Prior to the start of the VCC Fiat Mode Fashion Show, I managed to get in touch with a couple of the designers. One of them was Ms. Katherine Koniecki. Katherine and I managed to have a quick chat about her life, her beginnings in the world of fashion, and her future plans.Why don’t you tell us what drove you to get into fashion to begin with? Well, I started experimenting on my own time, messing around with fabrics and designs while I was doing an Undergrad degree at Ottawa U for business. During that time I was traveling Europe, cutting fabric, and selling my own designs in stores through people I knew.It was going well, I was really into it. I loved it; I would be studying all-day and sewing at night!I moved to Vancouver after finishing that diploma. I wasn’t sure if I was going to go back to school, but I knew I wanted to get into fashion. I thought maybe I’d work from the business end of it, get into marketing and then maybe get into design afterward.But realistically it won’t happen until you take the time to learn what you need to learn, like how to draft what you want and make a pattern that you actually like.So, I went for the program, and two years later, its over! No more school for me! That’s really cool how you made that transition from the business aspect into the design aspect! Would you be able to give an overview of the show? In general you are going to see a lot of amazing talent. I think everyone in the class came from such different backgrounds and everyone’s angle was so unique that there is a lot of diversity in the show and that’s really exciting to see.What about you, where do your pieces stand in this diverse group? What are your pieces like?Well, I was mainly working with leather and silk.I tried to do some experimentation with tailoring, since that wasn’t really my strong point before coming into the program.So, I was experimenting with different fabric mediums, tailoring, fabric painting and that’s it. I don’t know how else to elaborate.Interesting, what inspired you for this collection?I wanted to experiment with shapes that would reflect a more refined design aesthetic. I had been working towards developing a critical eye towards design, and really not just mish-mashing a bunch of ideas together, like I would have a few years ago.I really wanted to take the time to work through the shapes, and work with the fabrics, so construction was a big part of it. For me, I looked towards architecture and art. I mean fashion of course, but fashion can be a bubble if you don’t look outside what’s happening. With this program I really learned to take influences through everything else that is going on outside of fashion.This collection in particular is called “Cracked/Unbroken”. I use the idea of the very rigid lines of architectural shapes and distress them to get the idea of fragmented ideals. In other words, taking something that is pretty and distressing it a little bit to create a unique end product.I’m actually really intrigued! From, the way you describe it the show is going to be really amazing!It is, It is! I’m really impressed by everybody’s work, so I’m sure the crowd will be blown away. It’s a big group of people; one of the biggest we’ve had in the past years, so I guarantee you’ll enjoy it.I imagine that among the graduating class there is a desire to prove or define themselves.  Are you finding that pressure to define yourself as a fashion designer?No, not as a title of “fashion designer”. As cheesy as it sounds, I think it is a feeling.If you were a designer of something, it’s not specific to fashion or art. I refer to myself as a designer, but I choose fabric to be my medium. Art, architecture, sculpture, media, advertising, is all one. So in terms of people defining themselves, I think it’s a personal thing.I think with the graduating class they are looking to be defined by pushing themselves to do the best work they could.What can we expect in the future from you? Do you have any long-term plans with fashion? Or maybe something else? I’m very excited about the future! In fact, I’m moving out of Vancouver!Oh! Where to? The end destination is Berlin in January! I plan to go there for Berlin Fashion Week, work with designers and work some of the trade shows and hopefully, establish myself in that city as a designer.  It kind of holds all the elements of the creative environment that I’ve been looking for. Having been there before, I know that it’s somewhere that I love and I can see myself living and working.So that’s it for now! I’m very excited.