April 4, 2006
Label her original
Toronto Sun
By SYLVI CAPELACI, STYLE EDITOR
Desperately Different wants to be just that.
It's a new fashion label designed by new Canadian Katya Revenko who has big plans to make her mark in this country.
The recent winner of the New Labels Elle Canada design award has dreams to become a mega brand: "I want to bring designers from around the world together -- like a co-op -- to design everything from fashion to accessories under the Desperately Different umbrella."
In fact, the Kiev born and trained designer chose the name Desperately Different with her Ukrainian roots in mind: "Back in my country, I had a lot of friends that made a statement -- working in art, music, TV and creative industries. The name is driven by all their souls."
The New Labels competition was part of the Toronto Fashion Incubator's nurturing program and a major coup. It's worth $25,000 in brand promotion and cash prizes.
She has a long road ahead, but Revenko has the ambition and tenacity to make it. When this 33-year-old mom arrived with her husband and daughter from Kiev to Toronto in 2002, she already had nine years experience in fashion and costume design.
Revenko's first big break was last fall when select pieces from her first collection caught the eye of Holt Renfrew buyers who placed it with prestigious international labels in their World Design Lab.
Following the New Labels competition, lead judge Elle Canada's editor-in-chief Rita Silvan said her collection was timed perfectly to capture the mood for fall/winter 2006. "It's rich and romantically melancholic," said Silvan, her retro-modern silhouettes inspired by historic femme-fatales like Joan of Arc and Josephine Bonaparte. "The colour palette -- rich burgundies, emeralds -- has a grownup glamour, for women who like classic, elegant fashion with an edge," she added.
Each garment was beautifully layered with contradictions: Masculine tailoring with feminine chiffon pleating; nubbly tweeds with slinky silks; textured brocades with smooth velvets.
Following the show, Revenko's second meeting with Holt Renfrew also went well. "They said my pants are strong -- the tight fitting ones with skinny high waistbands and my loose velvet breeches -- about half my line for fall will be in their Toronto and Montreal stores." Kevenko's windfall also includes showcasing her collection at top Toronto retailer TNT Woman and TNT Blu.
While she's overwhelmed by her victory, she remains unswayed in her vision for the future: "I design pieces I would love to have in my wardrobe. I'm trying to be sincere in my work."
