Interview with Vasil Bozhilov
Vasil Bozhilov is a fashion stylist based in Dubai who began his career early on as a teen in Bulgaria.
He began contributing for a few magazines and eventually became a freelancer with a strong reputation and unique eye sought out by many celebrities, editors and brands. At the ripe age of 23, he decided to set sail and moved to Dubai seeking new inspiration and so happens to be represented by Wilhelmina Dubai.
Vasil, your greatest inspirations or influences?
I think people can find inspiration everywhere and be inspired from anything.
For me personally I am inspired mostly by history, mythology and stories. I actually find it very interesting to analyze where and how people get inspired and by what. I don't find much inspiration by youth or whats going on at the time, nor in music or the streets, in fact I am inspired mainly by past histories and I translate that intosomething I communicate using fashion. I am reading a book on Countess Erzshebeth Bathory, and I am fascinated by her life , this will surely result into a fashion story inspired by her.
Fashion Icons
I love Carine Roitfeld's style simply because of the way she understands and interprets fashion.
Iris Apfel for her use of jewellery and accessories.
Kate Lanphear, Camilla Nickerson,
Miroslava Duma, Emmanuelle Alt,
Daphne Guiness, Diana Vreeland.
There are so many women that love fashion and yet are brave enough to play with it, and that I admire.
Who are the new fashion influencers?
Editors and designers are the people who have a real influence. These days everyone talks about bloggers, but lets be honest here, are they really changing fashion?
Alessandro Michele, Demna Gvasalia, and Hedi Slimane are game changers in the industry and that is being an influencer.
Influencers set the trends and change the way people look at fashion. Who cares if you have 1 million followers when all your doing is being paid to promote products. Not all bloggers are bad, some have real influential value, e.g Bryanboy, & Chiara Ferragni.
Currently Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, and Gigi Hadid have a lot of influence but when it comes to fashion does Kim have the real influence or does Monica Rose, her stylist, call the shots?
What are the upcoming trends in fashion in your opinion?
I think that fashion will go back tobasics. I believe people have grown tired of fast fashion and brands are realizing that and making changes. The best example is Alessandro Michele with Gucci. When fashion was about creativity and inspiration people used to buy clothes based on their emotions, and not on their needs.
I also believe that avantgarde in mass fashion will die, and people will stop looking on alternative fashion only as the only one option.
Women will start wearing skirts again and I love that.
How does style in the middle east differ to Europe and the rest of the world?
In the Middle East people are so connected to their culture, respect it and one's personal style is strongly connected to their roots.
When it comes to trends the emphasis in the region for too much make up, heavy lashes and huge lips can sometimes be shocking. Arabic women are naturally beautiful so make up should be used only to enhance features.
I also think when it comes to fashion as an industry there is a lot more room to grow and develop in the region. There are plenty of talented local designers, but many think they can just figure out the industry along the way and are not ready for the challenges when it comes to quality production and the actual business side, from choosing fabrics, sewing, to positioning and creating a brand. I do think changes are taking place and quickly so that's the good news.
Websites and Social Media handles you follow ?
On instagram I love when people tell stories through their visuals, examples are:
@hayamaraka, @ezrajwilliam, @bat_gio, etc.
Anything else you would like to share Vasil?
I love you Leila and even your weird style, . [heheheheh]
