A GIRL BEHIND LIYA BRAND

LIYA GOGLIDZE'S PHOTO ALBUM

by Salome Jakeli

The brand Liya was founded back in 2017, which in the fashion industry chronology means that it’s quite young. But in this short period of time the brand managed to find its strong identity and loyal customers from around the world. Liya Goglidze, the designer behind the brand, doesn’t like to show her face, but her vision is so fascinating, that we actually asked her to create her own scrapbook for IERI. Every photo has a story, telling readers what obstacles she Goglidze confronted as a designer or how she defines beauty.

When you started, who was your ideal of fashion and beauty?

There was never a definite ideal of beauty that I concentrated on. Having said that I am a huge fan of Hollywood’s golden era of cinema. Mostly absolutely obsessed with Katharine Hepburn’s beauty and her style. With her being named as lady of menswear. For the way she used to style herself by wearing “men shape” clothing which didn’t hide her femininity but enhanced it and made her stand out of the crowd.

Tell us about the beginning of LIYA brand

The beginning was a long time in the making. First as an idea which was brewing for several years. It was only when our co-founder Anna Mchedlishvili planned how and where to start. Thanks to her, the whole process became a reality. I think it takes definitely more than one person to build up a vision. She navigated and turned all my sketches into reality.

How are you different now than you were, say, five years ago?

It seems world’s apart for the past three years. We realized how much we’ve learned but how much there is still to learn. That is the beauty of it. It is a never ending process of learning and creating.

How do you challenge yourself?

By never being satisfied with what you’ve done. There is always more and better to do. By constantly sketching the ideas and educating myself on the subjects I have absolutely no knowledge on. It shouldn’t be just about fashion because fashion is itself not about just clothing. Being curious is the best way to challenge myself

What do you think is the future of fashion?

The future of fashion goes hand in hand with the future of humanity, meaning digitalised. I would call it digitised fantasies. I am very excited about it, I think new technological innovations will and already are absolutely changing the approach of creativity and its reflection onto reality.

When you see the final product, are you satisfied and pleased?

It is always a pleasurable torture! Never being fully satisfied. When we start shooting the new collection I am already into the development of the new one. It’s a beautiful race where I enjoy the ride

How would you define beauty?

Beauty is a fluid concept changing its shape and meaning with time and from person to person. I don’t define it. I think it is rather felt through your individuality.

If you have to organize a dinner: If you could have four guests, who would they be? The guests can be anybody—even Marilyn Monroe

My dinner guests would be: Ernest Hemingway, J.R.R Tolkien, Stephen Hawking, Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill.

If you were to describe yourself to somebody who didn’t know how to find you in a crowd, how would you describe yourself?

Dressed all black, wearing sneakers, long dark hair, big dark shades.

Describe an ideal Liya customer

Anyone is an ideal Liya customer as long as she/he feels that way. I don’t put my customer in any box and set limits.

What is success to you?

Success is a tricky thing. I think you feel it just for a second, when you have accomplished your goal and then the next second you are already back to new goals, struggle and hard work.

Did you ever have a mentor or someone to guide you?

I would rather call it the support system and my greatest motivators — would definitely be my family. People who I trust the most and who are there every step of the way.

Did you ever have a mentor or someone to guide you?

Any Italian city! Especially any city in Puglia, Tuscany, Calabria!!!

Did you ever have a mentor or someone to guide you?

Maybe, depends, I guess. But I don’t think that being comfortable leads to any good results. We have to challenge each other, motivate and question. Come out of our comfort zone to achieve and move forward.

What are some of the obstacles you’ve confronted as a designer?

There are so many: always out of time; realizing that you are part of the industry and there are rules applied to it; challenging to create with limited supplies, thus not always being able to fully realize your vision…

What are the moments when you feel the most joy/happiest?

With family, with friends over dinner, in my atelier working, traveling for work and pleasure. Especially now when I know that all those people are healthy and safe-that all makes me especially happy.

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