I was born in Belarus and raised there and the Ukraine. From the time I was a child, making clothes was always something our family did. Growing up in USSR most people did not have a lot of options for clothing. I remember how much it bothered me, when I saw people looking so uncomfortable wearing inelegant black, gray, brown, navy clothing that made them blend in with the walls of the buildings, fences, asphalt and dirt. I wondered, how much of what they wore effected how they felt. This made me think deeply about how clothing affects people’s state of mind. Why no color? Why so inelegant and uncomfortable?

In the Ukraine, where my grandmother still lives, I learned basic tailoring, knitting, embroidery, crocheting, and pattern making at a very early age. The influence of the traditional techniques I learned while working with my grandmother remains with me to this day. It made me appreciate the value in hand made garments and the large amount of work it took to create them.

I came to the USA alone as an exchange student in 2002. I knew that here I could see my dreams through, though there were many obstacles ahead. After a couple of years of working side jobs and trying to save money to finish my education, I was finally able to afford attending a university. I studied linguistics along with studio art / textiles and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Magna Cum Laude from ASU in 2007.

I founded iuk iuk in 2009 and my first full spring collection won designer of the year at Scottsdale Fashion Week.