Designer Aleksandra Jagdfeld welcomes L'Officiel into her world made of silk coats and vibrant colours 

After discovering Aleksandra Viktor, our eternal hunt for the warmest, most luxuriously soft and beautiful coat can&nbsp;finally come to an end.&nbsp;Born in Poland, based in Berlin, designer <a href="https://www.aleksandraviktor.com">Aleksandra Jagdfeld</a>&nbsp;is ready to give a brilliant twist to the magnificent universe of coats. This luxury label is defined by its colorful IKAT Chapan coats that pays homage to centuries of old rituals and handicraft techniques, focusing on one style only. Unmissable item and certainty of any (male or female)&nbsp;wardrobe, the designer&#39;s coats are a colorful carousel of innovation and experimentation, of history, tradition and mysticism. Vibrant pieces painted in bold shades&nbsp;that can brighten up any rainy day, the fabulous outwear is the (winning) result of a fearless woman who had the courage of living her dream and pursueding her goals, overcoming last year&#39;s troubles ( and for this, she definitely deserves a round of applause) thanks to her remarkable determination.&nbsp;Made in the highest quality cottons and silks, nine unisex oversized models with thousands of stories intertwined in the fabrics of the garments.&nbsp;L&rsquo;Officiel takes you on a journey to discover the marvellous&nbsp;world of Aleksandra and of her creations.&nbsp;

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L&#39;Ol:&nbsp;When did you realise you wanted to be a designer? Is it something that you dreamt about since you were a kid or did you grow into this job?

I was born in Poland, raised by only my mother. She used to run a clothing store and was a very elegant lady. We never had a lot of money but she always dressed very chic and elegant. She used to wear make up daily and had a blow dry once a week. I witnessed this as I grew up. She taught me to make an&nbsp;effort about your appearance. Generally Polish woman care about their style, no matter how much money they have. I think the desire to work in fashion was born during that time.&nbsp;After I spent many years working in Real Estate I decided to follow my passion. The birth of my son Viktor was a crucial moment. When a woman gives birth, she receives a lot of light and power.&nbsp;I think without Viktor I would not have had the strength to dare it.

L&#39;Ol: You only sell one wardrobe article: coat. Why did you make this choice?

I think a coat is the most crucial piece in our wardrobe. With a coat, you make a statement and express yourself. You can also &ldquo;cover&rdquo; yourself with it.

L&#39;Ol: Different and&nbsp;Unique from everything we see right now, your coats have the particularity of being inspired by heritage and rituals, do you have one culture in particular that inspired you the most?

All cultures worldwide inspire me. The more I travel, the more I realise how little I know about world. You find new rituals in every part of our world. Heritage and rituals are so precious, especially nowadays. We all have to cherish and respect them.

L&#39;Ol:&nbsp;Apart from the unique designs, another reason why your coat distinctive from the crowd is that they are made of IKAT. Can you tell us more about it?

Ikat is a type of textile characterised by its unique dyeing process. First, the resists are dampened to prevent tearing or breaking. The fibre is then firmly and repeatedly looped around the small bundle of threads in order to create a strong resistance. This is the most crucial process of ikat production. 
Then the weaver places the warped threads on the loom. They are placed closely together to hide the weft and to create a sharp, well defined pattern. Finally waterproof resists are carefully tied around the threads to create the desired pattern.

L&#39;Ol:&nbsp;Your first collection includes only 9 pieces. One size, no gender. I love this choice as we are approaching a world of gender fluid clothing. What&rsquo;s the reason behind this choice and how people have responded to it?

I don&#39;t see my product as a classic piece of clothing. I see it as an object, a piece of art. That is why the gender fluid approach was so important to me. Because the sleeves of my chapans are rather long, my male clients absolutely love it.

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L&#39;Ol:&nbsp;Talking about the internet, we live in a world where social media has become a major part of&nbsp;our everyday life. This has both negative and positive side effects. What was your experience with them? Does having an Instagram page or Facebook account help you in launching your brand?

Yes, they allow me to get into direct, personal and instant contact with my clients. Something that is simply not possible with a classical print advertisement. But what I love the most is to organise small and exclusive events where I can explain my philosophy and tell more about the product. I will definitely get back to that.

L&#39;Ol:&nbsp;I find it truly inspiring when good things come out of bad times. Despite last year being one of the most challenging we ever face, you managed to start your own brand anyway, which is great! Congratulations! How was the experience of launching something new during covid times?

Of course it was though! Many people are struggling with issues caused by COVID and aren&rsquo;t really open for NEW things. On the other hand, I have many amazing clients who care about my approach more than before and appreciate the way that I see fashion &ndash; &ldquo;slow fashion&rdquo;, little to no waste, a timeless product, a product that can be worn to many different occasions.

L&#39;Ol: All of your coats have women&rsquo;s names, is this a tribute to important women in your life?

For my first campaign, I decided to work with women I know well, and who know and understand my product. Each style of coat is named after one of them.

L&#39;Ol: &nbsp;You support local manufacturing groups in a world dominated by fast fashion, what&rsquo;s the reason behind this choice?

I was raised in a very traditional country. Traditions ground me and give me strength. With ALEKSANDRAVIKTOR, I wanted to launch more than just another fashion brand. The product is very emotional. The handwoven fabrics are extraordinary, each pattern is a homage to old Uzbek patterns. I wanted to focus on the origins of fashion when one cared about the fabric, the product. I wanted to create a timeless piece.

L&#39;Ol:&nbsp;Are you planning to welcome some other clothes in your world?

I love the idea of the coat, I would like to stick to it. I am already looking for new, fascinating weaving techniques. But hey, never say never.

The Marvellous Coats of Aleksandra Viktor

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