PA5H is a luxurious, urban fashion brand founded by Creative Director, Dasha Pashevkina. We met up with her right-hand man, Brand Manager, Adam Zorgani, who between promoting the brand, stocking, doing research and managing the production, found a bit of spare time to tell FMS Magazine a bit more about the brand.
Established in 2014 – two years after Pashevkina finished her degree at the London College of Fashion and Istituto Marangoni – the PA5H team have managed to cultivate a popular brand that stands apart from other established fashion labels, so what’s the secret to their success?
The uniqueness of the brand is hidden in the materials they use, with Pashevkina aiming to create “something between haute couture and commercial products,” the main challenge being on the production side. Although the brand may have a smaller budget than most, they still use good quality, innovative materials as they know that fabrics are the key to a successful brand. “When the customer is satisfied with a piece he buys; he will come back for the next one,” states Adam, explaining that the focus on creating good quality clothes is much more important to PA5H than promoting it online via social media.
To make sure that PA5H’s clothes are special and different from other brands, they often develop their own fabrics from different kinds of materials, which they source from Milan, Soho and London markets, such as Shepherds Bush and Brick Lane. The brand is all about clean cuts, bold materials, unusual embellishments and creating luxurious, haute couture clothes.
“A lot of fashion brands these days are moving in a very graphic and pop direction. We want to do something that is different from this trend. We mainly focus on bold fabrics and interesting pattern cutting, but we also make sure that pieces are not completely unwearable, because we do not want people to look like big walking envelopes. We try to create something that is interesting, but not extremely provocative and commercial.”
The team travel around the world to find inspiration and pinpoint upcoming trends, while also drawing inspiration from historical sources, such as vintage Vogue editions. PA5H produces just two collections per year, allowing the team to make each one completely unique. The team aims for each collection to be more creative than the one before, experimenting with cuts, fabrics and embellishments.
While the experimental styles could give the impression that PA5H’s clothes are mostly aimed at younger, braver women, Adam explains that they always make sure to produce a mixed variety of clothes. Some of them, with intricate decorations and brave cuts are perfect for young rebellious women, whilst others are made in a more minimalistic and luxurious way for a less shocking, more accessible look. The brand has a surprisingly wide range of products, from shirts and jackets to originally cut bras and bodies, from heavy fur coats to brave skirts and dungarees. As for the upcoming collection, “There will be more play with sculpture and with volume, but we still keep it wearable. The drama and playfulness is kept just in a few pieces.”
Speaking of which, PA5H have just been confirmed for their very first On|Off show at London Fashion Week this coming September, and the pressure is on, knowing that the first catwalk show should present the real essence of the brand. The FMS crew is pretty sure that the ethos and ideas behind PA5H’s brand present an image so full of class and uniqueness, that success is inevitable, but nevertheless, good luck, PA5H!
Words Dobrawa Zowislo
Photographer Yulia Lebedeva
Photographic Assistant Anna Zandman
Hair Stylist Jack Ball
Makeup Vassilis Theotokis