating if I should really inject water in between the layers of silicone. Even though that was one of the core elements of the show, right before I had a few moments of insecurity if it was going to work. Somebody walked up to me and stopped to ask questions about the material I use and what the holes (plugs for the water) were used for. I explained how I would inject water (actually blue Listerine for the spectacle) inside, and it would bounce between a colored and a transparent layer of silicone. The person was stunned but questioned if I really dared to do that. That was the very moment I said: “I will sure do. That’s how I designed it.”

DL: What makes your day great as a designer, how do you motivate yourself?

VM : When I keep the promises that I make to myself. I feel that that is the most fragile thing, if you are not accountable in front of yourself. You have to build trust in you, so that you know you can rely on yourself. If you say you would go and do something, just go and do it. There is a reason you planned something for a particular day, because it is the best time to do it and any delay will have a noticeable effect on the next steps, also known as self-sabotage. If you miss doing something today you will need to do it tomorrow, when you were supposed to get ahead with the next part of your process, so now you either need to work twice as hard, or you need to postpone your tasks you had for the following day, which will create a snowball-effect.

DL: When you were a little child, was it obvious that you would become a great designer?

VM : I read a book once about Creative people and it stated that many of these childhood memories might be just the projection of the adult’s current view and if they were in another field quite possibly they would find similar inspiring stories, but nevertheless I will try to find one that might have been pointing in this direction. When I was about 14 we had a Christmas party where a few girls performed and needed costumes of different sizes, one of them was me. I didn’t hesitate for a moment to say, I was going to make them and went to a classmate whose mother had a sewing machine. I am not sure how but I knew how to operate a sewing machine, I knew what was where and I put together our costumes for the show.

DL: What do you think about future; what do you see will happen in thousand years from now?

VM : Major technological improvement, I am actually quite excited about that sci-fi era that we are entering.

DL: Please tell us anything you wish your fans to know about you, your design and anything else?

VM : I am a very shy and gentle person. If you see my designs, you might expect me to be a very bold and entertaining character, but nothing could be further from the truth. I can be very passionate when I talk about my designs, but in other settings I don’t enjoy joining the conversations, I am usually the quiet, unnoticeable person in the room.