/FASHION/

Vadim Vasilis  /photo , Issa Tall /   text,  Irina Rusinovich

I came back from Bulgaria where I was doing a training course before the soccer season, in full questioning and psychological fatigue, I returned to Greece, where I realized that I had reached my limits concerning my career in soccer.

When I came back, I told myself that I was going to refocus on my goals, and it was at that moment, during a party in Greece, that a lady asked me if I was interested in fashion and I confess that I had never thought about it before. From then on, my view on what I wanted to do with my life changed, I said to myself why not, I wanted to change my life, I was no longer happy in what I was doing in the past, I was tired and worn out of this life while another one opened its arms to me.

Vadim Vasilis, photo Fabien Caudy

Being an international model, how has your life changed? 

I’m just starting out, whether it’s international or not, I for one haven’t seen or experienced anything, I still have everything to prove, but regardless you have to give it your best shot.

I suppose that the international would make me spend more time in transport and that I would have to work more on my dark circles with the jet lag.

No more jokes, the international induces the knowledge of the habits and customs of the different countries I will travel to in order to adapt myself, but always in the spirit of staying true to who I am.

You are from Greece, what are your 3 favorite places in your country and why?

My mountain in the Peloponese, a dry, arid place in the middle of nowhere, without any comfort. I lived there for part of my childhood with my grandparents. It is an isolated, rustic place with a mystical atmosphere, it is where everything started for me, I was marked by this period of my life and it is the basis of what I embody today.

 The various creeks near the family village in the Argolid I learned to swim, to fish following the example of my father who fished octopus, various fish and shellfish with his harpoon. In the evening, we would stay by the sea in a „caliva“, a small wooden hut that a close friend of my father had, where we would grill our catch of the day while watching the sun set.

The family village in Greece had this summer atmosphere, where we ate meals together, where I was constantly invited to eat everywhere, an active lifestyle, from getting up in the morning where I liked to go with my uncles, to the goats and sheep in the mountains, to our time spent at the beach. Soccer games would be set up when the temperature started to drop, then going home, showering outside with the hose, and finally going for a walk in the evening.

Vadim Vasilis, photo Issa Tall

How do you maintain your physique?

Sport and a healthy lifestyle!  I mainly do cardio to lengthen the muscles and draw on stored fat, I supplement a little with muscle strengthening.

My background in sports allows me to know what I need to work on. But for the time being, I do a lot less weight training than before, the goal is to be slim but not thick, so for that I exercise with much lighter weights. And I do long sets.

What brand would you like to work with in the future?

Very interesting question! There are a lot of artists I would like to work with:

Marine Serre for her esoteric and mystical touch

Balenciaga for the underground side

Jean-Paul Gaultier because he manages to make harmonious what is scattered.

But many others, Vivienne Westwood, undercover, Ambush, in fact I have so many brands that correspond to my way of being and my universe, even young designers that many ignore for the moment, but who are so talented.

We all have our difficulties to accomplish our goals, what are yours?

My impatience above all.

I admit that I am a difficult character to understand, I am my true and proper enemy, but also my true and proper brother. Everything is paradoxical about me.

I am a character who is always thinking, intense, and complicated to temper, my sensitivity often has the upper hand on me, but I will manage to tame it.

Vadim Vasilis, photo Raphael de l´Orme

Can you tell us the funniest or most interesting anecdote that happened to you since you became a model ?

That’s not a simple question, because there is really a lot of intensity in this business, so much movement, everything is ephemeral except, of course, some of the encounters you can make, but unfortunately I don’t have anything else that comes to mind right now.

You have a lot of tattoos, tell us about your three favorites.

I do have a lot of tattoos, all of them have their meaning, but it’s my secret garden 😉

I remain very mysterious and modest about some things concerning me, I reveal myself with time to people who inspire me, I trust my intuition, however my body is a rebus, when you know a little my life, my essence, you can try to play with what you see, but I remain intimate.

Is it an obstacle to have so many tattoos on your body as a model?

Yes and no, it depends on the artistic direction, the designer, the work required. It can be a brake as the opposite, but it is the game, after that it depends also on what you give off as energy, it is a whole. But you need something for everyone, you just have to be subtle.

What is your work rhythm at the moment?

Intense, at the very moment I’m writing this interview, I’m on various things at the same time, it’s not easy, you have to be organized and of course very well accompanied and I thank Nadine Dinter who takes care of my image today, who is there for me, who helps me, supports me, gives me a lot of advice, I thank life for having put Nadine on my way, it’s an encounter from elsewhere and I think we will be brought to collaborate for a long time on several projects.

             Vadim for @stephanethakid Paris 2022                                                                                                                           Paris 2022Vadim for @gillesasq, Paris 2022

How do you relax?

It is difficult for a hyperactive person like me to relax…

I’m always thinking about different things, I always have ideas in my head, I’m full of desire and energy, to go ahead, to work, to do sports, to discover, so to relax is not an easy task, even when I take a break I feel like I’m wasting my time.

But I will have time to relax when I have accomplished what I have to accomplish…

For the moment I am in full work, no time to sleep.

What are your current/upcoming projects?

I have a lot of projects going on: magazines, advertising campaigns, fashion week to prepare. It’s an environment where you have to be reactive at the moment…

The universe is vast, it’s up to me to make the right choices and to be receptive and attentive to the signs of life.

Follow Vadim on IG at @vadimvasilis

Photo: Dominik Wolf

Text: Lyubov Melnickowa

Photo: Mariia Ziva

Photo: Alessa

Photo: Ambra Alessi

Photo: Yuliia

Photo: Rafi Glaser / Lilith Kampffmeyer

Photo: Mariia Ziva

You mentioned that you are a petite model. How tall are you? Have you faced refusals at castings due to height?

I am only 1,60m and growing up I always wanted to be taller. Nowadays I am used to it and if I ́d have the chance to change my height I honestly wouldn’t. Even though it is harder to prove yourself as a petite model, in my opinion, it is not impossible. I would love to see the industry change more and be more open and supportive towards petite models.

Are you taking any actions to show that petite models can also be successful?

I would love to be part of one of the next fashion weeks. I think Berlin Fashion Week is a bit more open to diversity than Milan or New York for example. There are a lot of designers who could really make a change. It would be a great honor for me to walk in one of the upcoming shows for example for Rebekka Ruetz. I watched her shows and she had a really diverse selection of models!

What does success in your modeling career mean to you?
​
Success to me means to be able to live by my principles and values. The most important value to me is happiness. Currently I am really thankful that I am able to work as a model and that it is fulfilling for me. Another principle of mine is that I want to always learn from and work with the best, so I have a list of inspiring photographers, designers, magazines etc. which of whom I would love to work with such as Philipp Plein or Natascha Lindemann. And of course – propbably every model dreams of that- being part of the Victoria ́s secret fashion show for sure! They didn ́t have any petite models yet, so why not start now?

Photo: Annsolie

Photo: Annsolie

Photo: Annsolie

Text: Lyubov Melnickowa

Thank you for taking time for an den interview with us! Before asking questions about the brand, I would like to learn more about the designer and founder of the brand KERIMA ELFAZA.

Tell a little about yourself. How did your creative path begin and why did you decide to become a fashion designer?

From an early age on, I was not only fascinated by fashion. I have loved drawing, colours, shapes, patterns and materials since I can remember. I knew I was about to build my life around this. If you take a look at my designs you can see that I love to experiment with different colours. In my working process I reconsider, reorder, and redraw everything many times until I have a feeling of satisfaction of what I came up with.

My brand is not only exclusively a fashion brand. Often my designs are exhibited in art galleries or shown in performances. I love to think of myself as an independent designer who works in different media.

What does fashion mean in your understanding?

It‘s a way to express myself. It‘s about identity. Growing up in a german/arabic family was not easy for me. My creative side got pushed down my whole childhood and I am still struggling sometimes with the feeling of not being enough or being too much. My desire to work with fashion and art always kept me in between these worlds. Fashion should not only be aesthetically appealing and innovative. In my opinion it should also serve as a medium of communication to discuss current and relevant topics in society. Fashion is intertwined with culture, origins, history and zeitgeist.

Tell us a little about the brand. At what point did the idea of creating a brand come up?

There was no ‚exact‘ moment or point where it all started. I have been starting to exhibit and present my work in galleries, shows and competitions like the „European Fashion Award“ (FASH) already, during my studies at art school. In that time, I started presenting my work on social media, got an invite to a variety of events like fashion shoots, shows, performances, exhibitions and pop-up stores. I have been very grateful for these opportunities, but it has been a lot of work to be recognized with my brand.

I started using 3D scans, 3D printing and digital prints on my fabrics in my BA. I developed more digital printed jewellery and concepts for digital print on textile while working on exhibitions.

As a rule, a clothing brand is a large team that takes part in the creation of collections. How many people are in the brand team and what are the responsibilities of the chief designer?

You could say I am a 1-Person army creating my collections. I work on the designs, create prototypes, handcraft and digitalize, as well as producing the clothing. I have a huge passion for manipulating textile surfaces and since I moved to Bremen I also started casting my own jewellery.

Of course it takes a whole team to realize ideas and projects. I usually work with a video producer, digital artists, make up artists, dancers & performers. Participating in an exhibition also requires communicating with curators to finalize the vision of my brand.

How would you describe the brand’s style?

My idea is that collections should not appear just pleasing and wearable, rather sending the message to provoke. I have more of an artistic perspective on fashion. Whether I press „garbage“ onto jeans or let crystals grow on fabric, behind every artistic exploration in material, there is always a hidden social critical message. Personalized clothing as a specific and interdisciplinary art form and jewellery opens up the opportunity to celebrate everybody’s uniqueness.

Now many brands are for environmental friendliness and recycling. What materials does the KERIMA ELFAZA brand use? What principles do you adhere to when creating clothes?

I love digital printing, especially on silk, using foil and 3D prints. For the future I will no longer require digital prints produced in metered fabrics. I want to use screen printing and use bacteria that can grow the colours. Working with the Clo3D (a digital fashion programm) will increase sustainability by reducing the production of prototypes and it also allows an open discussion with customers online.

My 3D prints are made exclusively out of recycled polyamide. I am trying to develop more sustainable ways to produce 3D printed garments and accessories. Also I like the combination of the technology of 3D printing and traditional craftingship with aluminium and bronze.

Who is the KERIMA ELFAZA brand for? Can you describe its target audience?

It‘s not directly specifically designed for a certain stereotype or cliche that many big brands work with. My brand shows the diversity of people, no matter their size, age, ethnic background or gender identity. 

My latest collection, „SECOND_SCAN“ has a very personal reference for standing up for yourself, making your own change, no matter who you are or that you’re not fitting into any categories.

KERIMA ELFAZA  is a well-known brand in Bremen, Germany. Would you like the brand to exist on the world market in the future?

It‘s a big goal and a dream of mine to present my brand internationally. As an artist I am already present at several events, for example I will be participating at a fashion festival in the Netherlands this year. 

I am always researching new techniques to push my brand and level up.

How would you describe today’s fashion and what feelings does evoke in you? 

I see the same problems in fashion, as well as in the food industry. Who consumes should take responsibility. The consumer’s awareness is increasing, but at the same time the  textile waste is also piling up. The issues of the broader concept of diversity, gender equality, animal welfare and sustainability must continuously evolve. We are not at the end of our rope yet. Innovative ideas of young designers who are deeply concerned about the production chain of materials need to be further explored and developed. I am trying to deal with these issues in my work process.

My first collection „Is(s) mir Wurst“, like „eat sausage“ which means „I don‘t care“, and my second collection „Kopyright“ have been both clever, ironic, ambivalent puns to openly criticize mass consumption. The protection of intellectual property constitutes an imperative in the age of Instagram and TikTok, in order to be able to preserve artistic design in the fashion industry. „Kopyright“ combines an explicit cross reference to „fast fashion“, by challenging plagiarism of discount clothing stores. While „Is(s) mir Wurst“, denounces societies opulent and careless consumption of meat. As source of my inspiration served a native east german provincial butcher, whose meat products I literally scanned and subsequently printo onto the fabrics.