CHRISTOS DOVAS: My first school was my father’s workbench. Later during my teenage years I started working in sales in a clothing store doing styling, buying, merchandising and taking care of the window-displays. Such I became more involved in fabrics and I found myself being creative on someone’s appeal. Then studying Fashion Design in a private school in Athens and working as assistant designer in a haute couture atelier. TV modeling was very helpful to improve my social skills and open up to people. Questing for more I was fashion student in a prestigious college in New York City. Four years of dedication were awarded with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, and additionally a year of theatrical studies, stage and costume, earned me an internship in New York Metropolitan Opera, Costume Department.
CELEBRITIES STYLE: When did you realize you wanted to become a fashion designer?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:I am a dreamer, I watched movies and I closed my eyes, I watched people talking and I closed my eyes thinking how could I bring to reality thoughts of my imagination. To create over the layers of secretive world and again to create again bringing up stories from books, paintings, sculptures, secret stories in light with my pencils and threads.
CELEBRITIES STYLE: What was the first article of clothing you ever designed?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:At an early age I was apprentice to my father, a custom shoe designer. I grew up next to his workbench. From him, I acquired the foundation for my passion to create innovative and classical designs crafted with a master’s attention to impeccable construction and precise design. I remember I was 8 years old when I was so motivated I was designing my own shoes. I had all I needed, a father shoe designer, lots of leather and more of inspiration.
CELEBRITIES STYLE: What does fashion mean to you?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:I have seen so many fashion styles with my eyes, 70’s 80’s and some old 60’s original samples from my father’s archives. The ultimate destination is to deliver what women want, design of unique style, craftsmanship with attention to detail, elegance of timeless beauty.
CELEBRITIES STYLE: Where do you get your inspiration? When you create what goes through your mind?
CHRISTOS DOVAS: Imagination is my driving force that delights my clients. I love a beautiful woman, I love beauty, and I love to create, to make women to be beautiful. Source of inspiration life itself, people, their personalities, the way they move their body, the space that surrounds them, their personal story, stories, history, our past, our civilization, the human civilization, the senses, the forms, the touch, the texture, a glance, the whole world.
CELEBRITIES STYLE: Tell us about the process of sketching a design.( papers and pencil/pens you use?)
CHRISTOS DOVAS:Idea comes first. You want to express it right away no matter what the medium, pencil number, paper pad or table cloth, you start drawing and the story begins.
CELEBRITIES STYLE: How long does it usually take you to construct a piece?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:The key word is intricacy, based on the engineering of the design, time frame is defined.
CELEBRITIES STYLE: Where do you buy your fabrics and other sewing materials?
CHRISTOS DOVAS: Here in my neighborhood, fashion avenue, in the fashion district, 7th avenue New York.
CELEBRITIES STYLE: What are your favorite fabrics to work with and why?
CHRISTOS DOVAS: The moment of conceiving of a design is divine. Demands discipline in the execution and correct choice of fabric. Natural fibers like silks for the ethereal vision, leathers for the earthy dimension, three-dimensional objects for the theatricality, semiprecious stones for the luxury and for the unique presence of dynamic personalities, all worked by hand, giving attention to detail for grace, elegance, beauty.
CELEBRITIES STYLE: What matters to you most as a fashion designer?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:I am passionate about design, style and especially beauty. A designer is creator. For me is the mingling of many elements, pictures from my childhood, colors, sounds, paintings, statues, books, faces, body contour, movements and details that I love my own eyes to follow and processing in every aspect. All these elements I compose on a piece of fabric, in a creation that comes to life when worn by an ethereal creature.
CELEBRITIES STYLE: What are some of your accomplishments as a designer?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:My personal need for expression. To create for women beautiful designs with attention to detail from its inception as a simple sketch to the final stitch by hand to every creation that bears the signature “Christos Dovas New York.” To achieve the perfect design that reflects inner world, emotion, thoughts, character, personality and internal female beauty. I work endlessly displaying my creations from Tokyo to Athens, from Soho to Hamptons and LA to celebrities, Sophia Milos at the Oscars with Elton John’s after Oscars party.
CELEBRITIES STYLE: How would you define your personal style?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:To conceive and create innovative with perfect execution; resulting in designs that naturally enhance a woman’s beauty. My philosophy is clarity, beauty, refinement, nobility and poetry. What covers the female figure must be chosen by criteria of simplicity, elegance, craftsmanship, and quality. Always must have in mind the picture as a whole for a charming presence. Besides, the relationship women have with fashion is absolutely attractive, intoxicating, exhilarating I could say challenges my creativity in every design. The uncontrolled female fantasy gives wings to my spontaneity and teaches me the difficulty of an intricate design and how to execute it.
CELEBRITIES STYLE: How do you intend women to feel when wearing Christos Dovas label?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:They will find passion, detail, definition of line, art, imagination, style, tailoring, craftsmanship, poetry, quality, elegance, beauty. Often compared to sculptures and paintings, “Christos Dovas” designs naturally enhance a woman’s inner beauty. I combine elements of the modern and classical worlds viewed from different angles to reveal new aspects of her beauty. To feel amazing a woman must appear unique and at ease with herself. “Christos Dovas” takes great care to make this happen. I respect and embrace that purity of form, function, and composition can harmoniously become one, bringing to life a world of imagination, beauty and luxury.
CELEBRITIES STYLE: How do you select your models?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:Truth of character, great personality, theatricality. confidence, performance.
CELEBRITIES STYLE: Where can readers buy your clothes?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:
www.ChristosDovas.comCELEBRITIES STYLE: What are some of your favorite fashion magazines, or books?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:I love internet fashion magazines, however a hard copy is always of my favor. Vogue, Harper bazaar, Elle, books many books either when on vacation or going to bed.
CELEBRITIES STYLE: What are your general professional and non-professional interests?
CHRISTOS DOVAS:I love going to museums, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Frick collection, Guggenheim my favorites and then conferences, galas where fashion meets its own people.
Christos Dovas New York Corp. is based in N.Y.C. The name and emblem of our company are registered trademarks, we are open in every aspect of partnership.
Look Book
2011
