Xander Kostroma

Xander Kostroma, Taken 2010.

Xander Kostroma (born 7 April 1987, Swansea) is a British designer best known for his ethical and fair trade awareness within the fashion world. Winner of the Old Dy'vorian award in 2007/2008,[1] Kostroma went onto create the ethical brand Emi Clothing Limited[2] in 2009.[3] Kostroma won a Peoples Choice award in 2010, and in early 2011 was selected as one of Wales rising designers to show at Fashion Wales LIVE.[4] Kostroma continues to design, and is now working on a range of ethical women's clothing made using lycocell and cotton.[5]

Biography

Xander Theodore Shanxi Kostroma[6] born in Swansea into a working-class family with his sister Jessie-Lea, the children of Paula Kostromin.

At the age of 17, while Kostroma worked at M&S was where his first interest at working at head office began. Kostroma went to his home town University and was personally submitted onto the Surface Pattern Design Course, by course director Linda Nottingham[7] after she saw his styling portfolio and business brief in a meeting he arranged with her. Kostroma left Swansea University with an HND in Surface Pattern Design[8] shortly after winning The Old Dy'vorian Award in 2007/2008. Kostroma's business ran for 2 years, and was one of the top 10 wholesale companies in the UK prior to dissolving in 2009[9] due to the down turn in the economy and the deep recession.

Towards the end of 2009, Kostroma then formed Emi Clothing Limited (a jewellery company, more commonly known as Emi♥) that practices ethical issues and works directly with BAFTs and WFTO [10] certified producers and suppliers and actively promotes ethical working conditions around the world. Originally, taking the role of an Allocator,[11] Kostroma worked with a merchandiser and a buyer as well as various student interns to help build the business and to expand their working portfolios. Emi♥ show casted their premier 2010 jewellery collection at The Fashion Show, in Cardiff.[12]

Late 2010 Kostroma left Emi♥ and took a job as an assistant merchandiser for JD Sports, based in Manchester. However, 2 months after leaving Emi♥, Kostroma was offered the role as the director for Emi Clothing Limited and took up the position as head buyer for the brand[13] as well as continuing to work at his current position at JD Sports.

Since his return to the business, Emi♥ sell ladies ethical clothing made from lycocell and cotton, and produce one to two exclusive collections each year (with plans in the future for a recycled clothing line) which have been exhibited at shows such as The Spring Fashion Show,[14] in Manchester. His designs can now be found in boutiques in Wales[15] as well as various independent websites. Kostroma won a place as Wales's rising designer at Fashion Wales LIVE in 2011 where he showcased his premier clothing collection and featured his work in 2 campaigns in America including cities such as New York, Michigan & LA. Kostroma has also appeared in various magazine publications both in the UK[16][17] and America, his most recent being December 2011.[18]

Sadly, towards the end of 2011 the ethical factory that Emi♥ used to produce their clothing, closed down which meant an instant cease of the brands clothing line. Kostroma decided to take the brand back to her roots and focussed solely on bohemian jewellery.[19] (which was the main objective of the brand during the original launch). Working alongside the brand, Kostroma was offered to help a new online brand called MeeMee establish itself within the fashion world. Kostroma left JD Sports and took up the new position with this new company[20] towards the end of the year "with open arms".

The beginning of 2012 brought new highs and great opportunities for Kostroma & his fashion brand. Emi♥ was signed by a Fashion Agent in London[21] which exploded his brands presence within Europe with new stores stocking his jewellery in Spain & Germany[22][23] snapping up his brand and expanding its presence on the High Street. Kostroma left MeeMee once the company had established itself to work solely on Emi♥ and continues to push his brand forward in 2012.

Quote

“ We can’t choose what color skin we have, what family we are born into or where we first live but what we do have is choice. We can choose to help those less fortunate than us, we can choose to be part of a radical ethical movement and we can choose how we treat others.[24] ”

External links

References

  1. ↑ "Awards".
  2. ↑ "Emi Jewellery Website".
  3. ↑ "Incorporation details".
  4. ↑ "Fashion Wales LIVE".
  5. ↑ "Couture range coming soon".
  6. ↑ "Full Name".
  7. ↑ "Linda Nottingham".
  8. ↑ "Eductaion".
  9. ↑ "ShanXi Wholesale".
  10. ↑ "Fair Trade Information".
  11. ↑ "Job Position".
  12. ↑ "The Fashion Show 2010, Cardiff".
  13. ↑ "Position at Emi Clothing Limited".
  14. ↑ "The Spring Fashion Show 2011, Manchester".
  15. ↑ "Stockists".
  16. ↑ "Lancashire Style Magazine, 2011".
  17. ↑ "Demur Magazine".
  18. ↑ "TURN Magazine".
  19. ↑ "The end of Emi♥'s clothing line".
  20. ↑ "New position".
  21. ↑ "Fashion Agent".
  22. ↑ "European Stockists".
  23. ↑ "European Stockists 2".
  24. ↑ "The New York Fair Trade Coalition, January 2011".
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