Vancouver Fashion Week FW25 Interview with Designer Maria Augusta Wozniak of Augusta Fashion + Textiles (Canada)
Opening graphic and runway images courtesy of Vancouver Fashion Week.
Maria's work has been internationally featured in various publications, such as VOGUE Italia, VOGUE Mexico y Latino America, Photobook Sustainable Fashion Magazine, VADA Magazine, Elle Décor, and Italy’s leading art magazine, Artribune. Maria has also worked and collaborated with important Italian luxury brands, such as Loro Piana and Fendi.
Interview -
Please share a bit about your journey to embrace fashion design as a career.
I have been interested in fashion since a young age. My first experiences with fashion probably would have been exploring my grandmothers' and mother's closets, carefully observing the colors, patterns and silhouettes of their clothing. I fell in love with all of it! It was really through the women in my family that I learned about style, including the importance of timeless pieces and the power of personal style (I would run around the house doing multiple outfit changes daily!). Not only that, my grandmothers also taught me practical skills like basic sewing, garment care, and the value of quality over quantity.
I have been interested in fashion since a young age. My first experiences with fashion probably would have been exploring my grandmothers' and mother's closets, carefully observing the colors, patterns and silhouettes of their clothing. I fell in love with all of it! It was really through the women in my family that I learned about style, including the importance of timeless pieces and the power of personal style (I would run around the house doing multiple outfit changes daily!). Not only that, my grandmothers also taught me practical skills like basic sewing, garment care, and the value of quality over quantity.
How did you learn your skills?
I moved to Calgary, Alberta after high school to earn a BFA at Alberta University of the Arts. This degree was in fibre and textile art and design and throughout my studies I learned about various types of textile processes such as weaving, dyeing fabrics, and print design, among others.
After completing my bachelor's degree, I worked as a practicing textile/multidisciplinary artist and also started a job at a local apparel company. My independent art practice at the time was developing into more and more wearable art pieces and working at the apparel company also helped me to realize that I really wanted to gain a deeper understanding of fashion design. I applied to a few different universities to do a Master's degree fashion, but ultimately decided on Polimoda in Florence, Italy, as they offered me a generous scholarship to attend. Not that it was a hard decision, however, as they are an internationally respected fashion institution.
This was a great learning experience in many ways, because it allowed me to gain a level of knowledge about fashion design and the fashion industry that is very difficult to find in Canada. Italy has such a long history of exceptional craftsmanship in fashion design, high quality textile production, and a rich tradition of innovative design and manufacturing.
After finishing my masters, I worked with a few design houses and tailors in Italy, which was a really hands-on and eye-opening experience. I learned a lot about craftsmanship, and the details, care and time that go into well-made clothing. Being in that environment helped me grow as a designer and made me realize I wanted to create work that felt just as thoughtful and intentional. After that, I came back to Canada and started my own brand, Augusta, bringing everything I’d learned into something that felt true to me.
Who are you as a designer? Aesthetic? Customer? Brand?
I am a fashion designer and textile artist who makes work situated at the intersection of art and fashion. I consider how dress and textiles might be designed for the purpose of “being” rather than “having” and believe in the power of fashion to exert agency and elevate people and stories from a vast array of communities. I look to create collections at Augusta that break down boundaries and represent a fashion narrative that embraces the fluidity of self-expression.
Who are you as a designer? Aesthetic? Customer? Brand?
I am a fashion designer and textile artist who makes work situated at the intersection of art and fashion. I consider how dress and textiles might be designed for the purpose of “being” rather than “having” and believe in the power of fashion to exert agency and elevate people and stories from a vast array of communities. I look to create collections at Augusta that break down boundaries and represent a fashion narrative that embraces the fluidity of self-expression.
The Augusta brand features genderless garments, bold prints, and vibrant color blocking. The fabrics we use are either textiles we design and make ourselves (or in collaboration with local artisans), upcycled garments, or deadstock fabric sourced from Prato, Italy.
I use self-expression and experience as a basis for design and celebrate the power of external appearance on individual expression. Our customers are individuals who want to support the quality, ethics, and sustainability of local creatives and makers, and also those who recognize and appreciate a similar mindset towards fashion; fashion as a form of personal expression , not just a pursuit of possessions.
I use self-expression and experience as a basis for design and celebrate the power of external appearance on individual expression. Our customers are individuals who want to support the quality, ethics, and sustainability of local creatives and makers, and also those who recognize and appreciate a similar mindset towards fashion; fashion as a form of personal expression , not just a pursuit of possessions.
What comes easiest for you as a designer? What is hardest?
What comes easiest for me is the conceptual side of design—developing ideas, themes, and narratives that guide a collection. I love researching, reflecting, and translating emotions or lived experiences into visual forms. I enjoy storytelling through garments, especially when it intersects with personal meaning or social commentary.
What comes easiest for me is the conceptual side of design—developing ideas, themes, and narratives that guide a collection. I love researching, reflecting, and translating emotions or lived experiences into visual forms. I enjoy storytelling through garments, especially when it intersects with personal meaning or social commentary.
The hardest part is often balancing creative freedom with practical constraints. Things like budgeting, timelines, and production logistics can be challenging, especially when you're a small brand working independently or with limited resources.
Where do you find inspiration for new collections? How important is colour to your design process?
To be honest, I would classify myself as an artist as much as I would a designer. Therefore, I find my process generally starts off as quite conceptual. When I start designing a new collection, I usually start with research into fashion theory and recent publications surrounding ideas and concepts within fashion theory. I am also inspired by my personal experiences or others stories and self reflection. Aesthetically, because I work with color blocking and pattern a lot in my work, I do a lot of collaging, sketching and painting to come up with color combinations and patterns that can work well together to form both a cohesive collection and reinforce the concepts behind the work.
To be honest, I would classify myself as an artist as much as I would a designer. Therefore, I find my process generally starts off as quite conceptual. When I start designing a new collection, I usually start with research into fashion theory and recent publications surrounding ideas and concepts within fashion theory. I am also inspired by my personal experiences or others stories and self reflection. Aesthetically, because I work with color blocking and pattern a lot in my work, I do a lot of collaging, sketching and painting to come up with color combinations and patterns that can work well together to form both a cohesive collection and reinforce the concepts behind the work.
Readers would love to know more about the collection you showed at Vancouver Fashion Week.
This collection, VOICE celebrates having a voice and telling your story. We see fashion as a form of expression and communication that, much like language, can bring us together. We look to embrace how we all deserve to have a voice of self-expression and how creativity such as painting, embroidery, fashion, and poetry are ways to express love that can heal and make the world a better place.
This collection, VOICE celebrates having a voice and telling your story. We see fashion as a form of expression and communication that, much like language, can bring us together. We look to embrace how we all deserve to have a voice of self-expression and how creativity such as painting, embroidery, fashion, and poetry are ways to express love that can heal and make the world a better place.
This April, we focused on textile design processes through painted fabric techniques. Every look in this collection is hand painted. Additionally, like many of our previous designs, much of this collection is transformable or has detachable parts in some way to create a versatile, sustainable, and transitional wardrobe. This collection focuses on expressive, beautifully crafted, gender inclusive, and playful design.
As I dealt with some personal challenges over the past year, I came to realize the unique power of my own voice and the suffering that comes with imposed silence. I was inspired by a quote from Ursula K. Le Guin, “we are volcanoes, when we women offer our experience as truth, as human truth, all the maps change. There are new mountains.” Not just experienced by women, but by many disadvantaged groups, to be rendered voiceless is to be excluded from your own humanity. While silence may separate us, self-expression, through words or an art form such as fashion, can bring us together and create new paths. Our voices are essential.
If you did have a chance to watch our fashion show at VFW you will notice the models walked to my voice speaking spoken word poetry over some piano chords that I recorded on the track. I love the idea of presenting collections in a multidisciplinary way, in this case through music, poetry, painting, and fashion design. Rather than use a generic non-copyrighted track for our showcase, I was interested in recording the music and poetry myself to further the narrative of this collection. It was a more vulnerable and different approach to a runway show, but ended up being well received by the audience.
Do you have a favorite look in this collection?
The finale (8th) look was great! I loved the silhouette and contrast of the sheer hand painted fabric with the large overcoat. And the model, Sierra, did an excellent job walking for us!
Where can readers purchase your designs?
They can reach out to us via email at info@augustafashion.ca for custom orders. Or look through our website at www.augustafashion.ca.
What's next for you as a designer and your brand?
Right now, I’m focused on continuing to grow Augusta in a way that stays true to our core values—creating meaningful, expressive pieces while supporting ethical, sustainable, and locally driven production. I’m especially excited about deepening collaborations with other artists and creatives across different disciplines.
I’m working to refine our production model to scale responsibly—continuing to work with local artisans and manufacturers while exploring small-batch and made-to-order systems that minimize waste and support a more thoughtful pace of fashion. We're also expanding our online presence and looking at new ways to connect with our audience, whether that’s through pop-up events, retail partnerships, or more interactive digital content. My goal is to grow sustainably, keeping creativity and care at the center of the brand while building a business model that’s resilient, community-oriented, and future-focused.
I’m also passionate about mentorship and hope to find more opportunities to support emerging designers and makers. There’s so much possibility ahead, and I’m excited to continue building a practice that reflects creativity, care, and authenticity.
In closing is there anything else you'd like to share with readers?
I’d just like to say thank you for taking the time to learn about my work and journey and the Augusta brand. Being a designer is about so much more than making clothes—it’s about creating space for dialogue, connection, and imagination. I hope readers feel inspired to explore their own voice through fashion, and to support creators who are striving to bring meaning, intention, and care into what they make
Links -
- Website - www.augustafashion.ca
- Facebook - www.facebook.com/p/Augusta-Fashion-Textiles-100091625536985/
- Instagram - @augusta_fashionandtextiles
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