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LeraFashion
oday I’m speaking with Lera Levinski. I’ve wanted to connect with her for a long time. But, before we talk about her career, let’s take a look at the collaboration she’s here to represent. Q: Lera, you’ve already been to LA fashion week, in October of this year, as part of the Farinaz Fz team. Today you are representing these guys again, but in an expanded format, and this time you are appearing in our magazine. If I understand correctly, you’ve been on good terms with Farinaz Fz ever since last October. So, this begs the question: is your current collaboration with them based on personal friendship, or is it a full-blown commercial project you are working on together? Tell us about what’s happening, that is if it’s not a secret. A: There’s no secret. Of course it’s a commercial project, but one that would never have happened if were was no sympathy. Luckily, I can afford not to represent people whose work I do not understand or whose work I don’t like. I’ve had my eye on Adolfo Sanchez and Malina Fashion for quite a while now, and I really like what they do. So, when I found out they were going to work with Farinaz Fz, I volunteered to participate. At the same time, I can’t really imagine saying no to Farinaz if she had asked me to be part of it (laughs), because our relationship really does transcend business, and she is not only a great designer, but also a wonderful friend. For some time now, we have been doing things for each other that would not fall under any collaboration, or purely business projects. I value her friendship very much, and I am simply in love with her work. Q: When did you first notice her, and what about her stood out to you? A: It was at LA fashion week. But I can’t say that she stood out to me because of the beauty of her collection alone, or because of any one thing: what caught my attention was precisely the overall effect she created. You know without me telling you that no one gets into a fashion week by accident - whether it’s NY or LA, all the participants
4 • HOLLYWOOD WEEKLY
are incredibly talented, and they usually represent very interesting collections. But the kind of thing that was happening near her pavilion - I’ve never seen that anywhere. Literally every single person who approached it asked about all of her pieces. You know what I mean? Not just the collection as a whole, but each separate piece. Myself, included. Everything she had brought was just indescribably beautiful. If I hadn’t known that this was her first collection ever, I would never have believed it. Q: I understand completely. I wouldn’t have believed it either, if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes. What do you think will be remembered about the collaboration of Adolfo Sanches and Malina Fashion? They are very different styles, after all. A: Yes, stylistically they are very different. But what fundamentally unifies them is that they are inspired by the parties and events of Hollywood. Yes, they are all intended for completely different events - it couldn’t be any other way - but they are all very festive, and each outfit from these collections was just made to be worn on the red carpet. This is a fashion that was created for Hollywood.
Q: Alright, we’ll have a chance to look at the collaboration. Let’s talk a little bit about you now. I noticed you’re learning Spanish with an app on your phone. What is that for? Just for fun? A: When I answer this question I’m usually kidding that when I was little girl, I loved the popular TV show “The Wild Angel”, so now I’m learning Spanish so I can watch it in the original language (laughs). But if seriously, though, I think communication is one of the most important aspects of our life. I live in LA, which has a huge number of Spanish-speaking people, and I think it’s essential to understand the people around me. Not just for my own comfort, but also out of respect for the culture I’m part of. In the US I have established a rule for myself: if you want something, you have to ask for it; if there’s something you don’t know, you have to ask about it, too. Ask and you will almost always receive an enthusiastic answer. Communication opens all doors, and makes the world we live in more interesting. US is wonderful in that anyone can make it despite any of the circumstantial things that might interfere with their success somewhere else - things
