PORTFOLIO OLGA BALAKIREVA
OLGA BALAKIREVA 29.05.1986 Russian via Vittoria Colonna, 25 Milan, Italy +393894432468 balakirevaolga@gmail.com
EDUCATION/ 2015 Politecnico di Milano in Milan, BA Fashion Design 2008 Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University in Kaliningrad, MAD Political Science
WORKING EXPERIENCE/ 2016 -present Freelance designer 2015 Internship at ZANELLATO 2015 Workshop Wedding collection Platinum guild 2014-15 Workshop Leather goods ZANELLATO 2014 Workshop Food jewelry EXPO Milan 2014 Workshop Precious plastic Kartell 2014 Workshop Jewellery for Peace / Finalist, 20 finalisti del Next Jeneration Jewellery Talent Contest 2015 2014 Co-designer for exhibition pavilion for the door manufacturer OPTIM 2013 Commercial company photographer, street style (brand HJUL!, D/S, etc) 2012 Dresser for a fashion show Andrea Incontri Women’s Fashion Show SS 2013 2008 Tutor of social science at Kaliningrad Technical College 2007 Internship at social department of the Administration of Kaliningrad Region
LANGUAGES/ Russian - Native; Italian - Limited working proficiency; English - Limited working proficiency.
SKILLS/ Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Microsoft Office, Photography, Concept design, Fashion design, Research design, Prototype design
INDEX JEWELLERY DESIGN/
Food jewelry, bracelet “Oryza”
Precious plastic for Kartell, bracelet “Deco”
Jewellery for Peace, brooch “We ask for peace” Worksop lost wax casting jewelry, ring “Autumn”
LEATHER GOODS DESIGN/
Worksop for Zanellato, Loren bag
APPAREL DESIGN/
Pullovers PIXEL knit
Knithink for Perù
Metaproject for RED Valentino
Travelling dress “SAMURAI”
Architectural coat “PAlTO”
GRAPHIC DESIGN/
Analylis and reinterpretation of a fashion show Kenzo fall 2008
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN/
Pavilion for BATIMAT Russia
PHOTOGRAPHY/
BRIEF: EXPO 2015, FOOD JEWELRY Oryza is a bracelet structured as an open cylinder. The neatness shape of the object has the purpose of underlining the complexity of each element that composes the bracelet. As a natural product, every single grain of rice (the leading module) is similar to the others but is always different, thanks to this extraordinary property the surface of the jewels is, at the same time, both plain and rambling.
EXHIBITION: Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy; Fabbrica del vapore Milano “Design to Feed the World”, Milan, Italy; Triennale di Milano “Disegnato dalla Terra”, Milan, Italy; Museo del Gioiello “Gioielli in Tavola”, Vicenza, Italy.
BRIEF: PRECIOUS PLASTIC FOR KARTELL My bracelet “Deco� is based on minimalism and beauty. I was inspired by the form and textures of the Art Deco style, which represents glamour, exuberance and faith in social and technological progress. The distinctive features of my bracelet are of simple, geometric shapes, included both luxury and mass-produced goods, the intention was to show elegance and sophistication.
BRIEF: JEWELLERY FOR PEACE This project was inspired by the Soviet graphic arts of 70-80’s. The core theme of which was struggling for peace and international friendship. The object consists of two parts and each of them could be used as a separate jewelry. There are faces of people outlining the silhouette of a dove on the brooch. The Dove symbolizes agreements and compromise, peaceful solutions to problems. The badge is a more compact version of a jewellery and it is also made in the shape of a dove, which wings outlined the faces. The background of this project is that peaceful coexistence is a responsibility of each person. The jewellery could be used as a souvenir and presented on diplomatic meetings or like sentimental jewellery. Technical details: faces are curved in the material. Materials: silver or platinum.
EXHIBITION: finalist of NEXT JENERATION JEWELLERY TALENT CONTEST 2015: “JEWELLERY FOR PEACE”; “Gioielli per la Pace, Jewellery for Peace” Vicenza Jewellery Museum, italia.
BRIEF: WORKSOP LOST WAX CASTING JEWELRY The ring “Autumn” was inspired by the nature of the fall. As a starting point, and it was caught a tree leaf. The shape of qualle and been simplified in order to obtain a more geometric artificial image.
BRIEF: LEATHER GOODS, ZANELLATO Leather soft shopper Loren with two handles on the sides, with a zip at the top and internal zipped pocket. Size 45 x 35 cm. Inspiration - Italian cinema, especially from the refined style of Sofia Loren.
BRIEF: PULLOVERS COLLECTION The project “PIXEL knit� takes inspiration from a painting by Wassily Kandinsky, the landscape (1913), focusing on the concepts of lightness watercolor and blocks of color-pixel. I have developed four pullovers that express on the one hand the simple lines and shapes and are soft and thin materials, and on the other side have the scale of the painting colors.
BRIEF: WORKSHOP FOR PERÙ
KNITHINK
Doing a general research of images of Peru, trying to find inspiration, we were attracted by a particular photograph: a view of the hillside town of Huaycan, the home of the Peruvian weavers with whom we collaborate. An array of colorful “boxes”, that violently stand out from the gray and desolate background of the hill, almost rebelling with their vibrancy against the rocks and sand. We decided to take these colorful little “tiles” and create a pattern on our garment. The dress itself is inspired by pre-Columbian tunics, generally simple yet versatile, with a cut that can be considered modern. It is accompanied by a cropped tank that can be worn separate, an imitation of the shawls of the Incas. The pattern is placed on the lower part of the tunic, just like the decorations of native garments: the woman who wears this dress therefore holds in her lap the city, she becomes its mother, its keeper and protector. in collaboration with: Anna Milada Grossi, Giulia Gualdi, Catherine Quirk, Sabrina Tesoro
BRIEF: METAPROJECT FOR RED VALENTINO The inspiration, we were attracted by the artistic and philosophical movement Art Nouveau, the nature of which is studying the structural elements, transforming them into a dynamic and wavy line. In collaboration with:: Arezoo Behdad, Nicolò Carollo, Cristina Gil
BRIEF: TRAVELING DRESS For the realization of this dress, I made up the Japan mood, the world of the samurai costume. Made of different scraps of fabrics from textile industries from Como, Italy.
EXHIBITION: Caserma Cristoforis, Como, Italy Triennale di Milano, Milan, Italy
BRIEF: WOMEN COAT We were inspired by the architectural mood for the realization of this outerwear “PAlTO�. We have drawn the geometry and elements of contemporary architectural design, such as glass and metal. To better express our concept of geometry, we used easily formable material that can retain its shape, such as felt, used for prototyping and alcantara and pvc, for the head final. In collaboration with: Matteo Di Paola, Paola Costa, Chiara Beatrice Bramati
EXHIBITION: Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy
BRIEF: ANALYLIS AND REINTERPRETATION OF A FASHION SHOW KENZO Graphic-photographic research and elaboration on the theme of Constructivism, in relation with the film Ran directed by Akira Kurosawa. Research based on KENZO fall 2008 fashion show. Creation of graphics, pattern, label, logo, book, tshirt, shopping bag and packaging.
BRIEF: BATIMAT RUSSIA 2014 Pavilion project for the factory doors at the International Construction and Interior Exhibition in Moscow. In collaboration with: architect Anton Sagal.
Photoshoots: Turgenev’s girl D/S Bachelor project
Street style photography