1000 Ideas by 100 Fashion Designers

Petar Petrov 221

068

TFD_libro.indb 221

26/11/09 16:54:16

Bulgarian Petar Petrov

is based in Vienna

where he studied at the

Fashion Department

of the University of

Applied Arts. He has

had his own menswear

label since June 2002,

and since June 2004

Petrov has managed

to remain an official

regular during the

Paris Men’s fashion

shows. In January

2007 he launched his

 rst womenswear

collection. Both lines

develop closely to each

other, working with

the same inspirations

with the aim to create

an aesthetical image,

distanced from any

ideological concepts. It

is about contrast, the

mix between high and

low culture, elegance

and street life. The

style is elegant without

being well groomed and

stylish, without trying

too hard, and intrigued

by cultural differences

and cultural force–the

purity and simple

aesthetic of forms mixed

with the activity and

vitality of life itself.

Petar Petrov

www.petarpetrov.com

© York Weissmann

TFD_libro.indb 221 26/11/09 11:39:13

TFD_libro.indb 222

26/11/09 16:54:17

671 INSPIRATION. When I design I

think about the many different people who

might wear it, who have their own style,

and who like being casual but at the same

time sophisticated. When I design even

the simplest piece, I make sure it is always

a special item, one that has the right

composition of material design to ful ll the

person wearing it. I like my pieces to be

unique and therefore that is what I think of

every time I design one.

672 D

EVELOPING A COLLECTION. I work

intuitively. I design many different items

at very different moments. In the end, to

put together a collection I put the pieces I

am most satis ed with. These items evolve

differently from one to another and once

an item pleases me, it inspires me for the

next one, and so on. In the end, I think

this is how I would de ne the concept of

a collection, a related evolution of items,

correlating to each other.

673 M

ATERIALS. I choose fabrics

because I like them. I also choose them for

their quality and even their innovation.

I buy fabrics from all over the world. I

always like experimenting with fabrics.

Regarding the types…never say never.

I think that everything can be used in a

collection–it only needs to be placed in the

right context.

674 T

RADITIONAL MANUFACTURING VS.

EXPERIMENTATION. I work with a mixture

of traditional tailoring and experimental

techniques. I think that every item needs

to be representative.

675 I

NDIVIDUALITY VS. GROUP BELONGING.

Both. Every item is a product. Some are

more special than others but at the end

of the day the aim is that all pieces are

wearable and that they are a part of the

collection in some way. This is the most

difficult part of the creative process.

222 1,000 Ideas by 100 Fashion Designers

TFD_libro.indb 222 26/11/09 11:39:13

Petar Petrov 223

TFD_libro.indb 223 26/11/09 16:54:26

676 COMMUNICATION. Of course

it’s important, but I’m not involved

in it. I have people that work directly

with me and that help me take care

of it. Communication nowadays is

very important because somehow it

becomes the image of the brand. The

more you are out there, the more people

want you. Unfortunately this is how it

works. Therefore, as a business person,

communication is essential.

677 E

VOLUTION. I’m never satis ed with

the result and I really try to make it better

next season.

678 S

TREET FASHION VS. FASHION

DESIGNER. Somehow both. The designers

try to form the spirit of the street but the

street re ects on the designers too.

679 G

OOD HABITS. A combination of

creativity and  exibility.

680

S

ALES. I hope that people wear my

clothes and this is of course re ected

in the sales but it doesn’t exactly

have a bearing on the creativity, it

functions more as feedback.

TFD_libro.indb 223 26/11/09 11:39:13