Today in New York: Svetlana Lapina
Svetlana Lapina, grew up in West Siberia, Russia. After having moved among a wide range of different locations around Manhattan, she now resides in Prospect Height, Brooklyn, right across from the gorgeous Brooklyn Museum.
Svetlana is a true creative who made her passion for crafting become a successful line of clothing and accessories: Ana!s.
There, Svetlana expertlymixes her homeland folk roots and colors, with a modern and minimal (and New York inspired) designs, thus creating one-of-a-kind pieces that are the result of a passion she grew ever since she was a little kid, but that was able to merge and come to life only in New York. The city that makes your dreams come true.
::Why and when did you started Ana!s? It started back when I was little, I discovered scissors and altered the curtains, made them shorter…Years later it was my mothers perfectly fine dresses that I would try to redesign. At that time I had a vision but zero skills. You can imagine the look on my Mom’s face when she would pick up her dress and it would fall apart into pieces in front of her, (also back in 1980, in the Soviet Union to own a French lace dress was close to impossible…so you can imagine how mad she was too!). Anyways, I have always been creative but never really found the way to express professionally it until I came to NY. So when my daughter Anishka was born, and I decided that I wanted to spend all my time with her, and I thus started my clothing line -Ana!s. Recently, Ana!s Kids has been brought to life: same concept and same uniqueness, but specifically dedicated to kids!
:: Where do you find your inspiration? My inspiration comes from different things: my Russian background; minimalistic fashion of my child hood; watching my Grandmother crochet, and knit, and try to create something from limited resources. Also I think it’s very much a combination between Russian and NYC influence. It has to be, NY is so inspiring creatively!
:: Who is your ideal customer? I love all my customers!! My ideal customer is anyone who likes and buys my clothes! I think my customers are young at heart, love comfort, and fun and a bit nostalgic and romantic…
::What is your favorite place in NYC? My favorite NYC place is ABC Carpets- love to browse there when I have time! Then Cafe Mogador in East Village-best brunch ever! And Cafe Almondine – desert to die for! Not to mention all the great Chelsea art galleries and the City’s many Museums, recently took my daughter to Guggenheim she had a hope to ride down from top floor on her scooter : ), well they didn’t allowed…we still had a great time!! Love taking my daughter to museum, we have so much fun, I love to see art through her eyes, kids are so amazing!!
:: Do you think New York can still be considered the place to be for young creatives? I think NYC will always be an inspiration for young artists, designers, musicians, architects. Anyone really and at any age and with whatever background: it’s an amazing city, that doesn’t actually need advertisement. Come and spend a year, but be aware you might want to stay forever, like I did!
:: Where do you shop in NYC? I love shopping in small boutiques in Park Slope, Brooklyn & East Village,Manhattan, Vintage stores anywhere, FAO Schwartz (with my daughter: she loves it!), Barney’s NY, recently favorite Uniqlo-love it!
:: If I say Italy, you say…? Italy… a dream to visit!!! I grow up watching Italian movies and listening to Toto Cutugno! You say Italy, I say Cappella Sistina, Spanish Steps, Michelangelo’s David, Fellini -81/2, La Dolce Vita, Sophia Loren. Italian food! Tuscany. I could go on and on and on….!”
Francesca MasoeroFrancesca Masoero non è la campionessa di canottaggio che appare se digitate il suo nome su Google. È l’altra, la multitasker. Ha un (in)utile dottorato in cinema e marketing; racconta in modo non convenzionale e creativo New York, Torino e Bologna su NUOK e scrive di eventi, lifestyle e cultura per Lookout Magazine; si occupa di marketing, comunicazione, pr e web 2.0 tra Torino (la sua città natale) e New York (la sua città ideale). In più, a volte fa la stylist e a volte la cool hunter. È creativa, ma pignolissima. Sembra zen, ma è perennemente sull’orlo di una crisi di nervi. La salvano le piccole cose della (sua) vita: il rock’n’roll, la pasta al pesto, internet e il suo nuovo bellissimo frigorifero da 300 litri, pieno di quello che il suo fidanzato chiama “cibo da conigli”.
