"The most important thing is that I remembered my childhood dream 25 years ago and just started living it, without any compromises and excuses, out of nowhere, comme même (despite of everything)"

small-shops: Hi, Paulina! You lived in Bulgaria until you were 18 years old. Why did you choose Germany as your new home and place to study art history, philosophy, byzantine art/ Christian archaeology and later cultural management?

Paulina Tsvetanova: I was visiting a German school in Bulgaria and learned German at the age of 13. I moved to Freiburg i. Br. in order to study and find a job in the art/culture management world. After some years of experience in this field (art foundations, art events, galleries, publishing house etc), I founded PAULINA'S FRIENDS as a creative agency for contemporary art, design and vintage fashion. Currently I'm a PhD candidate in Fashion Studies/Design Science (Art Academy Burg Giebichenstein Halle/University for Applied Science Trier).

small-shops: Your fashion is very extravagant, colourful and certainly a lot of fun to look at. Where do you find inspiration for creating so many unique masterpieces?

Paulina Tsvetanova: When I was 12 years old I was dreaming of becoming a couturier. There was only one thing that I did the whole day: drawing of stage costumes and fantasy outfits, full of life, colour, geometry, patterns, textures. It was the feeling of entire connection with the universe, everything belonged together.

I wish I could draw the same way today! The most important thing is, that I remembered my childhood dream 25 years ago and just started living it, without any compromises and excuses, out of nowhere, comme même (despite of everything). Before I taught myself sewing, I was producing textile prints of my drawings.

small-shops: One of the biggest inspirations for you is Catholicism. Can you please share with us, what parts of this religion fascinates you so much?

Paulina Tsvetanova: I was raised in a roma ghetto in a Greek-Orthodox minority environment, surrounded by moslems (South Bulgaria). I studied Byzantine Art History, which is the art and culture of the Old Constantinople and includes the Christian churches of the Middle East (Anthiochian, Coptic etc). For me, PAULINA'S FRIENDS is a spiritual fashion brand, that celebrates the sacral, the outstanding, the devine and archaic.

small-shops: One of the core ideas of Catholicism is arguably to love all people equally. Your fashion represents this value greatly, because you inclusively design also for uncommon body shapes. Can you please explain a little bit why and how you do that?

Paulina Tsvetanova: We merge sustainability and diversity. It's not enough to produce fairly in Berlin and to sell to well situated "bio"-people from the bobo (bourgeoise bohemien) neighbourhoods like Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg. Inclusivity means to integrate people in your stories, which don't care about fashion and can't afford it, people with real problems, people outside of the luxury bubble. That's why our models are often with disabilities, representing visible diversity. But there is also invisible one - we all have a kind of disability. There are no limitations and restrictions concerning gender, body shapes, heritage, education, class belongings in our collections. We don't believe in seasons, sizes, gender gaps. That's why unisize, unisex, uniseason. Furthermore we believe that the concept of diversity in the fashion industry is very hypocratic. Real diversity is not to put a model with size 38 on the stage and sell it as a body positivity, or a best-ager-woman at age 45. The condition of the standard perfect runway show models is the exception, not the rule, the rule is the average, the normal. Fashion shouldn't be afraid to represent and love the average. And speaking about diversity - who are the unfamous, non-celebrity, really diverse fashion faces on runway shows and advertising campagnes? That's why we put our customers as runway models on the stage and let them be the stars. This concept is revolutionary for the upcoming Paris Fashion Week in September 2023.

small-shops: Next to your love to all people, you show love to the environment. Most of your fabrics are upcycled materials. Thereby you reduce your amount of waste by a lot. Also, you produce in small quantities locally in your studio. What other measures do you take, to make your fashion sustainable?

Paulina Tsvetanova: We produce an absolute zero waste fashion: only unique pieces made out of couture left overs/deadstock, vintage fabrics etc, not even a limited editions. Only one-off, avant-garde statement pieces. The most sustainable thing is the personality of the wearer, when you connect to your customers and sell emotional products, they authomatically consume less, because every piece they buy is related to a special experience they made with PAULINA'S FRIENDS.

small-shops: Your art-fashion business has seen many ups and downs. What advice would you give young designers, who are about to create their own brand?

Paulina Tsvetanova: Do what you can't! If you doubt your skills, you urgently need to do exactly what you are afraid of (like me sewing!). Just do it (the other way round). Don't overthink it. Don't ask too many people for opinions, don't follow, break the rules. Become visible with your bold results. Use your network. Inspire, suprise, trigger, provoke. Be resilient. Think economically. If you want to stay independent, you should go new, unconventional, interactive and interdisciplinary ways. Bring your art to the buyer, but also the buyer to your art. People need to be entertained, involved, integrated, they need unforgettable experiences. You need to stay mentally flexible and also break your own concepts. Be a role model for yourself.

small-shops: You are always full of exciting new ideas. Can you share some of the plans you have for the future of your label?

Paulina Tsvetanova: This year we will attend the Helsinki, Rotterdam and Paris Fashion Weeks, the last one for the second time. Next year we plan to be part of New Zealand Fashion Week, juhuuu! Why not NY Fashion Week for the third time. In the long term (I guess this is my life project), I want to make a worldwide trip by cruise and bring a suitcase full of fabrics from each country (then I will need a container for my suitcases;). When I have defended my PhD (hopefully this year), I will write my fifth book about a suitcase full of fabrics travelling the world. PAULINA'S FRIENDS is about all facets of enrepreneurship. To be an entrepreneur means to see yourself as your business and reinvent yourself new.

small-shops: If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

Paulina Tsvetanova: I would open a school for parents and teach grown-ups how to rediscover and live their childhood heart desires.