01 Magazine: Fashion Feature - Odyn Vovk

With a new release of 01 Magazine’s Issue 4 comes the following interview involving rising fashion designer Austin Sherbanenko, the founder behind Odyn Vovk. Within the interview, he speaks about his background and the start of his brand which leads down a path that speaks of his personal inspirations and methods to design. A selection of answers can be seen below with the full interview seen here.

What made you want to become a fashion designer?

I don’t know, clothes and fabrics have always fascinated me. I always wanted to have my own look and not something that someone else had or created. I was tired of seeing everyone look the same. I remember when I’d go shopping with my mom at the Tyler Mall in Riverside, CA I’d always look at the way clothes were constructed and the sewing techniques and pattern shapes. I always had a keen eye for a sense of quality. I loved finding the fucked up stitches and showing my mom and laughing at China! A few years before I started my line, there was really nothing out there I loved which in turn drove me to start designing my own collection.

Why did you decide not to finish fashion school? Any valuable lessons you learned from attending?

I was developing the first collection while attending school. During that time I was learning far beyond anything I could have learned in a classroom. As time passed, my work took over and school was getting in the way. In “fashion school” I learned what NOT to do. Most everyone there loved to shop and had a passion for fashion, but had no drive to actually do something creative. It pushed me to leap far ahead and go for it! I have always been very confident and ambitious to accomplish things I set my mind to.

Is it true that when you designed your first collection you decided not have a theme? Why did you decide to take a more spontaneous approach compared to others?

Because, it was exactly that. People wanted a story or a theme, but there was no story. I made what I wanted and each piece along the way turned into the next…just like that. I don’t have to stick to guidelines when I create, that’s not fun! Fun to me is doing what you want, when you want, because you want to! Stories come later!

I heard that a lot of your inspirations are drawn from music: primarily hardcore, punk and Scandinavian Black Metal. What about these types of music inspire your designs?

The sounds of these types of music put me in a dark mood that no other music can do. It makes me unafraid and powerful while I design. When I turn on my music I lose myself and I just go. It also reminds me to stop caring, to say “fuck it” and to do what I really want.