Q&A with Naya Rea

A/W '22

We are delighted to welcome Naya Rea to The Hambledon. We had intended Spring Summer 22 to mark the launch at The Hambledon but the collection, much of which is made in Ukraine, was impacted by the war and it seemed a little tawdry to talk about fashion in the light of what was happening. Amazingly some factories remained open and some production did continue. The arrival of Pre Fall 22 is an opportunity to talk to Naya again, not only about her beautiful clothes but also the wider situation which gives this collection particular poignancy.

(Portrait Photographer: Kristina Varaksina)

Shop Naya Rea ►

Q&A with Naya Rea

A/W '22

(Portrait Photographer: Kristina Varaksina)

Shop Naya Rea ►

You are based in London, born in Siberia and much of your production is in Ukraine. Can you talk a little about how difficult it has been to navigate this situation over the past few months.

Well, the country I was born in invaded the country I love and this is the situation I found myself in on 24th of February this year, it was probably the hardest thing I ever had to go through and I still cannot wrap my head around it.

Tell us a bit about the factories in Ukraine. And about your experience of the country. And your friends there.

I travelled there quite frequently in the past few years, it is a very friendly, open and most welcoming country I’ve ever been to and I met some wonderful people who helped me to build the brand by offering support and their help with production, the relationship with them is more than just a business relationship and I truly value them. My production team is still in Ukraine, refusing to leave and keep working. Most of people I know are still there, I have only a few friends with kids who left. On the question why they don’t leave they say: “If we all leave now, there will be no country to return to.” I keep producing there because it is important for them to continue to work, not only because they need to earn for living but also because it gives them sense of normality and keeps them sane.

How will you manage future production?

We have some back up with other productions in countries like Turkey and China, so we manage and I hope this war will be over soon and we can return to normal. As crazy as it sounds but Ukrainian production delivered this time sooner that our productions in other countries and even DHL restarted their services there.

The collection is a lovely mix of whimsy, folklore and luxury. How do you manage to produce a coherent collection from these different strands?

I always tried to think of contemporary wardrobe and the elements of folklore is just a little touch to connect it to my story and make the styles to stand out. Story telling is the most exciting part of creating for me through colour combinations, shapes and different product categories, designing the collection is always such a layered process, I absolutely love it!

Traditional craft from Eastern Europe plays a significant role in your designs. Can you tell us a bit about folk art from the region and how it informs your work?

I am from Siberia, but I have a very mixed background – Korean/ Japanese/ Uighur, I was raised by my grandma in Kazakhstan surrounded by handmade oriental carpets and hand stitched Uzbek silk duvets and I went to school in Siberia so somehow all this mixture of cultures comes through almost unintentionally, only after I make the collection I can see the influence.

A model wearing the Naya Rea black Triangle scarf with embroidery and the Lia dress in red.

A model wearing the Naya Rea sleeveless Via dress in Red.

A model wearing the cropped Naya Rea Cora top in black with a black and white striped skirt.

A model wearing the loose fitted Naya Rea Lia dress in red floral.

A model wearing the Naya Rea cream Juni Knitted Vest over the top of the Mila Top on Red floral with voluminous sleeves.

A model wearing the loose fitted Lia dress in black floral.

Where did you train?

I studied interior design at first and only after that I went to London College of Fashion to study Fashion Design and Technology, but frankly I consider myself as a self-taught.

Do you have a muse? Who would you most like to see wearing your clothes?

I don’t think I have a muse, not in traditional sense. And the most exciting thing – to see my friends wearing it or my mum, or mother in law – it feels so satisfying, it makes me happy.

And which pieces from this collection have made it into your own wardrobe?

Selma pants with Sofie shirt because it’s so easy to wear but it is not boring, Mari dress (yes, I love black!), Asta jeans (I love wearing jeans and this one has a very nice fit) and triangle scarf in both black and white (my favourite piece).

Can you describe a typical day at work?

I still work from home so my typical day at work starts the moment I open my eyes and finishes when I go to sleep. In between I run to schools, cook dinners, design, Zoom and all the other things. It’s hectic but convenient, as a working mum I have to navigate.

Introduce us to your team.

- Roxanne Chen is a head of PR (from Dyelog PR), she is with me from the very start and is the most loyal supporter of the brand. Thanks to Roxanne there is no influencer who didn’t wear my pieces.
- Anna Korumina is our production manager in Ukraine, she’s the one who moves mountains to deliver the orders in time and in most impeccable condition.
- Edouard Bernier joined us recently and he’s on financial part of the business, he’s a long term friend of mine and I am happy to have him on board as he helps to look at the brand from the business perspective.
- Karina Trofimova from Haus Agency (NY) and Joe Petchelco from Arddun agency (London) are my gate keepers aka sales agents. I am sure you’ve met them, they both are amazing and they have such a great teams!

What are you working on now? How is the future looking?

I am working on my SS23 collection – you know, fabric selections, new print developments, sample making – all this makes me very happy! The future looks busy, which is always a good thing!

Shop Naya Rea ►

You are based in London, born in Siberia and much of your production is in Ukraine. Can you talk a little about how difficult it has been to navigate this situation over the past few months.

Tell us a bit about the factories in Ukraine. And about your experience of the country. And your friends there.

How will you manage future production?

A collage of 2 images of models wearing the Naya Rea Pre Fall '22 clothes.

The collection is a lovely mix of whimsy, folklore and luxury. How do you manage to produce a coherent collection from these different strands?

Traditional craft from Eastern Europe plays a significant role in your designs. Can you tell us a bit about folk art from the region and how it informs your work?

Where did you train?

I studied interior design at first and only after that I went to London College of Fashion to study Fashion Design and Technology, but frankly I consider myself as a self-taught.

Do you have a muse? Who would you most like to see wearing your clothes?

I don’t think I have a muse, not in traditional sense. And the most exciting thing – to see my friends wearing it or my mum, or mother in law – it feels so satisfying, it makes me happy.

And which pieces from this collection have made it into your own wardrobe?

Selma pants with Sophie shirt because it’s so easy to wear but it is not boring, Mari dress (yes, I love black!), Asta jeans (I love wearing jeans and this one has a very nice fit) and triangle scarf in both black and white (my favourite piece).

Can you describe a typical day at work?

Introduce us to your team.

What are you working on now? How is the future looking?

I am working on my SS23 collection – you know, fabric selections, new print developments, sample making – all this makes me very happy! The future looks busy, which is always a good thing!

Shop Naya Rea ►

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