Fashion Designer interview questions

A Snapshot Profile of Lubica Slovak

is an artistic Slovakia-born, fashion designer who founded, a clothing company based in Jamaica. Slovak has previously partnered and collaborated with international recording artist on a female boutique dubbed “Belle” and an award-winning collection, “Anuna”.

Education: Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada
Organisations founded: LUBICA and Belle

The Phresh Interview

Phil Rodriques (PR): What favourite quote/mantra do you live by?
Lubica Slovak (LS): Don’t sweat the small stuff… let it go, everything will work out as it should. I have to remind myself of this one often.

PR: What sparked your interest in fashion?
LS: I have been interested in fashion from when I was a little girl. I remember always wanting to pick my own outfits to wear from very young age and then as a tween and a teen always wanting to look different and stand out with my outfits. Looking back…I didn’t always stand out in a good way though. [Lubica laughs]

PR: You studied fashion design in (Toronto) Canada and never worked for anyone else. Why did you launch your own label straight away?
LS: Because it was my dream to have my own line and create outfits that I really wanted to create. I am a Taurus [Zodiac sign] and we do things our way…it may not always be the best thing, but we definitely know what we want and go after it.

PR: How do you balance creativity with business?
LS: This is very hard for me. As a creative person I think more about colours and fabrics rather than numbers. It is very important to balance the two as talent alone is not enough these days. I am still working on this one.

PR: What is the biggest lesson that you have learned since you started your fashion company?
LS: That you just can’t do it all yourself. For the line and brand to grow it is important to find the right people to work with. And also to take risks and follow your instinct.

PR: What’s your latest fashion design project?
LS: My line/brand is a constant project.

PR: Where do you find the inspiration for each Lubica (fashion) collection?
LS: [Lubica laughs] My “favourite” question. Inspiration comes from different things. It could be a song, a movie or a mood that I am in.

PR: Where do you see Lubica in 5 years’ time?
LS: I would like to expand and grow the Lubica brand and for it to be a successful brand available worldwide.

PR: What advice would you give to aspiring fashion designers?
LS: Be a dentist! [Lubica jokes] I would say make sure that this really is your passion. That you absolutely cannot live without it and then make a good plan and be ready to work really hard. Create cohesive collections and be clear on who your customer is. And most importantly be a business person as much as a creative person.