Vancouver Fashion Week FW 21 - Interview with Fashion Designers Mariya & Tamila Tkachenko of MTTC (Mariya Tamila Tkachenko Couture)
MTTC (Mariya Tamila Tkachenko Couture) is the Australian couture designer paving the way for sustainable and beautiful luxury garments.
With a firm belief that clothing can be both unique and comfortable, the mother-daughter team behind MTTC strive to maintain ethical practices in their work. Every MTTC piece is designed and intricately handmade in their Sydney studio with a focus on superior craftsmanship and quality fabrics. After responsibly sourcing unusual vintage and antique materials, MTTC incorporates such rare finds into many of their exclusive and one-off pieces, creating work that is unlike that of any other label.
MTTC believes that fashion should not only be individual but that it should remain timeless, this is a value that is woven throughout each of their fashion and millinery collections. All MTTC pieces are created with the future in mind, their garments are designed to surpass trends and many are even made to transform, giving the wearer the flexibility to re-style their exclusive piece for multiple occasions. It is this kind of thinking that makes owning an original MTTC design a true investment.
There is an undeniable feeling that comes with the knowledge of owning an item unlike any other in the world, and it is this feeling that is evoked through the work of MTTC. The skill and attention to detail of the team allow for endless possibilities and that is why people from all over the world turn to MTTC to create bespoke pieces that are absolutely extraordinary.
MTTC has been featured in British Vogue, Tatler UK and numerous other Australian and international magazines.
Please share a bit about your journey to choose a career in fashion? Where did you choose to study or, if self taught, how did you gain your skills?
Design and fashion is in our blood. Tamila grew up in Europe watching her mother sew, picking up skills from her and gaining a love for beautiful clothing. She in turn passed her passion on to her daughter, Mariya, who also grew up watching Tamila design and make her own clothes (Tamila even made her own wedding dress).
After leaving university where she studied dramatic arts and design, Mariya found herself working for the set and costume department in theatre and short films. Tamila would work as a designer/seamstress creating custom orders for clients in Australia and overseas.
We would often find ourselves helping each other out with our various projects, but it wasn’t until 2017 that we officially joined forces to launch our label, MTTC (Mariya Tamila Tkachenko Couture) with a millinery collection.
What inspired you to launch your own label? What has been your highest moment since launching your line?
We were often frustrated that we could not find anything unique to wear to events and special occasions. The market was full of fast fashion brands all making almost identical styles, and the quality of garments was usually low. Tamila had a dream from an early age to launch her own label, and she had been making clothes for herself and her family for a long time. So we decided to start our own label, to create sustainable and exclusive luxury fashion.
We believe that your clothing should be unique, it should express your individual style and it should make you feel comfortable and one of a kind. We also believe in quality slow fashion. We handcraft all our pieces in our studio in Sydney, and every garment is one-off. We do not mass produce. We also incorporate vintage fabrics and materials and use minimal waste techniques to create each design. On more than one occasion we have been to events were there would be people in the same outfit. With MTTC, our customers never have to worry about that. They can be confident in knowing that their MTTC piece is the only one in the world.
Being invited to showcase our collection at VFW has to be one of our highest moments, it truly is an honour and we are very excited to be showcasing our brand on a global scale.
Our proudest achievements to date was being invited and published in both Tatler UK and British Vogue. Every designer dreams of being included in such prestigious publications and it was such a validating and proud experience.
How would you describe your brand? What is the aesthetic? Who is the customer you design for?
We would describe our brand as bold and classic. Working as a duo, we fuse our ideas together and in that way we are able to appeal to a wider range of customers. We create pieces that are unusual but also timeless. Our designs are sexy and elegant. We design for people who are looking for something different, but also love items that can be worn more than once. A lot of our pieces can be restyled, some come with detachable sections or as separates, and others are transformational (for example a skirt that can be a cape or a hood on a dress and also a train). In a way, every MTTC piece is like an investment, a quality garment that you can wear and re-wear.
Our customer is also environmentally conscious. They want something that has been sustainably made. but not at the sacrifice of luxury. That is why we love to use beautiful natural materials such as silk, cotton, wool and linen. If we do use polyester, it is either a good quality vintage or recycled fabric.
Can you share something about the new FW21 Collection you'll be showing casing at Vancouver Fashion Week? What was the inspiration? What fabrics and palette did you use?
This collection, called ‘De Luxe’, is all about luxury. You will see a lot of rich fabrics such as cotton and silk velvet, satin brocade, sparkling buttons and chains to name a few. We are inspired by the fabrics that we use (we have a large collection of materials that we have sourced over time), but also by unusual shapes and cuts. You won’t see any boring pieces in this collection!
Do you have a favourite look in this collection? Is there one piece that is a must have piece?
Asking a designer to name a favorite look is like asking someone to name their favorite child - it’s just impossible for us to pick one! What we can say is that each piece is unique and there is something for everyone. We think every person that watches the collection video will have their own favorite look.
Where can readers find your garments? How can they purchase them?
At the moment our pieces are available online on our website. We do hope to have our designs available in boutiques in the future (either by opening our own store or by selling through international boutiques). Sydney locals are welcome to our studio, by appointment only, to try on any of our pieces, or to request a bespoke design. Interstate or international customers can purchase online, or get in touch via email to ask questions or request custom made pieces. We are happy to have video call consultations/fittings.
MTTC believes that fashion should not only be individual but that it should remain timeless, this is a value that is woven throughout each of their fashion and millinery collections. All MTTC pieces are created with the future in mind, their garments are designed to surpass trends and many are even made to transform, giving the wearer the flexibility to re-style their exclusive piece for multiple occasions. It is this kind of thinking that makes owning an original MTTC design a true investment.
There is an undeniable feeling that comes with the knowledge of owning an item unlike any other in the world, and it is this feeling that is evoked through the work of MTTC. The skill and attention to detail of the team allow for endless possibilities and that is why people from all over the world turn to MTTC to create bespoke pieces that are absolutely extraordinary.
MTTC has been featured in British Vogue, Tatler UK and numerous other Australian and international magazines.
Interview -
Please share a bit about your journey to choose a career in fashion? Where did you choose to study or, if self taught, how did you gain your skills?
Design and fashion is in our blood. Tamila grew up in Europe watching her mother sew, picking up skills from her and gaining a love for beautiful clothing. She in turn passed her passion on to her daughter, Mariya, who also grew up watching Tamila design and make her own clothes (Tamila even made her own wedding dress).
We would often find ourselves helping each other out with our various projects, but it wasn’t until 2017 that we officially joined forces to launch our label, MTTC (Mariya Tamila Tkachenko Couture) with a millinery collection.
We were often frustrated that we could not find anything unique to wear to events and special occasions. The market was full of fast fashion brands all making almost identical styles, and the quality of garments was usually low. Tamila had a dream from an early age to launch her own label, and she had been making clothes for herself and her family for a long time. So we decided to start our own label, to create sustainable and exclusive luxury fashion.
We believe that your clothing should be unique, it should express your individual style and it should make you feel comfortable and one of a kind. We also believe in quality slow fashion. We handcraft all our pieces in our studio in Sydney, and every garment is one-off. We do not mass produce. We also incorporate vintage fabrics and materials and use minimal waste techniques to create each design. On more than one occasion we have been to events were there would be people in the same outfit. With MTTC, our customers never have to worry about that. They can be confident in knowing that their MTTC piece is the only one in the world.
Being invited to showcase our collection at VFW has to be one of our highest moments, it truly is an honour and we are very excited to be showcasing our brand on a global scale.
Our proudest achievements to date was being invited and published in both Tatler UK and British Vogue. Every designer dreams of being included in such prestigious publications and it was such a validating and proud experience.
How would you describe your brand? What is the aesthetic? Who is the customer you design for?
We would describe our brand as bold and classic. Working as a duo, we fuse our ideas together and in that way we are able to appeal to a wider range of customers. We create pieces that are unusual but also timeless. Our designs are sexy and elegant. We design for people who are looking for something different, but also love items that can be worn more than once. A lot of our pieces can be restyled, some come with detachable sections or as separates, and others are transformational (for example a skirt that can be a cape or a hood on a dress and also a train). In a way, every MTTC piece is like an investment, a quality garment that you can wear and re-wear.
Our customer is also environmentally conscious. They want something that has been sustainably made. but not at the sacrifice of luxury. That is why we love to use beautiful natural materials such as silk, cotton, wool and linen. If we do use polyester, it is either a good quality vintage or recycled fabric.
This collection, called ‘De Luxe’, is all about luxury. You will see a lot of rich fabrics such as cotton and silk velvet, satin brocade, sparkling buttons and chains to name a few. We are inspired by the fabrics that we use (we have a large collection of materials that we have sourced over time), but also by unusual shapes and cuts. You won’t see any boring pieces in this collection!
Do you have a favourite look in this collection? Is there one piece that is a must have piece?
Asking a designer to name a favorite look is like asking someone to name their favorite child - it’s just impossible for us to pick one! What we can say is that each piece is unique and there is something for everyone. We think every person that watches the collection video will have their own favorite look.
Where can readers find your garments? How can they purchase them?
At the moment our pieces are available online on our website. We do hope to have our designs available in boutiques in the future (either by opening our own store or by selling through international boutiques). Sydney locals are welcome to our studio, by appointment only, to try on any of our pieces, or to request a bespoke design. Interstate or international customers can purchase online, or get in touch via email to ask questions or request custom made pieces. We are happy to have video call consultations/fittings.
Links -
- Website - www.mttcaustralia.com
- Facebook - www.facebook.com/mttcaustralia/
- Instagram - www.instagram.com/mttcaustralia/
- Email - info@mttcaustralia.com
With challenging COVID restrictions still in place, VFW will be offering a digital showcase of fashion films provided by both local and international designers showcasing their latest Fall Winter 2021 collections. Partnerships with several companies will launch this season with the opportunity for you to win stay-cation essentials, yummy treats, healthy-looking skin, and more. Keep a sharp eye out on their Social Media channels to have a chance to enter! For more information and for show schedule (TBA), please visit their website at https://www.vanfashionweek.com/.
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