Meet the fashion designer being mentored by an industry pro
We check in with the first pairing of our Progress 1000 and Invisalign mentorship scheme: Anita Barr, group fashion buying director for Harvey Nichols, and her mentee, designer Fanni Varga.
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Just a year ago, Hungarian designer Fanni Varga was broke and interning for fashion houses in London, dreaming about starting her own label. So the opportunity to be mentored by Anita Barr, one of the world’s biggest fashion buyers, has proved to be a real pinch-me moment.
“I’m very much at the beginning of my journey as a designer so getting to work with someone as important and influential as Anita is incredible,” says Fanni. “I’ve been into Harvey Nichols to to show her my first two collections and she’s given me some really specific, constructive feedback — she’ll say, ‘I like that sleeve detail,’ or ‘You need to simplify this top, there’s too much going on.’”
Anita knows first-hand how important it can be to emerging designers to have the right mentor, at the right time.
“Harvey Nichols is renowned for being there from the first season for so many brands,” she says. “It’s about helping them grow their presence and get the most out of the platform.
In Fanni’s case she needs to tell a story with her collections, so that the customer can always relate back to it. I’ve advised her to think about her brand identity, and if there’s something that’s working — such as a pattern or a neckline or a big sleeve — to keep it for a few seasons so it can become part of her DNA and customers will look out for it.”
Fanni says that Anita is bringing some much-needed business nous to her creative leaning brain. “I have a tendency to be a bit all over the place when I’m designing,” she says. “But at the end of the day it’s about selling clothes and Anita understands what customers are looking for. She has given me a much clearer vision for my S/S18 collection.”
Fanni currently has four different jobs while she builds up her business, and Anita says she identifies with that strong work ethic. “I left school at 15 to care for my terminally ill father, and that was probably the hardest time of my life, but it’s made me who I am today,” she says.
“In this industry it’s all about putting the hours in, understanding your customer and pushing yourself to be the best. Fanni has already achieved so much, so now it’s about focusing, editing and creating a collection which has a really strong impact.”
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