A Russian Muslim designer is giving a unique, exotic style to hijabis in Egypt with colorful clothes, bags and accessories that unite both Egyptian and Russian design tastes.
“For me, design is a profession that is about life, colors and joy,” Vera Zolotareva told Majalla.
“I am also not for designing traditional clothes. I love people to look unique with their clothing style,” Zolotareva said.
Since her childhood, Zolotareva has been noted for her talent in arranging fabrics and making dresses. Her grandfather nurtured her innate talent and gave her a sewing machine on her tenth birthday, and that machine became the family's livelihood after several years.
Vera was the one who supported her family and her small machine became their refuge. She used to make clothes for her family as well as sheets, curtains and small furnishings. The matter did not stop there, as Vera supported her family by selling these products to neighbors and relatives.
Vera studied fashion design at a Russian university and learned the arts of sewing and embroidery until her name rose to fame in Russia. She became a fashion designer for the Russian opera and the famous Bolshoi Ballet.
JOURNEY TO EGYPT
Going on a vacation to Hurghada and Luxor, Vera fell in love with the country.
“On my trip, I got acquainted with a young Egyptian man through the Internet, and the story developed between us quickly, so I returned to travel to Egypt,” Vera said.
The young man received her and took her to visit his family and she lived with them for days, until she announced her conversion to Islam.
In a family ceremony, she married the young Egyptian man who was working as a professor at an Egyptian university.
The Russian fashion designer decided to wear the hijab, and then suddenly Vera went back to her passion again and started her new journey in oriental fashion design with a Russian touch on Facebook.
In her designs, Vera combines Arab modesty and Russian originality. “The general lines of the clothing culture are the same in both worlds. Highlighting beauty is not achieved through nakedness, but is quite the opposite. Beauty lies in covering, which is the goal in all my designs.”
Vera believes that fashion should be different from what one can see on the streets, saying that simplicity and uniqueness are the secret to modern fashion's priorities.
CUSTOMIZED FASHION
Vera deals with customers in a very different way than do other designers. “I get to know everything about the lifestyle of the customer and then I decide which clothes and accessories she should wear,” Vera said.
“I believe that people should not wear clothes from the shops. People need to buy high-quality distinctive clothes at affordable prices,” she added.
The fashion industry has been adversely impacted by the coronavirus pandemic as production has ceased and retailers have closed because demand has plummeted.
Indeed, clothing sales declined by 34 percent in March 2020 as much of the world's population was unable to travel abroad or even socialize amid lockdown restrictions.
Vera also said that amid the coronavirus pandemic people started to look for new trendy things to wear instead of the traditional clothes.
“I believe that this economic situation is going to last for some time and the new fashion trend is going to grow among young women,” she added.
Vera hopes that her brand gets more popular and she can be a fashion consultant for celebrities.
“I find many faults in the clothing of some celebrities and I really hope that I can tell them as a consultant how they can resolve these errors,” the fashion designer said.
