As a thirty-something designer who grew up in Kraków and Zakopane, PLICH has made a splash on the Warsaw fashion scene: he is a household name to all the glamorous starlets of Polish cinema. After making a name for himself among local fashionistas and opening a boutique on Mokotowska, he made an impressive debut at Paris Couture Fashion Week at the start of this year.
WI:What sort of woman do you design for?
P: I design for women who appreciate one-of-a-kind pieces, who value quality and tailoring. For women who value what is chic and original, and also sensual. I take care not to reveal too much in my designs – my goal is to bring elegance and subtlety to each piece.
What inspires you in your work?
I draw inspiration from all different sources – art and culture, as well as my own life and experiences. Recently, the biggest inspiration for me has been the style of film stars of the 1950s, women who had incredible class, impeccable manners and wore elegant, feminine clothes. I miss those great icons like Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn. And even though I make reference to history, I’m set on making my designs current. I want to surprise the public as I believe the role of fashion is to present a vision for the future and one cannot just draw from what has already passed.
What is your latest collection about?
When I was designing this collection, I had an image of a woman coming out of the water onto warm sand, her body gently tanned, her hair tied in a messy bun, her eyes sultry with a swipe of bronze shimmer. She dons a beautiful dress and strolls across the beach. The S/S 2013 collection is divided into two parts: the first of long dresses of a mermaid silhouette and short dresses made of flashing sequins in pastel shades of pink and blue, the second is of light-as-air dresses of translucent georgette embellished with subtle prints. Everything is very feminine, elegant and romantic.
Who would you love to dress out of all the women in the world?
There are certainly many beautiful and elegant women whom I’d love to dress, but I don’t draw up wish lists of stars I’d like to see in my designs. As I’ve said before, the individual is what counts for me and I take a very individual approach. I find the sensibilities, feelings and emotions of the other person very important. This is why I’m not one of those designers who wants to dress the biggest stars from the covers of magazines: I’m more interested in what a particular person is like, who they are and the chemistry between us.
How do you think the Polish fashion market is evolving?
From one year to the next, what stands out is the evolution of the customers’ awareness of fashion and there is a growing call for designer clothing. Poles are starting to value unique pieces more and more, they pay more attention to their appearance than before and I can’t hide the fact that I’m delighted by this.
