Vancouver Fashion Week FW22 Interview With Designer Elena Razlog

Elena Razlog will be showing is collection on the runway on Sat. April 9th at 6:35 p.m. 
TIX HERE!

VFW Bio -

Elena Razlog is a professional opera singer, a UBC Opera graduate and an engaged artist with Vancouver Opera. Elena also received training in Garment Design and Costume History, and in parallel with her performing career, she designs and creates costumes for opera and theatrical productions. Elena was engaged and is re-invited to assist with projects in Costume Departments of Vancouver Opera and UBC Opera. Among Elena’s significant work as a costume creator are the opera productions "Eugene Onegin", "Midsummer Night's Dream", "Eine Nacht in Venedig" (UBC Opera); assistance on the productions “Dead Man Walking” and “Le Nozze di Figaro” (Vancouver Opera). As a costume designer, she contributed to many thematical concerts and musical productions, among which are "Silver Era", "Opera, Salut!", "Nostalgia" by the Vancouver event agency Ad Libitum Entertainment. Elena's current focus from the costume design perspective is Dolce & Belcanto opera show, in partnership with Melanie Krueger.

Elena’s new collection of opera concert gowns “FABric of OpERA” is a tribute to the beautiful world of Opera, with a touch of nostalgia to the fabulous era of extravagant costumes and glamourous evening gowns – a concept inextricably tied to this classical form of art. The gowns designed by Elena address not only the visual side of the character portrayal, but the “technical” specifics important to singers: ability of the costume to allow for a deep breathing, support and quick change – the core design principles of the garments. Each piece is a portrayal of the famous heroine from the world classics such as Dalila from “Samson et Dalila” by C. Saint-Saëns, Lakmé (“Lakmé” by L. Delibes), Cornelia (“Giulio Cesare”, F. Handel), Ninon (“Violet of Montmartre”, by E. Kalman), Ariadne (“Ariadne auf Naxos”, R. Strauss), Silva (“Silva”, by E. Kalman), Mary Crawford (“Mansfield Park” by J. Dove). The power of the right concert gown should not be underestimated: it is a great tool that helps an artist to immediately transform into a character and at the same time, submerge an audience into a certain opera scene in seconds. The collection “FABric of Opera” is where the Haute Couture of Fashion meets Haute Couture of Opera advocating for their timeless beauty.

Interview -

How did you learn your skills? (Does your career as an opera singer influence your design work?

We often wonder where the source of our inspirations begins. Could it be in our childhood when we observe certain things that later in our lives influence on a subconscious level our career choices shaping into professions and hobbies? Or could it be the role models - actors, writers, singers or friends and family whose chemistry gets into reaction with our own, producing a cocktail of new skills and achievements? The truth is we don’t know. We as humans millions of years down the road of our civilization are still learning about who we are trying to connect to our true selves, knowing so much and so little about our complex world, especially the inner one. One thing that seems to us apparent is that the attempt to understand who we are is a constant journey. It seems that the sign we are on the right path is that when we are filled with content or happiness as a result of making, creating or acting upon something...


I sometimes wonder where my personal source of inspiration comes from. I think mine originates from the very first encounter with the magic worlds of great visual arts: theater and movie. My first “Carmen” and “Le Nozze di Figaro” that I came to watch holding my aunt’s hand, a professional artist, at the age of six. My first greatest and ever-lasting impression from the look and play by the exquisite Audrey Hepburn in “Roman Holidays” and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”. Without a dare of comparison to Elsa Schiaparelli (although my absolute idol), her childhood experience, as she grew up surrounded by beautiful antique furniture and things, among which a bright pink oriental carpet that later became Elsa’s inspiration of the fuchsia or “shocking” color she swept the world of fashion with; my childhood experiences and “influencers” in the form of theater were somewhat similar. 

The music came first. Academy of Music, majoring in piano, followed by a university degree in Music Education. Theater remained an inextricable part of my life and costumes were no less fascinating than performances. Sewing being always my thing, in parallel with music education, was a motivation to get a basic training in garment design, as well as history of costume. A unique opportunity to travel the world, most of the United States, Europe and Japan, affected greatly my understanding of our global community. Staying in host families helped me better understand world cultures from “the inside”, learn about traditional costumes; colors, fabrics and stories associated with them. The following return to UBC School of Music, in particular the Opera Program, was that turning point of realization, that from my perspective the fabrics of opera and costumes are interwoven, and one does not exist without another.

While mastering skills as an opera performer, I started work at UBC Opera Costume Dept, designing costumes for UBC Opera Costume productions, among which were "Le Nozze di Figaro", "Mansfield Park", Eine Nacht in Venedig", "Eugene Onegin", "Midsummer Night's Dream", "La Cenerentola". Later I was invited to assist with costumes design and alterations for Vancouver Opera productions, among the most significant were "Dead Man Walking", "Le Nozze di Figaro".

When starting on a new costume, what is your process? Where does your inspiration come from? How important is colour to your design process?

When starting on a new costume, I do a thorough research on the opera, characters, times, fashion specifics, color pallet and fabrics true to that particular time period. Then comes the most exciting: part: finding that fine connection between the character and the costume – it needs to be not only time accurate but character supportive. From the analyses of the character, her/his motivation within the framework of the story unraveling on stage, comes the creation of the costume meaning to help the artist to convey the complexity of the character.


What comes easiest for you as a designer? What is hardest?

I would say it is really hard for me to single out something that would obviously be the easiest or the hardest in terms of being a designer. The creative process is never the same, something that seemed easy on one project, may become a challenge on another one. That could be any phase, from research to actual construction of the costume.

Who do you create for? Is it always custom work for specific operas, or do you create work that is available to interested buyers?

I’ve had privilege, excitement and a unique experience to work at Costume Departments on the full productions by UBC Opera and Vancouver Opera, and am occasionally re-invited to assist on their projects on as-needed bases. Should there be interest from the perspective buyers of my work, I’d be happy to further discuss such opportunities.


Readers would love to hear a little about what you will show runway at Vancouver Fashion Week. Do you have a favorite garment to watch for?

The new collection of opera concert gowns “FABric of OpERA” is a tribute to the beautiful world of Opera, with a touch of nostalgia to the fabulous era of extravagant costumes and glamourous evening gowns – a concept inextricably tied to this classical form of art. The gowns address not only the visual side of the character portrayal, but the “technical” specifics important to singers: ability of the costume to allow for a deep breathing, support and quick change – the core design principles of the garments. Each piece is a portrayal of the famous heroine from the world classics such as Dalila from “Samson et Dalila”, Cornelia (“Giulio Cesare”), Ninon (“Violet of Montmartre”), Lakmé (from “Lakmé”) and other. The power of the right concert gown should not be underestimated: it is a great tool that helps an artist to immediately transform into a character and at the same time, submerge an audience into a certain opera scene in seconds. The collection “FABric of Opera” is where the Haute Couture of Fashion meets Haute Couture of Opera advocating for the timeless beauty.

Dolce & Belcanto, an operatic and fashion extravaganza
 
In closing is there anything else you'd like to share with readers?

I am greatly looking forward to seeing work of other designers and share mine with everyone who is passionate about this beautiful form of art. Thank you very much to the incredible team of Vancouver Fashion Week who make the celebration of Fashion Art possible. If you’d like, you can read more about me at www.elenarazlog.com. See you soon!

Links -

  • Website - www.elenarazlog.com
  • Email - elena@razlog.com

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