Lado Bokuchava

My creative process always starts with emotions I’m experiencing at a particular moment and ideas I’ve collected over time. I then begin researching and sourcing fabrics that support the techniques and concepts I want to explore. In recent seasons, I’ve become increasingly interested in handmade techniques, using them to transform fabrics and create new textures, surfaces and identities within the collection.

I think my design language has become increasingly personal over the years. I’m interested in exploring the different layers of my own mind and the identity of the brand, constantly digging deeper to understand who I am as a designer and who the person behind the brand really is. Through that process, I also gain a better understanding of the customer who connects with my work.

There are many sources of inspiration for me outside of fashion, but what inspires me most are the stories people carry and their personal journeys. I am fascinated by how individual experiences shape identity, character and the way we present ourselves to the world.

When I design, there is a lot of dreaming involved. I often start with a character that exists in my imagination and build a collection around that person. Each season, I try to create a new character with their own identity, emotions and story. At the same time, I don’t design for just one type of person. The character serves as a starting point, but I want the collection to resonate with a much wider range of people who can find their own connection to it.

I don't have one product or piece that is closer to my heart than another. Every collection is deeply personal to me and created with the same level of care and dedication. Fashion is the language I use to communicate with my audience, so everything I create feels meaningful and sacred. Each piece carries a part of the story, emotions and ideas I want to share with the world.

If my work reflects anything Georgian, I think it happens naturally because Georgia is where I come from and where I was shaped as a person. I don’t intentionally borrow details or references from Georgian culture. Instead, any connection comes through my experiences, memories and way of seeing the world, which are inevitably influenced by growing up in Georgia.

For me, true elegance comes from self-confidence and kindness.

I believe fashion contains an element of art, and art should reflect what is happening around us – politically, emotionally and culturally. If it doesn't come from an honest place, I find it difficult to connect with it. For me, honesty is essential in both art and fashion.

Women influence my work every day because they are the people I create for. Understanding their lives, emotions, strengths and vulnerabilities is an important part of my creative process. Their presence constantly shapes the way I think about design, silhouette and storytelling.

I don’t believe in the idea of universally timeless garments. A piece can be timeless for a particular person because of the story, memory or emotion connected to it. What makes a garment timeless is often not the design itself, but the personal meaning it carries for the individual who wears it.

One of the hardest lessons I learnt while building my brand was understanding that creativity alone is not enough. For a small independent brand, it is a luxury to focus only on design. You have to understand every aspect of the business and be involved in every part of the process. Throughout the years, I've faced many challenges. As a small designer, there are moments when larger companies don’t treat independent creatives with the respect they deserve. Political and economic situations can also have a direct impact on your work and your ability to grow.
The fashion industry can be very demanding and often quite brutal. To survive, you have to constantly adapt, learn new skills and find solutions to unexpected problems. If you don't evolve beyond design and develop a broader understanding of the business, it becomes very difficult for a company to survive in the long term.

In my case, it feels very natural. Fashion is something I can do no matter what. Even during the most difficult periods of my life, I have remained creative. Creating has always been a constant for me and a way of moving forward, regardless of the circumstances.

I would love to see more trust and belief from the industry in smaller independent brands. Throughout fashion history, many of the most important ideas and innovations have come from people who were willing to take risks rather than play it safe. Large companies often invest in what is already proven, which is understandable, but real progress usually comes from supporting new voices and fresh perspectives. Independent brands bring creativity, experimentation and new ways of thinking. I believe the industry becomes stronger when it gives those brands the opportunity to grow and take risks. For me, fashion has always moved forward because of courage, not because of safety.

Sustainability is very important to my work because, in the world we live in today, I believe it is our responsibility to take care of the planet. As designers and brands, we have a duty to be conscious of the impact our decisions have on the environment. Ignoring that responsibility is no longer an option.

I would advise young Georgian designers to stay curious and never stop learning. Experiment as much as possible, because that’s how you develop your own voice. Fashion is not as easy as it may seem from the outside – it requires a lot of hard work, patience and sacrifice. Most importantly, never stop exploring and never stop trying. There will be setbacks and disappointments, but continuing despite those challenges is often what makes the difference between success and failure.

I don’t have a specific picture of success in my mind. For me, being able to do the work you love with less stress is already a form of success. At the same time, I’ve learnt that the definition of success changes as your career evolves. The goals you have at one stage are often very different from the goals you have later on. Success is not a fixed destination — it's something that grows and changes along with you.

I don’t really know what keeps me motivated creatively because it feels very natural to me. Creativity has always been a part of who I am. I don't think about it too much, I simply keep creating.

The moment I feel most connected to my work is when we finish a campaign shoot and receive the final images. For me, that is the final chapter of the collection. It's the moment when everything comes together: the garments, the styling, the atmosphere and the character I have been building throughout the process. Only then can I fully see the story as a complete picture, and that's when I feel the strongest connection to the work.

Daring, dark, expressive.