Olga, where did your passion for fashion begin? And what brings you to the ESMOD Institute?
As far as I can remember, I always sewed and knitted something. We grew up in the Soviet Union. You yourself know how it was: there is no money, the stores are empty, but I really want to look good. Therefore, the clothes of grandmothers and mothers were ripped open and sewed something for themselves. There was not enough money for anything. I really wanted to study, but money for this only appeared when my husband and I started working in the Emirates. I don’t remember exactly who told me that the ESMOD school of designers was opened in Dubai. I was so happy! After all, I knew that this is the best and most prestigious school in the world. At that moment, I realized that I was going to study, no matter what it cost me.
How did the relationship between you and the ESMOD Institute develop from the very beginning? Was it difficult?
It’s not even that difficult. Yes, hard of course. But ESMOD also doesn’t take everyone. Rather, they give it to everyone, but in the course of training, people leave themselves, are eliminated after a couple of months. Because - this is hellish labor. To become a real fashion designer, and even more so as a couturier, you don’t need to eat, not sleep, just work - draw, search, cut, sew, embroider ... Every day we have new homework. In addition, this is a very expensive form of training, because we buy all fabrics and accessories for collections ourselves. There is simply no time left for life. Because of my studies, my husband and I almost didn’t get a divorce, so far I have even sent my son to my parents to Russia, because I can’t pay enough attention to him.
45 people entered the course with me, of which eight are left today. ESMOD is a very strong school, they teach here not only modeling, but also all the skills of cutting and sewing. But even this is not the main thing - it is taught to think creatively, and this is difficult, especially if it is not inherent in nature in man. But if you love it, and you like what you do, then it’s happiness to study at ESMOD.
Olga, your graduation party will take place at the end of June 2010. We know that each graduate prepares his own diploma collection for him. What are you working on? What is the theme of your "thesis"? This year, on the eve of graduation, we had to make a choice of the "diploma" collection - Haute Couture, sportswear, evening toilets, costumes for theater and cinema, pret-a-porte. I wanted to start creating a theatrical costume, but I thought that with such a specialization it would be very difficult to find a job, there are enough costumers for a movie and a theater today. So I set about making the Haute Couture collection. This means that all my clothes, which will be presented at the final show, will be made manually - from "A" to "Z". No sewing machine, clean table, needle and thread and hands. I still have embroidery planned there. This is terribly hard work, as a rule, no one undertakes it. As our Tamara says, "probably only the Russians are not afraid of such work."
According to the rules, there should be three outfits in the graduation collection. True, they told me that if it is very difficult, then I can do two, but I do not want two and I will do three. Russians do not give up! I took the theme of Gothic cathedrals and the Middle Ages in general as the basis of my collection. I chose amazing fabrics for her (by the way, only I already spent three thousand euros on them), for which I went specifically to Venice, because you can’t save on this. This is Haute Couture! I even brought buttons from Europe, bones for corsets. It seems to me that something interesting should turn out.
What's in the future, after the release?
I do not want to stop there. After studying at ESMOD for three years, I will get a bachelor's degree. After that I want to go to Paris and get a real Haute Couture license, and for this I will need to study for another four years. Only nine people in the world are licensed to Haute Couture. I really need her, I want to become a real master. I am 33 years old, that is, it was already too late for me to master the profession, but now I feel the strength and desire to do something of my own.
How many more Russian students study at ESMOD?
Today I am alone. Last year, my namesake, Olga, also graduated here, and there is no one else. It's a pity, of course, because among the Russians there are many talented people, but not everyone can afford such a rhythm.
Will you miss ESMOD?
It seems to me that I will never part with ESMOD, because all that I got here is knowledge, skills, invaluable experience in communicating with the best teachers in the world, whom Tamara invites us from different countries to stay with me forever. I am infinitely grateful to all my teachers, and especially Tamara (who, by the way, has Russian roots) for their strength and confidence that the ESMOD school in Dubai will become one of the most popular institutions and will release new High Fashion stars from its walls.
Thanks Olga. Congratulations on your upcoming graduation year! We wish you good luck. See you at the graduation show.
The editors thank Olga Nurek and ESMOD Institute for the photos provided.
