FASHION
Irina Vitjaz
D
esigner Irina Vitjaz founded her namesake label in
1999, and has presented her collection at New York
Fashion Week for the past three seasons.
Previously, Vitjaz showcased her collection in
Moscow and Vienna. In 2000, she relocated her atelier
to Vienna, where her designs soon gained a loyal following among ladies
who attend the many balls that dominate the November to February
social season.
Vitjaz’s ancestry is closely tied with the Russian tsars and monarchy .
Her family was among the aristocracy, and a mainstay in the royal
court dating back to the 17th century, when the women in her family
experienced life as Fräulein (maids of honor). As a young girl, Vitjaz
was inspired by her predecessors, developing an affinity for luxury
and elegance. Some of her earliest memories include time spent in the
shop of her grandfather, who was a master tailor. It was there that she
began cultivating her keen eye for fine design and a lifetime appreciation
for culture and design.
Today, the opulence of dress from Vitjaz’s lineage can be seen in
her collection’s use of jeweled colors, rich fabrics and fine detailing.
Her collaborators have included like-minded design houses such as
milliner Philip Treacy and Swarovski. Among her illustrious clients is
the renowned opera singer Ana Netrebko.
Vitjaz presented her fall 2018 collection on Wednesday, Feb. 14, at
Spring Studios. Her runway show closed out NYFW. The collection’s
inspiration is - in the designer’s words - “the woman who can do it all
and look feminine and elegant doing so.” irinavitjaz.com
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