Krakow Style: Pat Guzik
Krakow is home to one of the most original Polish fashion designers out there. Pat Guzik was recently singled out by the Polish edition of Elle Magazine as one of the most groundbreaking young designers to watch. Not bad, considering her adventures in design began a mere four years ago.
Photo: Pat Guzik
Despite being a relative newcomer, it is clear that Pat Guzik’s style is already very developed and displays great integrity. Her original, couture creations verge on the brutal, combined with a strong use of symbolism, yet they also have a seductive fragility about them. She admits that her designs are often autobiographical: “What I design is a reflection of who I am and how I feel. I have always been fascinated by ambiguity and, when I was a child, my favourite crayon was black.” She admits to being inspired by the likes of Junya Watanabe and Martin Margiela, both of whom are well known for being at the forefront of avant-garde fashion and perceived more as visionary artists than simple fashion designers.
Photo: Piotr Kierat, Model: Coco Mayaki, Graphic elements: Nina Gregier
If fashion is communication, then the narratives that Guzik’s works create are undoubtedly of an unsettling nature. They tell a dark, modern fairy tale inspired by stories of witches, Slavic demonology and pagan beliefs. One of her favourite motifs is the wreath. Used extensively in pagan ceremonies throughout Poland, for Pat it’s symbolic of a longing for love, but also of waiting and searching – both subjects that interest her greatly. Her work bridges austerity, rawness and dreams. It is highly narrative too: “When I start to work on a project, the first question that I ask myself is: ‘What story do I want to tell?’ Then I create a mood board based on photographic materials and other visual references. This forms the beginnings of an idea and, from there, I move on to choosing the fabrics and creating the silhouettes.” The effect is always beautiful, yet disturbing.
Photo: Piotr Kierat, Model: Coco Mayaki, Graphic elements: Nina Gregier
While most designers go straight to the market with prêt-à-porter collections, Pat is doing it the hard way by concentrating first on complex designs and stunning visual representations of her work. This approach has generated a lot of interest and cultivated a strong following. She is thinking about moving on to ready-to-wear collections, and I sincerely hope that she can make the jump and extend her line into widespread success. If you find yourself in need of a daring, bespoke fashion statement before the ready-to-wear line is out, you can contact Pat through her website: www. patguzik.com or cargocollective.com/patguzik.
Photo: Piotr Kierat, Model: Coco Mayaki, Graphic elements: Nina Gregier
PAT GUZIK (b. 1986) lives and creates in Krakow. She received her degree firstly, in the area of Philosophy and Sociology Studies at the Pedagogical University of Krakow and then graduated from SAPU (School of Art and Fashion Design). Her degree show, titled Over the Rainbow has earned her a 6 month scholarship at the renowned Academy of Design and Haute Couture in Valencia. Pat has been a finalist in many competitions, including Art & Fashion in Poznan and Habitus Baltija in Riga. She has also been a special guest designer at the Final Fashion Show organized by Fahmoda (Hannover).
Front page image (left to right) 1, 2: Photos: Piotr Kierat, Model: Coco Mayaki, Graphic elements: Nina Gregier; 3 Photo: Magdalena Pietrusińska, Model: Angelika @ 8fi Model Management, Make-up: Karolina Latkok