User:Jugk30/sandbox

= Chopova Lowena  =

= Chopova Lowena  = Chopova Lowena is the brand of two women who are inspired by Bulgarian fashion. The two creators are Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena.

Emma Chopova (age 27) was born in Bulgaria and later at the age of 7 moved to New Jersey, US. Laura Chopova (28) was born and raised in the U.K. The duo met while they attended Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts in London. They studied together at CSM for 6 years while earning their MA. After graduating, they spent a year trying to settle things for their brand. After winning a few awards and some grants, they used money to continue making collections while waiting to see if it was working and if this was the correct path for them. Eventually, they got their showroom and were able to continue making clothes.

Work
The duo first started mixing fabrics for a project for French luxury company, Chloé. They mixed lace and ski materials and then immediately took inspiration for bright colored Bulgarian costumes. Later, they visited a festival in Bulgaria, where they bought loads of fabric and began to make their famous skirts.

At the beginning of their brand, their staple piece (folkloric skirt) they were continuously told nobody would make their skirt. Taking matters into their own hands, they made their skirts themselves by cutting with scissors and pleating with irons. They state they got rejected by nearly 40 factories, before they found one.

The duo work together to create recycled and sustainable fashion. Taking inspirations from traditional dresswear and sportwear references for modernization. Using interesting fabric and materials, such as carabiners and other hardware. They used to source their fabric from Bulgarian villages and auction sites. But now as their brand grew, people come to them, offering useable fabric. Their most famous piece is their belted skirts, some refer it to a modern day kilt. The skirts are made with a thick belt, carabiner, and hooks which is where the pleated fabric hangs from. They dream of one day making a studio in Bulgaria, but for now are continuing to focus on building an ethical and environmentally responsible brand, hopefully incorporating more folklore traditions from around the world.

Artist Statement
“Craft is at the core of everything we know today, except now it’s sped up, mechanical and isn’t made with a personal touch...We want to create clothes which are enriched with this knowledge and really give a customer something to treasure forever.” - Chopova Lowena

The two also state that today's easily disposable fashion is rooted in consumerism, and the aspect of their brand and clothing is the stories of the makers are sewn into the clothes, which is what inspires people to buy. With Covid-19, an outcome they hope for is, “a newer, better fashion system”.

Collections

 * Vogue Runway : Spring 2020 Ready-to-Wear Fashion Show; 27 looks
 * Vogue Runway : Fall 2020 Ready-to-Wear Fashion Show; 33 looks
 * Vogue Runway : Spring 2021 Ready-to-Wear Fashion Show; 33 looks
 * Vogue Runway : Fall 2021 Ready-to-Wear Fashion Show; 37 looks
 * SHOWstudio Collection : Chopova Lowena London Spring/Summer 2022; 44 looks
 * Vogue Runway : Spring 2022 Ready-to-Wear Fashion Show; 44 looks
 * Vogue Runway : Fall 2022 Ready-to-Wear Fashion Show; 37 looks
 * Chopova Lowena AW22 Collection; 30 looks

Accomplishments

 * Partnership with Matches Fashion; AW19 Capsule Collection in 2018
 * First Collection on MatchesFashion.com was a sellout
 * 2020 : Finalists of the LVMH Prize
 * Harry Styles in Vogue - Chopova Lowena belted skirt
 * Top 10 Collections of London Fashion Week 2021 look 23

Where to Find Them

 * Instagram @ chopovalowena
 * Website https://www.chopovalowena.com/
 * Womenswear Collection : Dover Street Market, Matchesfashion.com