Interview with the designer Kaste Svilaite.

Kaste Svilaite is a young and aspiring designer from Lithuania. She has two different lines of her brand – KASTE sport and KASTE black. Furthermore, last summer she presented her first swimwear collection. This is our exclusive Q&A with Kaste Svilaite. Interview by Raminta Speciute.

When did you decide that you want to be a designer?

I think it started in the 4th grade. I copied sketches from fashion magazines then started to draw myself. When I was a teenager I wanted to be an actress too. I took classes in the academy, but eventually it became too boring for me. But as I always say, everything I’ve learnt is important. It gives me courage to communicate, be social, which is essential to my customers and new people around me.

What is the first thing you designed and for who (yourself, a friend…)?

I started sewing for myself from my youngest days. I think it was a red velvet skirt in 6th grade. I don’t know HOW I made the pattern, but there was not a simple skirt, it was with set-in details. I made it with grandpa’s old sewing machine. It was too big for me, so I pinned it with safety pins. Or maybe in 5th grade, when I had jeans that became too short for me, so I added pieces of fabric in the end. I looked like a run-away from home, but my mother let me do everything as I wanted and look as I wanted.

Who’s the first person you show your sketches to?

I show them to my dad. He’s my biggest critic. He never praises me in vain and he always has good suggestions how I could do things even better.

Where do you go or do for inspiration? Who inspires you the most?

I always say that competition is the best inspiration. I want to do it better. Then there is my own life – I’m surrounded by talented professionals, workaholics. When you meet them, you just have to go out there and do your best.

How does inspiration turn into reality? What is your creative process?

You think of something, live with it maximum for one day and then start doing it. If you wait too long, you will start to overthink it, your inspiration will disappear and you will never do something.

Do you have any trick to avoid that “blank page” moment when you’re at the beginning of the designing of a new collection? Do you watch a movie, flip an old magazine…?

I try not to read fashion magazines to protect myself from stealing ideas. I think brainstorming is the best thing to do.

Who’s your muse, your icon, when you create an outfit?

When I create an individual outfit – my muse is that woman, to whom I’m creating it. Speaking about my collections – my woman is free.

How would you describe your design aesthetics?

I have two lines of clothes. The first one is KASTE sport, which is more casual but with interesting detailing, unordinary construction, I try not to be like everyone else. The other, KASTE black is more luxurious evening wear, more provocative, making a reaction, but with a touch of minimalism. I don’t like too much glitter or patterns.

Is there any particular detail/fabric/element/… that you use repeatedly in your designs? If so, why?

I like to sew pieces of material together in stripes. I first created it when I hadn’t enough fabric for one of my clothes so I just had to do something. Now it’s one of my distinctive features.

If you had to design an entire collection using just one colour, which is the one you would pick?

Black. I always come back to it. Although I try to create colourful clothes (one-coloured, naturally). In Lithuania we have too much darkness, it’s dull outside, especially in winter.

If your clothes had a soundtrack, which songs, artist or composer you would choose?

A bit of minimal techno, a bit of industrial, sometimes from the Weeknd to Placebo or Beyonce. I would say I have a pretty wide spectre.

The fabric you love the most: silk, lace, velvet,..?

I love to mix silk with leather and jersey even to evening dresses.

Could you describe a woman/man who would wear your designs?

They are free, perhaps they do not wish to be the most fashionable, but they want to be exclusive. My customers should feel comfortable in my clothes, so that’s why I discuss about what they want and we find the best solution.

What are your plans for the future in fashion design? Are you preparing any new concepts or collections right now?

I dream to stage a very unordinary fashion show, with theatre, choreography and illumination elements. It would be not just a fashion show, but like a performance or a concert. I dream about it a lot when I listen to music.

Kaste’s page: Kaste clothing
Photos by: Rusne Pazdrazdyte, Linas Justice.