2024.05.21

Fidan Novruzova Selected as a Semifinalist for the "LVMH Prize," the Designer Behind the Popular "It"-Shoes Among Overseas Celebrities

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In 2014, with the sudden rise of "Vetements," the small Eastern European country of Georgia, the birthplace of its founder and designer Demna, caught the eye of the fashion industry. After stepping down as the designer for the brand, he is now fully dedicated to his role as the creative director of Balenciaga.

Following this, numerous brands hailing from Georgia have emerged, but as a new frontier in the fashion world, the emerging country of Moldova is now coming into the spotlight.

Once a local fashion festival, the "Moldovan Brands Runway" held twice a year in the capital city of Chișinău, has in the past year begun attracting international guests from across Europe, particularly Eastern Europe.

Fidan Novruzova, who is passionately elevating Moldova's fashion scene and growing into a designer representing her country, has been selected as a semifinalist for the prestigious "LVMH PRIZE 2024," known as a gateway for young designers.

Born and raised in Chișinău, she studied women's wear design at Central Saint Martins in the UK, interned at Burberry, then returned to her hometown to establish her eponymous brand.

Her name quickly spread worldwide thanks to her pre-brand establishment university graduation collection, featuring the "Havva" boots, which integrated traditional craftsmanship into ultra-modern designs.

The wide-bodied boots with a sharply squared toe and rock-inspired vibe gained popularity when Bella Hadid, a supermodel admired by Gen Z women, wore them. This created a surge in orders on her brand's e-commerce site and Canadian e-commerce platform "SSENSE," catapulting them to It-shoe status.

With no major designers from Moldova yet in the fashion world, Fidan's unique aesthetic, combining her homeland's traditions with contemporary fashion, evokes an exotic charm that captures many people's imaginations.

As a bearer of Moldova's fashion future, Fidan spoke to us in Chișinău about her design process and her four-year journey since establishing her brand.

PROFILE

Fidan Novruzova

Raised in Moldova by Azerbaijani parents, she studied women's wear design at the prestigious Central Saint Martins in the UK, and returned to Chișinău after graduation to establish her eponymous brand in 2020. She was chosen as a semifinalist for the young designers' gateway, "LVMH Prize 2024."

Inspiration from Post-Soviet Architecture

Please tell us about the motivation behind establishing your brand.

I think the primary motivation at the start was a desire for self-expression. My interest in fashion began when I was fascinated by the outfits and styles of supermodels in the 2010s. Growing up in Chișinău, where cutting-edge magazines were not easily accessible, I instead became obsessed with the looks of celebrities found online.

Can you tell us about the concept of "Fidan Novruzova"?

The brand concept is to redefine the notion of "modern nostalgia."

My designs are based on a mix of the familiar and the uncanny. By combining familiar items with unexpected tastes, I develop a distinct retro-futuristic world that is both feminine and assertive.

This season draws from the 1980s and 90s, but it seems different eras inspire collections for different seasons. How important is fashion history in your design process? And what is your design process?

My design process incorporates various elements little by little. Inspiration from my subconscious often stems from the everyday scenes of Chișinău's post-Soviet architecture where I was born, raised, and still live.

Regarding fashion, I love "Balenciaga" under Nicolas Ghesquière, "Yohji Yamamoto" from the late 1980s, and "Azzedine Alaïa" from the 1980s to 90s. They all inspire me.