Lilia Surdu: Slow Fashion, Wearable Art and Timeless Collection

For today’s episode, we are so happy to welcome Lilia Surdu.

Lilia is a talented designer who has left her exciting job at the UN to launch her own brand, MOVE WOMENSWEAR.

She launched her brand from the fascinating country of MOLDOVA a former Soviet Union country nestled between Romania and Ukraine.

Today, her dresses can be found in Moldova but also in Paris and in Milan. She will share her journey with us, and her approach of slow fashion together with the seasonless collection concept.

Join us for this very fun conversation with Lilia Surdu.

Episode notes

• 02:00 An introduction to Moldova, a former Soviet country with its wineries and plentiful beautiful landscapes

• 03:30 Starting a business making hand-painted silk dresses. Each piece is unique.

• 05:00 Making pieces of garment you want to pass from generation to generation. The concept of wearable art.

• 06:00 Taking the leap. How attending a fashion show gave Lilia the confidence to follow her dreams and to leave her career at the United Nation to become a fashion designer and launch her business

• 07:30 Learning as you build your business. Launching the wrong products. Finally finding the right product concept that customers LOVE

• 09:30 Timeless collection and slow fashion concept

• 12:00 Breaking the rules of the fashion calendar to gain in freedom for creativity

• 13:30 The Nymphs as a guiding theme to design powerful campaigns to build the brand image

• 15:30 The collection is sold in Moldova, Paris, and Milan

• 16:00 Waste is an environmental problem that Lilia has identified. Together with her team, they contribute to the reduction of fashion waste by developing unique pieces that are passed from one generation to another. In general, their attitude is to identify problems and try to find solutions by increments

• 17:30 Being 100% sustainable is very difficult. Her approach to environmental issues is to not over-promise or to make false promises. For example, switching to natural dyes requires additional research for it is in their development plan.

• 19:30 Joyful moments of a fashion business owner. The most fulfilling moment is when a customer “gets” the intention of her brand (a piece of wearable art to be transmitted to the next generation).

• 22:00 Time capsule question: take good care of your environment and think of the future generations

NUGGETS:

1. Design something unique that you love, your customers will love it
2. Create powerful image campaigns to build your brand
3. Sustainable business: find and address one problem you can solve, look for opportunities for additional improvements
4. Sustainable fashion: do not just throw labels, do not over-promise

TO CONNECT with Lilia Surdu FB / IG move.womenswear