“A journey of a thousand miles, begins with a single step,” said Lao-tzu. For Designer, Saida Mouradova (left), her journey in to the world of Fashion, which brought her to The Parson School of Design in Paris, and then to New York City, began at age 15 in her native Azerbaijan.

It was there and then, the former tomboy’s interest in fashion blossomed, helped along by her mother, who taught fashion design at a local school. And the rest is history. Saida, after moving to the United States and graduating, was responsible at Ralph Lauren for the Polo casual wear line, and was a top designer with New York and Company.

We thank Saida for taking time out from her busy schedule to participate in the Interview.

Fashion Time: Saida, you are from Azerbaijan, a small country to the north of Iran, bordering the Caspian Sea. Can you share with us something unique about Azerbaijan, that no other place in the world possesses?

Saida Mouradova: I don’t think I can speak for the whole world, as I’m still working on exploring it, but I would say that I cherish my peoples’ hospitality and openness to the new. I grew up with people from all over the world visiting our house: from India, Morocco, South America and African countries. And even though under the Soviet regime my dad risked prison for having so many foreigners around him at all times, it never stopped him from bringing crowds to our apartment. There was always a party going on. I think growing up in an environment like that helped me become open to the world and accepting its differences.

Fashion Time: How did your fascination with design begin?

Saida Mouradova: My mother taught Fashion Design in a local school, so I grew up around it. I was a tomboy and for the longest time I thought I was going to become a zoologist, but when I turned 15, suddenly I discovered skirts and dresses and started sketching up my own designs that my mom would later make for me. I also discovered that what I coveted I could never find in stores, but it became a trend about one to two years later. I thought I was on to something and the rest is history.

RG Collection 3

Fashion Time: Tell us about your background as a designer?

Saida Mouradova: As I mentioned earlier my mother had a huge influence on me. Also I think not having an easy access to trends growing up was a big part in my journey to becoming a designer. When I was 19 I applied to Parsons School Of Design in Paris and spent a year there, but didn’t like it and decided to move to New York, where I graduated. After graduating I got a job here and a sponsored visa, so I stayed and now I have been here for 9 years.

Fashion Time: What do you like about being a fashion designer?

Saida Mouradova: I like the creative part of it of course. Being one of the people who decides what’s great and what’s not is exciting as well. I also like the diversity in the daily routine. I think a lot of people don’t realize that a fashion designer only designs clothes about 10% of the time, the rest goes to technical details such as communication with overseas production, planning, researching, fittings and traveling. All that keeps it from becoming a routine.

Fashion Time: Innovative Designers: What three designers have influenced fashion the most in the last five years?

Miuccia Prada

Saida Mouradova: I think Gucci have done a great job reinventing the line after Tom Ford left. I love Miuccia Prada; I think she’s always a step ahead in the industry. I also think a lot of young British and Swedish designers are changing the scene. I think the future belongs to the small brands.

Fashion Time: What was your role at Ralph Lauren?

Saida Mouradova: I was responsible for the casual wear line at Polo from concept to production. I designed a collection-inspired line of clothes for Polo as well as some side projects like US Open uniforms and Wimbledon Tournament uniforms. The latter proved to be a huge hit and its navy jackets with white trim influenced a huge trend in fashion world; everyone from Etro to JCrew was doing it last year. It was fun to be part of that.

Fashion Time: Whom are you designing your clothes for?

Saida Mouradova: When I work for a company that is decided by the consumer. We design for whomever shops the brand. There’s usually a very specific customer for every company. It’s a challenge for a designer to do that because you often have to put your personal tastes aside, but it also helps one grow and learn about the reality of fashion; at the end of the day your clothes have to sell.

Fashion Time: Do you have a fashion muse, a favorite designer whose work inspires you?

Saida Mouradova: Trends or celebrities don’t inspire me. I think they are the anti-fashion. However, I do love the old Lanvin, YSL of the 60’s and the 70’s and Poiret. Poiret to me was a true artist and unfortunately Chanel is credited for a lot of his inventions. He was light years ahead of anybody to date.

I also love to watch people; that inspires me very much. And travel is the food for my soul.

Fashion Time: Favorite Collection that you ever worked on?

Saida Mouradova: I think that is still ahead, but if I were to chose from the recent past, I think it would be the one that was inspired by YSL’s Rive Gauche era. We started it before his passing and it’s going to hit the stores around the holidays. I’m very excited to see it in stores.

Fashion Time: If you launch your own line, what will be your signature style?

Saida Mouradova: It will be menswear inspired with a twist of 1920’-40’s femininity. I love flapper dresses and fitted 1940’s pieces when women were not afraid to be feminine in everyday life and when every piece of clothing was personalized and custom-fitted, i.e., the era of Balenciaga and early Lanvin. I also adore men’s 3 piece suits from the same era as well as the fabrics and the hats.

Fashion Time: Tell us about your experience with doing designs for New York and Company?

Saida Mouradova: It was a very interesting experience. My team was probably the best I have ever worked with, but the work environment was less than ideal. I felt that the decision making process was too indecisive and that impacted the final product which made the day-to-day work there somewhat frustrating.

Saida’s designs for New York and Company

Fashion Time: Is there a celebrity or celebrities you dream to dress in your creations?

Saida Mouradova: I‘m not a huge fan of celebrities, but if I had to choose one it’d be Angelina Jolie. She’s a humanitarian, philanthropist and a great actress; she combines the feminine and masculine and looks good just as good in evening gowns as in leather pants.

Angelina Jolie

Fashion Time: Do you have a favorite model or models that you would love to see on the catwalk showcasing your designs?

Saida Mouradova: To be honest with you I’m quite fascinated with Doutzen Kroes at the moment, but I’m sure it will pass next month. Also what models one chooses depends on the look of the collection.  Nadja Auermann would probably look great in my designs; she very androgynous but at the same time she has a body of a goddess.

Nadja Auermann

Fashion Time: What is your vision for Fall of 2008?

Saida Mouradova: I think Fall 2008 will bring even more of femininity back. I think minimalism is still on the rise, but handcrafts such as embroidery are also making a comeback. I believe we’re facing the return of fashion as art form more and more each season, but the best thing about fashion today is that there isn’t one strong trend; there’s enough for everyone to be him or herself.

Fashion Time: Favorite pair of shoes?

Saida Mouradova: Hands down anything Louboutin!

Fashion Time: Can you describe your own personal style? What clothes do you like to wear?

Saida Mouradova: I like to dress to my mood. I can be wearing a mini dress and 5-inch Loubutins one day, and men’s inspired trousers and shoes, vest and a fedora hat the next. I also have a weakness for white shirts and tanks. That is probably my staple look.

Fashion Time: Surely, you must have some Fashion dislikes. Could you share one or two of them with us?

Saida Mouradova: I hate trends and dislike people who abandon their style for the sake of the trend. I think that leads to a lot of faux pas, especially when it comes to women’s bodies.

Fashion Time: What does glamour mean to you?

Saida Mouradova: Caviar for breakfast; the way I grew up!

Fashion Time: Your favorite book you’ve read in the last six months?

Saida Mouradova: I would say “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini. I read a lot, so it’s hard to decide on one book, but this one definitely had a huge impact on me.

Fashion Time: You lived both in Europe and USA. Who are more fashionable, Americans or Europeans?

Saida Mouradova: I think as a whole Americans are more stylish and Europeans are really good at following and setting trends. But then again, I hate to generalize; New York and LA are not typical America and Europeans include Danes and Greeks who are very different from each other.

Fashion Time: How will you dress in your 50′s and 60′s?

Saida Mouradova: Hopefully with a heart on my sleeve.

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