By Nicole McLaren
Visiting New York City for the first time in 2007, Katya Leonovich’s experience became an inspiration for her life’s work. First falling in love with the city, and then with her future husband, she left behind her thriving business in Italy to follow a new direction in the U.S.
After establishing a successful chain of boutiques across Europe and the United Arab Emirates, Leonovich has already showcased her collections twice at the Mercedez-Benz Fashion Week (MBFW) in New York.
A woman of many talents, she transferred the design of her paintings onto the fabrics for her fall/winter 2012 collection. Jackets were inspired by the form and construction of the urban landscape. For example, the copper material was reminiscent of the copper rooftops in the downtown neighbourhoods.
Her fall/winter 2012 line was picked up by high-end boutiques across the city and is now housed in the showroom of MAO PR.
The designer says that establishing her business in this country has been hard work, but she is inspired by Karl Lagerfeld’s words, “If you love this business, you shouldn’t complain.”
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