My name is Oksana Ponomareva, I live in Irkutsk, Russia. In 2003 году I graduated from the Irkutsk State Technical University, design department, majoring in “Costume Designer”.
Since that time the dress creation became a part of my life. A textile paining and cloves decorating, such as embroidery and applique work, were the pervasive elements of my style. Before creating my collections I took individual orders for wedding and evening dresses and scenic dance costumes as well. The models’ nature was greatly influenced by my painting works, as I took an active part in Russian and international expositions as an arts and crafts painter in 2003-2013.
In 2013 my daughter Polina with trisomy 21 syndrome was born. I met the other parents who had children with special needs and joined the noncommercial association “Raduga”. My desire to create clothes didn’t leave me at that period. Finally, supported by the association “Raduga” I got an opportunity to make collections for the members of this organization, both children and parents.
My first collection was made of the color crepe paper and named after honor of our association “Raduga”, it was given a demonstration on the international Down Syndrome Man Day. It had 11 children’s models and 1 adult one.
That collection gave me an impulse to develop my designer ideas further. Next collection was made of textile. Together with the special needs kids parents we painted about 50 meters of chiffon. The second collection for the association “Raduga” called “The Sun in each drawing” and had 10 children’s models and 9 adult ones. You can have a look at them at my Instagram account @floomiz4.
In Russia the trisomy 21 children are called the sunny children. The permanent creation of the costumes for these children led to mthe name of my brand «Ok’SUNRISE». Ok – Oksana, SUN – for the Sun and as a part of my transformed name , Rise – means the beginning, the sunrise, the ascent of the fashion industry for the sunny children in our country.
To give my brand power and public, I need to claim it to the full extent. The participation at the international digital fashion week is the step we need.
«Mosaic» Collection is my most ambitious project for today, it will have 20 models, for kids and adults. We’ve finished 11 costumes by now and presented them in my video. The main idea of «Mosaic» is to reflect the irregularity , the brightness and the peculiarity of the trisomy 21 children.
To depict the variegation of the costumes I was inspired by the patchwork technique. Pieces of different textiles have complicated figured shapes and are knitted together in the models in a whimsical manner. The machine applique work technic is also used here. Male and female models are decorated by the hearts and arrows appliques. The massive patch pockets made of candy stripe tapestry fabric give a special chic. Bright plastic buttons and hand embroidery that looks like an ornamental stitch give the fullness to the whole image.
I am very happy and honored to be the Grand Prix winner of the International Digital Fashion Week competition and very happy but now my collection will be featured on International Digital Fashion Week on FNL Network. Everyone can get FNL Network for free with this link .page/fnl.network