MARGARITA, LET'S BEGIN WITH YOUR MOVE. YOU ARRIVED IN GERMANY AT A MOMENT WHEN YOU HAD TO REBUILD YOUR LIFE FROM THE GROUND UP — DOCUMENTS, LANGUAGE, EVERYDAY ROUTINES. IN TIMES LIKE THESE, PERSONAL STYLE OFTEN BECOMES THE LAST THING ON YOUR MIND. WHEN DID YOU FEEL THE DESIRE RETURN — NOT JUST TO DRESS COMFORTABLY, BUT TO EXPRESS YOURSELF THROUGH CLOTHING AGAIN, TO SAY, "THIS IS ME"? AND WAS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT THE GERMAN CULTURAL CONTEXT THAT SUPPORTED OR SURPRISED YOU IN THAT PROCESS?

Style has always been important to me. But when you arrive in a new country with one small bag, a dog, and no knowledge of the language, clothes are no longer the priority. First, you have to take care of the essentials — build a daily life, figure out how everything works, simply learn how to live there.

Then, once I could finally breathe again, I felt the desire to be visible return. For me, clothing has always been a way of saying, "This is who I am." In that sense, Germany gave me more freedom. There is certainly a strong culture of practicality here, but I never felt pressured to become "like everyone else." People are, as they say in German, "egal" — they simply don't mind.

I think that's what gave me the confidence to experiment more. If you stand out, people may notice you, but not in the way they often do in many post-Soviet countries. And that is incredibly liberating.

YOUR STYLE TODAY IS QUITE EXPRESSIVE — RICH COLOURS, TACTILE FABRICS, STATEMENT PIECES. HAS THAT ALWAYS BEEN PART OF WHO YOU ARE, OR DID IT EMERGE ALONGSIDE A GROWING SENSE OF CONFIDENCE?

I think style is deeply connected to our circumstances, the roles we occupy, and how we see ourselves at different stages of life. Until I was around thirty, I was rather shy and not particularly confident. My clothes reflected that. I wouldn't say I was completely invisible, but I came close.

After thirty-five, many things changed. I started a new job, my world became bigger, I took on new roles and greater responsibility. I became more confident, my leadership qualities came to the surface, and my style evolved alongside me. That's when the bright hair colour appeared, along with saturated colours, bold prints, and pieces with character. Later came my appreciation for beautiful fabrics and impeccable tailoring. I think I could recognise cashmere or silk with my eyes closed, simply by touch.

But I wasn't consciously trying to make a statement through my clothes. It happened naturally. My style simply caught up with the person I was becoming.

IN YOUR STORY, STYLE ISN'T JUST ABOUT BUYING CLOTHES — IT'S ABOUT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE GARMENT ITSELF: THE FABRIC, THE CUT, THE TEXTURE, THE WAY IT FEELS IN YOUR HANDS. WHAT DO YOU FEEL IS MISSING FROM FASHION TODAY?

What I miss most is quality.Sometimes the fabric composition on the label looks promising, but the material itself, the stitching, the overall feel of the garment simply isn't there. The same goes for tailoring. Finding a piece that combines beautiful fabric with an excellent cut has become surprisingly difficult.

When I was rebuilding my wardrobe in Germany, I used to visit outlet stores almost as if it were my job. I've always felt that I recognise my clothes— and somehow, they recognise me too. If something catches my eye and I can immediately imagine it fitting into my wardrobe, I always check the fabric composition first. Only then do I try it on.

After the course, I completely fell in love with Dries Van Noten. His approach to print feels like an art form in itself. There's boldness, complexity, and refinement, yet nothing ever seems accidental. I even bought one of his fragrances.

Another discovery has been Germany's Flohmärkte — flea markets. Every now and then, you come across truly remarkable pieces with history, craftsmanship, and a level of quality that's becoming increasingly rare in regular stores.