Serbia is now a very recognizable country and Serbian designers are increasingly appreciated all over the world
Suzana Perić was born in Sarajevo in 1972, where she attended elementary school and high school. In the 1990s, she moved to Germany, where she attended one of the most prominent fashion schools – the Academy of Fashion and Design – in Dusseldorf, where she graduated in 1999, after which she obtained a master’s degree in Florence at the prestigious institution “La Moda Tesilla”. After graduation, Suzana Perić’s career progressed. Over 80 collections presented at the fashion fairs CPD Dusseldorf, Pret a Porte in Paris, were successful and noticed, as well as her own fashion shows in Dusseldorf, Belgrade, Podgorica and many, many more.
Can you tell us something about the “Balkan Open Door” event and the “VIP Brand International Fashion in Dubai” award you received in Sofia?
I am extremely proud of the fashion show in Sofia, which represents the continuation of the path I have been following in recent years. Namely, in the last four years, she only had fashion shows abroad: Paris, Milan, Chicago, Athens, Malta, Dubai, Budapest, Berlin…
Sofia is really something for me and that’s why I tried to show an innovative way of presenting the collection. The event in which I had a fashion show is organized by the Union of Balkan Designers and the merger of the Balkans with the Emirates, as well as the realization of a new form of fashion communication.
I had the honor to open the Balkan Open Door with my fashion show and as a luxury brand to start the union of Balkan designers. The ambassador of Serbia in Bulgaria, Mr. Željko Jović, also gave us a great honor and acknowledges, who also presented us with a prestigious award.
During your visit to Sofia, you presented your new collection “Posh Intelligence”. How would you characterize your new collection?
I showed a combination of models from my last two collections: Posh intelligence and Glam Galaxy. Both collections were previously presented at Paris Fashion Week and now exclusively in Sofia. The music was specially prepared for this revue and, as always, has parts of our ethno melos. Collections are inspired by elegance, intellectual fashion. What does this mean? This means that fashion is psychology and style is a presentation of you and your personality. I design for a woman who always remains a woman and a lady who is modern, educated, belongs to the intellectual elite and does not perceive fashion as superficial consumption, but understands its philosophy and duration. My new collections are based on slow and sustainable fashion, adapted to the new way of thinking in this business and ecological standards. Slow, sustainable fashion is based on quality and materials that are natural, as well as on a method of production that shows wear and tear, like my own brand that has been stable for 27 years.
How does the “100 Women of Davos” association provide support for expanding the business of our businesswomen and entrepreneurs?
The Association “100 Women of Davos” provides exceptional support for expanding the business of our businesswomen and entrepreneurs in several ways. First of all, this organization offers a platform for networking with some of the most influential women from around the world, which enables the exchange of knowledge, experiences and best practices. These connections are key to finding new business opportunities and partnerships.
In addition, the association organizes workshops and seminars where members can acquire new knowledge and skills necessary for the improvement of their businesses. Through mentorship provided by experienced members, our female entrepreneurs receive personalized support and advice to help them overcome the specific challenges they face.
Also, the association advocates for the promotion of female entrepreneurship and gender equality in the business world, which contributes to the creation of a more favorable environment for women in business. This type of support, which includes advocacy for legislative and institutional changes, is key to the long-term empowerment of women in the economy.
All these initiatives together contribute to increasing the visibility and competitiveness of our businesswomen on the global market, which is of great importance for the economic growth and development of Serbia.
What makes your style as a fashion designer stand out from the rest?
I am proud of the fact that we have built a recognizable and striking style that combines elegance and business, applicable in the luxury segment. Today, in the abundance of fast fashion, it is very difficult to remain consistent with quality, and that is the specialty of our brand. My style is specific. I was educated at the prestigious Academy of Fashion and Design in Dusseldorf. There I finished Management in the textile industry, fashion design in Dusseldorf, and then a master’s degree in Florence at the prestigious institution “La Moda Tesilla” and worked for the brands “D&G” and “Tony Gard”. However, right after college, I founded my own brand and started an international career alongside my career in Serbia. So, I built my career in Serbia and Germany in parallel, and later the brand expanded to the global level. For all 27 years, we have been consistent with quality and our style is characterized by individuality, authenticity, elegance and femininity that is always present. I advocate the thesis that female beauty is something that should always be highlighted in a very subtle way. I don’t like aggressive fashion, nor fashion that kills femininity. The values of women as beings are an eternal inspiration for me.
Of all the awards you have won, which would you single out as your favorite and why?
The biggest recognition for me is always the last one that I received, the one based on a new success. I am moved by every award, recognition, praise, because it gives me the wind at my back to always keep going. I have received over 100 awards in my career so far, but the awards are only a part of this job and I perceive them as a joint confirmation of the work of everyone who participates in my success: friends, family, a team of associates in my studio, as well as my team in charge of communication with the media . These are wonderful people and professionals who follow me. Clients are also part of the award and deserve it, because if it wasn’t for all of them – there wouldn’t be me. I still haven’t received the reward I expect. It is my wish that Serbia also has its own luxury brands, positioned like all other world luxury brands.
How would you rate the current state of the fashion scene in Serbia? Is there unused potential or room for its further development?
When it comes to the fashion industry, things are much better in Serbia now than before. The positioning of fashion is at the same level as in the world, and the only difference is that I don’t have the same spending power. I am convinced that in Serbia the models of our brands are sold even better than foreign ones. Now, when you say that you come from Serbia, everyone appreciates and recognizes you. Serbia is now a recognized and recognizable country, and Serbian designers are increasingly appreciated. I have been fighting for the last ten years to build a name in world fashion with a signature and an indication that I am from Serbia. It wasn’t easy. There are 40 world shows and presentations behind it, but I managed to fulfill at least part of the goals of my mission and in some way helped Serbian creators to have an easier way into the world. Our country itself is now so accepted and recognized that it is now an honor to be from Serbia.
How different is building your career in Germany compared to Serbia?
Neither before nor now, I don’t think about how difficult something is, but how to achieve my goals. I built a career in both countries at the same time, but I never wrote that I was from Germany, Serbia was always written under my name. It used to be difficult, because 15 years ago they didn’t even know how to pronounce my name, and now I am proud of the fact that I pushed through and that now Serbian fashion and the Suzana Perić Brand, as a VIP brand, opens global fashion events and that it is always emphasized that it is a Serbian fashion brand.
