Hi There..... Are you a fan of leather bags? Perhaps you are more than ready for my next fashion designer interview?
Picture provided by Igor Sergeev
I bet you are since it has been a while since I last posted any type of interview. Ah yes, I am glad somebody noticed that I was a little less active. 😌
At least I would like to think some people noticed. For all I know, the key person I keep on writing for is me. Is anybody going to notice this new leather bag fashion designer interview? 😨
Would you miss me if my blog was to disappear in a huge black hole? Ah, come on, humor me and say yes. 😜
Not that I have ever been in a black hole, but I can imagine it must be dark inside, and this scaredy-cat is afraid of the dark. 🙀
Enough about me. I had the privilege of interviewing this amazing leather bag designer to get an insight into his creative process. 😊
What drives this fashion designer to create such beautiful pieces? If you’re curious about what inspires him, this interview is a must-read! 😉
Picture provided by Igor Sergeev
What is your name, function, and the company you work for?
My name is Igor Sergeev. I am the founder and CEO of “Lerme”.
How old are you?
I’m 32 years old.
What kind of work do you do, or what are you studying to be?
I design "Lerme" bags and other accessories from the leather of this brand. I also create digital designs for our products.
What made you decide to become a Fashion Designer?
I never made that decision. My dream was to create beautiful bags. To take the handicraft to an unattainable level. Over time, that dream morphed into the Lerme brand. It eventually turned into my career path in fashion design.
Is fashion important to you? Why?
I love fashion. I love to see how silhouettes, materials, and shows change depending on the historical context. Fashion is a visual chronicle of our lives. It's undeniable that fashion has a powerful influence on how people think and I would like to contribute to this industry.
However, I suggest we should take temporary trends lightly, even with a hint of irony. We didn't make a single Lerme leather bag because it was fashionable at that time, but we were building a city within a bag because it was a challenge for us.
Picture provided by Igor Sergeev
What are your successes, and how did you achieve them?
My major success is that I managed to gather a team of the best workers: men and women from different countries. I inspired them with the idea of making the best bags on the planet. They all changed their lives, came from different parts of the world, and joined together in the House of Lerme.
I also consider it our success that by launching the brand during a pandemic, we were able to grow, open our own mono-brand boutique and take over the shelves in the country's major department store. We never even had to advertise. People's word of mouth about Lerme got spread exclusively by our customers.
I would say that the third important success is that during the four years of the brand's existence, we have never betrayed our key principle: every Lerme leather bag is made with perfect precision. Today we have 33 bag models, each one being handmade in two to four weeks.
What’s something you might want to do in the future?
I would like to transfer the Lerme principles (impeccable precision, perfect quality, respect for the profession) to other areas of work. For example, to create a collection of clothes and shoes.
Is the name of the Brand important to you when you buy clothing or jewelry?
Since I, unlike most customers, am on the other side of the curtain, I know who makes things, how, and from what. I know which brands make excellent quality clothes, shoes, and jewelry. In that sense, yes, the name of the brand is important to me. For me, it is not the popularity of the brand behind the logo, but its attitude toward me as a customer.
Describe your personal style of fashion?
Smart casual. Only natural quality materials, clean lines, comfortable fit, no decor, in a favorite blue-brown color scheme.
How did you find your personal style? Do you have a signature look?
I think it came out this way: I looked at those whose images I liked and divided them by 5.
It's important for me to feel calm, comfortable, fresh, and elegant every moment of my life: I'm negotiating, drawing a new design, sewing, or doing a shoot.
Perhaps "signature style" is an overstatement, but more often than not, you'll find me in a cashmere jumper, cardigan, and straight trousers without arrows.
Picture provided by Igor Sergeev
Do you have an influence on other people’s fashion style?
As far as handbags go, yes. Over time, all my loved ones have developed a persistent allergy to uneven seams and cheap materials.
What are in your eyes the best trends at the moment?
I admire technological advancement. New virtual reality technologies are fascinating. For some of our projects, we use neural networks. We are experimenting with designs created by artificial intelligence.
It is important for me to remain an "earthly" person. I take great pleasure in picking up the needle and thread when I have the opportunity. Working with my hands gives me a special appreciation of time.
That's why I will point out two trends as positive. They are even a little contradictory. But I think it's important that they exist simultaneously.
- The development of artificial intelligence. It opens up a whole new world for designers.
- The slow life movement. It allows you to remain an 'earthly' human. Enjoying the long, meticulous, but important processes: cutting, sewing, painting - creating things with your own hands and feeling every minute of your life.
What are in your eyes the worst trends at the moment?
I think overproduction in favor of fast fashion remains the bad and dark side of the industry. Lerme categorically does not support fast fashion.
What kind of fashion advice would you give us?
I don't consider myself qualified to give fashionable advice. Everyone is different and my words would be very subjective. Although, I would say this: be curious about fashion.
When you know why one of the interpretations of the Dior Saddle bag has a bee on it, or why Gucci handbags have bamboo handles, or how the Preston bag by Lerme and the American artist William Preston Dickenson are connected, fashion things stop being strange, incomprehensible to you. They will take on a deeper meaning for you.
Who is your style icon, and why?
Vincent Cassel. The only man who looks good even in a black shirt. And I hate black shirts.
In all seriousness, I don't have any icons. I love to observe the stylistic experiments of all people. The people closest to me in spirit are Tom Ford and Ralph Lauren. I like the old-money aesthetic.
Is there something else you would like to share with us?
Lerme wishes every reader of Renata's blog to be in tune with themselves, regardless of fashion trends.
Picture provided by Igor Sergeev
Thank you, Igor, for answering my questions. I think your bags look amazing. I just love the miniatures you made inside some of them. 😍
This fashion designer specifically asked to make his leather bags speak for him. I didn't mind that pictures from the workroom replaced his selfies, so I hope you can respect this. 😉
The website is in Russian, but if you go to Google Translate and click above the text box on Websites, you can enter the link to the website you want to be translated. 😎
Ready for some more? Check out some of my previous fashion designer interviews:
Hope you like my blog.....Until next time.....Have a nice day
Renata (Seadbeady)
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