The Road Less Taken
Cristina Sabaiduc talks about taking the unconventional route into the fashion industry and how it influences her designs
As cliché as it sounds, Cristina Sabaiduc always had a passion for fashion, but unlike others, she started on a different path. While most aspiring designers started off conceptualising and sketching, this British designer took up sewing classes in high school to learn all the basics of sewing and pattern cutting. “I don’t really sketch. I’m not a designer. I’m a seamstress. That’s how I taught myself and how my teachers taught me. I even almost failed art class before because all I could draw was literally stick figures,” she recalls with a smile. She is now one of the most coveted new designers in London. Ever since her days studying in Ryerson University, Canada, her designs have always pushed for innovation in textiles and fabrics, where she applies her technical skills to create avant-garde pieces which focus on the beauty of prints, unique silhouettes and unconventional materials. From conceptual pieces in her early days to her current ready-to-wear collection, the Cristina sensibility and trademark has stuck through it all. One of her signature designs is the clever use of digital prints, but instead of the atypical florals and geometric designs, she opts for unorthodox subjects and themes like discarded crustaceans for her spring/summer 2015 collection. She says, “Instead of a creative artist, I am more of a seamstress and technician. So, I always push myself in the creative process to create unique products for my clients and that led me to creating my own fabric for my collections.” Together with her beautiful prints, the ever resourceful Sabaiduc adds in a touch of structuralism that draws from her previous background. Using countless sports-based fabrication, she creates unique silhouettes and textures that combine comfort and style. Having established retail points across the globe in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, earlier this year, Sabaiduc has planted a seed in the Malaysian market through the up-andcoming Malaysian online retailer Cuevolution and her designs have been spotted on many of our socialites. When asked who the Cristina Sabaiduc girl is, she happily says, “The Cristina girl is every girl. It’s a fluid concept. You can pair my designs with Doc Marten boots or Nicholas Kirkwood heels. It’s all about being confident and comfortable with yourself.”