Welcome to House of Etoile: an interview with Prada Lola Faraji.

Welcome to House of Étoile:

an interview with Prada Lola Faraji.

March 8, 2022. Interview conducted by Arielle Longo.

Prada Lola Faraji is a 16 year old fashion designer based in Toronto. We had the honour to discuss her collection XX21: “Over The Moon”, and the eerie surrealism of dreams that inspired it. Meet a young Canadian artist whose creativity and skill is not to be overlooked.

Arielle: Tell us more about your collection XX21: “Over The Moon”

Prada: My collection was based on notes from my dream journal – I always had a fascination for the subconscious, and what goes on through our head when we don’t filter our thoughts. During the beginning of quarantine, I had many dreams of walking through a pastel garden, meeting these odd, but beautiful creatures. Those dreams were so peaceful, and relaxing, which was exactly what I was lacking in the real world at the start of the pandemic. It inspired me to create a collection, to share this eerie and peaceful scenery.

I am very into sustainability and used many repurposed materials, such as curtains, old jewelry, thrifted clothing, and more to create this collection. Many of the beads were donations from old seamstresses, or from jewelry I found at the thrift store. I was going through a major tulle phase during this collection, and that was the main fabric used for this collection.

What first inspired you to become a fashion designer?

I was first introduced to fashion in the fourth grade, when my mom showed me her old fashion illustration sketchbook from when she was younger. I began by drawing fashion sketch upon fashion sketch, and began sewing in grade 5. I got into fashion design more seriously in grade 6, and had my first fashion show in grade 7. My mom has been my biggest supporter through this all.

Are there people/artists in particular that inspire you today?

Yes, many! There are so many artists that made a big impact on me- The first fashion show I ever attended was Maison Chardon’s “Pins and Cream” collection, which heavily influenced the way I view fashion- not just as clothing, but as wearable art. Currently many designers, such as Leaf Xia, Kasha Potrohosh, Lyle Reimer, and many others inspire my style of design, use of colour, drapery, and accessorization.

Do you have a favourite piece of yours? If so, which one, and why is it your favourite?

I don’t necessarily have one favorite piece, however my favorite type of piece I created were the tulle beaded masks, I adored making them, and how they turned out. They truly brought my entire collection together, and gave each look an entire new personality.

What does the creative process look like for the creation of a collection? Run us through the steps from the conceptualisation to the realization.

As someone with ADHD, and a practicing occultist, the creative process is a lot less conventional than the average designer. Many of my creative ideas begin from a magical experience- let it be a dream, meditation, ritual space, or anything else. I tend to go straight to draping the fabrics, rather than sketching out my ideas. I make a couple of prototypes for the garment, and once I’m happy, I begin creating the final product. A lot of pieces have a lot of hand sewing which I find dreadful at times due to my short attention span, and so I tend to do a lot of embroidery, beading, and appliques on the bus home from school, while watching TV, during a boring class etc. Sketching the garment is my last step, and I only sketch to compare it to the rest of my collection on a smaller scale.