Exclusive interview with Dans La Vie's Rira Sugawara

Dans La Vie interview by Amanda Hohenberg, backstage photography by Lin Vitali.

Note: The author's views are entirely his or her own and may not reflect the views of RetoxMagazine.com

Exclusive Interview with Rira Sugawara

Retox: From what I understand your collection "Invisible Enemy, Threat Found" is inspired by cyber attack and internet mobbing. Why did you choose issues like that as a source of inspiration? And isn't that a bit problematic - creating something beautiful out of the horrible?

Rira: What is important for me is what is happening now and has some reality. What is happening now gives me many inspirations.

Retox: If not from the internet, where else do you get your inspiration from?

Rira: In life many things happen. Even if it's beautiful or is not beautiful, the boundary of them was pushed through my filter and they change into something beautiful. The scenes or passages or the constructions of buildings or people or amazing forms or the amazing images or interesting concepts, many many things that we find in the daily life and in various cities that I visit.

Retox: What is it about fashion that fascinates you, that made you say "Hey, I want to be a designer"?

Rira: It's amazing to make new garments and produce new fashion. I feel like traveling that world. So I want to be a fashion designer and produce an amazing fashion world.

Dans La Vie AW13 collection 'Invisible Enemy, Threat Found' - backstage images from Vauxhall Fashion Scout, London Fashion Week. See Dans La Vie AW13 catwalk images.

Retox: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Rira: I want to create more amazing garments of high quality and on bigger scale of this amazing world with exciting and amazing music and share it with many people.

Retox: Imagine, you could swap body with someone for just one day. Who would it be and why?

Rira: Madonna, she has the special power who can realise true self, what she wants to be and give love and prosperity to many people.

Retox: A piece of advice you could give to those aspiring young designers out there?

Rira: To young designers, to find their special technique and continue to express it in their own way and bring it to the level of beauty that will excite others.

Dans La Vie AW13 collection 'Invisible Enemy, Threat Found' - backstage images from Vauxhall Fashion Scout, London Fashion Week. See Dans La Vie AW13 catwalk images.

Retox: How do you define success?

Rira: About success... To have the power and love to continue to do what you want to do really, and share the fabulous world and happy feelings and emotion with other people.

Retox: What's next for You and Dans La Vie?

Rira: I have an image, a vision for the next season. It's secret.

Retox: Thanks for the interview and look forward to the answers!

Rira: Thank you so much and kindest regards, Rira.

Fashion designer Rira Sugawara seated fourth from the left. See Dans La Vie AW13 catwalk images.

See other Dans La Vie collections:
Dance La Vie SS13
Dans La Vie AW12