Believe in yourself and follow your passion

Graduated young, always went onto the next thing, onto a Master’s in Rome and got noticed there by the Italian company where he has since been working as a successful textile designer for several years. A dream he set his heart on and which came true. Partly thanks to Artemis, where he learned to sell creative ideas in a tasteful manner. Oscar Aliev about trends in textile design and believing in yourself as a student: “It's really important that you do what you love. Have faith that you will find out what exactly this may be during your study.”

I have always wanted to and believed that I would work with these fashion houses, and that is exactly what happened. I work with groups like Kering and LVMH for the brands Louis Vuitton, Dior, Fendi, Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Bottega Veneta, Prada and Balmain. I specialise in the decorative aspect of textile design, such as the print or the woven pattern. I do this based on the client's briefing, which I develop into a design. That always starts with research in our extensive archive and once I have chosen a print, for example French Roses from 1800, I send it to the client. If approved, this forms the starting point for further fabric design in (digital) print, screen printing or jacquard. During this process, I am in constant consultation with the houses and small pieces of fabric often go back and forth before I arrive at the final product. I work with the crème de la crème of the fashion houses and of course, I am happy with that, also because of the budget: it is often large, allowing me to go all out.

Artemis teaches you to present creative ideas in style

As a textile designer, it is important to be flexible in style; I have mastered various styles such as geometric prints, classic French flowers, hypermodern, Art Deco, Toile de Jouy and 80's Memphis. This fluid way of working allows me to work with different clients, which sets me apart from other designers. But also the fact that I never give up; I work quickly and efficiently and, where necessary, I work a lot of overtime, so that I always manage to present something. Traits that come in handy in an industry where short deadlines are commonplace. Artemis also contributed to this; besides learning how to design and substantiate concepts with images, the emphasis was on presenting your creative idea in a tasteful manner. That is why I made a lot of books during my studies, which also came in handy during my master’s in Fabric Innovation Design in Rome and in my current work. So here's a tip for students: really make an effort with these books because you can use them later as a portfolio!

Barriers in fabric use are disappearing

For students, it is important to be able to spot trends and connect to them with concepts. For fabrics, the barrier between day and evening, man and woman and seasons is disappearing. Fabrics like chiffon and organza are now used more often for men's collections, and people are no longer surprised if lurex or glitter is incorporated in the designs. You also see wool in summer collections. The raw material is natural, biodegradable and very versatile, which means that you can play with the end result. Like raincoats made of woven wool, without chemical coatings, light and pleasant to wear. In terms of silhouette, fashion houses have done it all; they can now express their creativity in fabrics. With the designs I make, everything is now possible when it comes to variation in fibres, the thickness and compactness of the thread.

Believe in yourself

Above all, I want to tell students that it is important to follow your passion and to do what you like. If this is not clear to you in the first years, have faith that you will find out during your study. I have always wanted to and believed that I would work with these fashion houses, and that is exactly what happened.

Oscar Aliev (25) graduated from Artemis in 2018 and lives and works as a textile designer in Milan [website] oscaraliev.com [instagram] @oscaraliev