Iva Arapovic
20
Fashion Design at Curtin University – Completion in December 2013
I have always been interested in fashion and the various possibilities it can provide someone with. My mother played a great influence in my decision to continue down this path. She is a very creative and innovative person which inevitably reflected on me. She had bought my first sewing machine at the age of 16 which gave me the drive to begin making things we had both come up with. I think it was in year 11 where I become increasingly intrigued by the construction of garments in which I pursued to create my own. From this point onwards I paid more attention to the quality of my technical skills in order to begin a course of Fashion Design at Curtin. And now here I am in my final semester of the course, more technically savvy and even closer to my future as a fashion designer!
What kind of design do you specialise in?
My aesthetic has always, since day one been structure. I am ENORMOUSLY influenced by surrounding objects, architecture, people and even animals. My final collection for this year encapsulates the evolution of bird's, their movement and more importantly their behaviour (such as flight and nesting). I focus on the solid forms such as the nesting and translate this into a garment on the body.
I am also, however drawn to the idea of juxtaposing ideas such as drape and structure. This involves applying masculine applications of structure (such as armour) to soft and feminine physiques and silhouettes.
What do you feel are the troubles of being a student designer?
I don't think there are many troubles of being a student designer. When you are enrolled into such a course you are continuously surrounded by industry professionals who are more than happy to provide constructive feedback – this is something many of us students appreciate. We are also encouraged to attend and assist many fashion events such as Perth Fashion Week or other exhibitions. This helps us gain a deeper perspective of what the reality of the industry is like. University is there to assist you and offer as much as they can so to say there are troubles is maybe the wrong way to put it. With a positive attitude anything can seem achievable.
Do you have an ideology?
My belief as a designer is to always stay positive. With a bad attitude NOTHING can be achieved. Your brain shuts down and negativity completely takes over. When I am trying to figure out how something can be constructed, I make sure the environment is peaceful in order for me to think properly. When I have discovered how something works I then blast music and make myself comfortable. I believe it is very important to surround yourself with things you love in order to do the things you love.
Who are you inspired by?
I am inspired by everything and anything. It could be the couch in the living room to the movement of trees. As a designer, you try not to limit your inspirational values as you may miss on the chance create something you may not come across again.
To be specific, I am mostly influenced by architecture. An architect that I will almost always refer to in my work is Fariborz Sahba who created the famous Lotus temple in India. The level of structure within this building is beyond inspirational and serves as a substantial reference to my design aesthetic.
Iva
Arapovic