Interview: ASYA KRASNAYA

Co-founders and designers of the brand ASYA KRASNAYA – Evgeniya and Elena

Brand Profile

ASYA KRASNAYA is a Dubai-based Fashion brand that includes 2 lines: Jewelry Line and Women’s ready-to-wear Line. It was founded by two Russian born sisters – Evgeniya and Elena who currently are living in Dubai and creating in DUBAI DESIGN DISTRICT (D3). Every collection is a thrilling journey, which describes who they were, who they are, the way they live and create as ASYA KRASNAYA, offering accessible ethic luxury garments and accessories for woman in her every day high pace lifestyle and for every special occasion. The brand is characterized by the authenticity, peculiarity and uniqueness of its Russian roots, mixed with the sophistication and metropolitan aspect of modern-day Dubai, New York and Western Europe.

Brand Identity
“ASYA KRASNAYA” is the name of the currant type, which has red color of the berries. Style is renowned for its seasonal currant print and trendy mix of colors.
The identity of the brand:
• Natural type of fabrics and sport finishing
• Red currant print within seasonal Interpretation
• Berry color dress in each collection
The basis of the style is the connection of cultural and historical features, the interpretation and personal reading of the world through the eyes of a young Russian lady, who was born in Russia, spent her 80s and 90s in Russia. But now she is living abroad. Moreover, there is a strong connection to have a great desire of opening the freedom: breaking rules and be a global member of the world with unique touch in the collections of “How Russian young women sees and feels the world inside and outside Russia.”

Official website: https://www.asyakrasnaya.com

Facebook: AsyaKrasnaya

Instagram: @asyakrasnaya

When and how did you decide that you wanted to be a designer?

“ASYA KRASNAYA“ is the name of the girl, which was created by us- two best friends, great sisters and trusted partners Evgeniya and Elena.(Also, “Asya Krasnaya” is the name of the currant type, which has red color of the berries and inspiration, which is behind our signature print). We always were driven by a long-standing desire to find two characters in one, that would rise up to the aesthetics of a comfortable, chic, colorful wardrobe. It was our dream to have it from age of 16 back to Russia.

Was it your dream job?

We have a business background and it was not our dream job to have. We both studied at the University and majored in Economics in our native city Perm, Russia.  We have worked all this time with projects in oil and gas industry: people, deadlines and deliverable. It was our dream to have our own apparel brand but not a dream job and we are living our dream now…

Which is the first thing you designed and for who?

Back to 90’s, we did not have much variety and it was a reason to start making clothes for ourselves and looking different. The first piece we had designed was a jeans wide pants and very long jeans coat. Everyone in school was jealous and we were swapping the clothes between us every day.

Who’s designing do you admire most of all and why?

Hmm, we don’t like this question, because there are so many talented designers and brands out there, but we like the creation of Alessandro Dell’Acqua for the brand Rochas, we are interested in art of pret-a-porte by Joseph Font-the creative director of DELPOZO. They make us think about fashion as Art and think big about our brand.

Whom do you find your muse, your icon, while creating your work?

Let’s say we don’t have a muse or icon, but we are getting inspiration from everything around us, starting from the closest people, our family members, our true friends, their habits, lifestyle and even the basics which is culture and history.  It’s a two way process and should not be confined to one icon or muse as you end up getting limited. We prefer to look from the outside as if you were having a satellite view of the world from out of space.  After all we live in a Globalized world and there is so much out there.

If you would have to design an entire collection using just one color, which would be that one and why?

The color will be red and all shades of red. It is the color of life, beauty and confidence, which is what our brand wishes every woman, feels like: lively, beautiful and always confident.

Who is the first person whom you show your sketches to?

Well, for sure my sister and partner to get the first reaction and get the feedback, but to make the idea completed usually takes teamwork.

The fabric that you love most of all – silk, lace, velvet… and why?

We believe, it is not about type of fabrics we love, it is about that 90% of our collection is made from natural fabrics: cotton, linen, organza, velvet, which brings aristocratic flavor and make woman feel comfortable all day long.

If your clothes would have a soundtrack, which one would you choose?

“A sorta Fairy tale” by Tori Amos, we are living in a modern, cosmopolitan and very crowded city. Crowded with people, business, and different type of relationships. The place and the people around us make us what we are.We can not separate ourselves from the city and from  these  people. We believe, that everything should be ideal and perfect, like a fairy-tale and our collections are about how we see our fairy-tale in the place where  not  everything  is  perfect  and  flawless,  but  we have no  trouble remembering only good and perfect, which reflect our sort of  fairy-tale  look and creating our type of fairy-tale reality.

Do you have any trick to avoid that “blank page” moment while you are at the beginning stage of designing a new collection? Do you watch a movie, or read an old magazine?

We are lucky and don’t have this problem at all, we dream, it comes natural as it always was there and now it is a right time to be shown.

If not a designer, which direction would you choose in the fashion world and why?

We would have open the creative hub, like a school to help talented and young designers study and learn about making collection and  collaborate with buyers by experiencing the commercial side of this industry in order to understand  how to organize the creative thinking and making what will be good for selling in the market .