Living True to Myself
When you realise that your time is limited, the most valuable resource becomes the ability to act quickly and decisively. Richard Branson once said, "Screw it, let's do it", and this philosophy perfectly reflects the approach of Darya Vasilyeva, the founder of the DV Fashion brand. She believes that overthinking can extinguish the energy of inspiration and deprive you of the opportunity to turn ideas into reality. True success comes to those who are not afraid to take the first step. In entrepreneurship, as in life, it's not just about the ability to act, but also the ability to enjoy every moment while remaining flexible and open to new opportunities.
After many years of working in big business, where I dealt with real estate in the company of a Russian oligarch, my career unexpectedly turned towards the arts. I decided to leave the ground and rise to the sky, choosing a path in the creative field. That's how I found myself at the Gorky Moscow Art Theatre as a communications director, working side by side with amazing, talented people. I was particularly inspired by working with costumes. Creating stage outfits is a process that starts with the first rehearsal and conveys the mood and atmosphere of the play and the theatre itself. It excited and inspired me.
When the theatre closed for renovation, I had two options: wait for it to reopen or set off on my own. In 2020, many brands left the Russian market, and there was an urgent need for new solutions. At that moment, the puzzle pieces fell into place — I decided to create my own clothing brand. From childhood, I sewed my own outfits for going out and drew sketches for other people. At the same time, I was attracted to entrepreneurship by the constant movement and freedom. Working for yourself requires complete dedication, without weekends or holidays, but it also brings immense satisfaction. Entrepreneurs are, in a way, the engines of progress. I always wanted to be such an engine, because as an employee, my opportunities were limited. Working for yourself opens up limitless horizons, although it comes with greater responsibility and risks. But it allows for more creativity and space to implement bold ideas. I am captivated by the process of achieving goals. It's like a perpetual motion machine that doesn't require an external source of inspiration. I don't need books or authors to charge me with energy. It's an internal drive that you either have or you don't. Being an achiever is part of who I am. So, the choice was obvious.
My favourite designer is Yves Saint Laurent, and my favourite era in fashion is the 1930s. This period between the world wars was filled with vibrance and nobility. Russia, Europe, and America of those years inspire me to create collections. Despite the difficult times, people strived to live and enjoy life, which led to a flourishing of fashion, art, and culture. It was a golden age, full of events and discoveries.
The concept of my brand was born in Moscow, and the source of inspiration was the Russian aristocracy. I wanted to show that true Russian fashion is not just floral prints, like most Russian brands, but luxurious fabrics: velvet, silk, lace, and unusual silhouettes with broad shoulders. The first two collections embodied this idea. However, when entering the Dubai market, we changed our approach for understandable reasons.
Today, it's intellectual fashion that forms a community around our brand of people who strive for development and self-expression. We create clubs and launch initiatives so that everyone who hears our name understands that it's filled with meaning. For women who consider personal growth and self-discovery important, our brand becomes a reflection of their values.
The brand's philosophy is built on the principles of intellectual fashion. Each collection is based on four components. The first is a historical era, the second is an inspiring personality, the third is an art movement, and the fourth is trends in materials. We don't strive to exclusively follow fashion trends or copy others' ideas. Our brand is not about traditional femininity in its classic sense: put on a pretty dress and you'll definitely find a husband. We create deep meanings and intellectual fashion, which we didn't arrive at right away. It took time to search — from an aristocratic style to experimenting with trends — but the last two collections showed that we found our path.
In the summer collection, we turned to the Victorian era, to the image of Madame du Barry, and to the works of the renowned master, illustrator of French fashion, and genius of laconism, René Gruau. Asymmetric cuts and wet fabric became the basis of the design. Studying Victorian toilettes, we discovered that lace and full skirts with corsets were in fashion, and we integrated these elements into our work. We immersed ourselves in the world of Louis XV's favourite, whose commoner past evoked complicated feelings in the courtiers and particularly irritated the royal family. We tried to understand her preferences and values in order to organically weave them into the collection. Gruau's works inspired us to use his palette and prints, to which we added a modern, trendy accent.
In our practice, we had an interesting experience. We decided to collaborate with a very well-known woman on a barter basis. This happened a year ago when we released our autumn collection. The source of inspiration for this line was the era of knights, with their characteristic large hoods. We created coats with huge hoods, and she agreed to advertise them. This person sometimes sought to remain unnoticed in the crowd, and for walks, for example, in Patriarch's Ponds, she found the perfect solution in our coats. She loved them so much that she ordered all the available colours — there were about 10 or 15. Every day she wore our coats, hiding her face from prying eyes and avoiding requests for interviews or autographs. I think she remains loyal to our brand to this day. Interaction with bloggers often starts with advertising, but then develops into strong relationships. They become our regular customers, which confirms the correctness of the chosen path and becomes an indicator of the quality of our clothing. It's always nice to see such a response to your work.
Launching the brand in Dubai turned out to be both challenging and surprisingly successful for us. On the one hand, we faced bureaucratic difficulties that delayed the process of opening an account and registering a company for almost a year, although we initially planned to complete it in three to four months. It was a difficult test, accompanied by significant financial losses. However, in the end, I found a way to resolve these issues on my own. Instead of spending huge sums on intermediaries, I went directly to the bank and managed to open an account in just two weeks. This experience was quite unexpected and may be useful for those planning to start a business in Dubai.
On the other hand, we approached entering the Dubai market with special attention to the local culture. Instead of simply bringing our main collection from Russia, we created a special "Ramadan" drop that perfectly matched the cultural traditions of the region. This allowed us to quickly win the sympathy of the local community. In the future, we continued to develop this direction, releasing special collections for each season.
The presentation of our brand in Dubai was carefully thought out. We organised a press conference, dividing it into two parts: one for locals and the English-speaking audience, the other for the Russian-speaking community. This approach allowed us to introduce the brand to two audience segments at once. We then used online advertising and collaborated with opinion leaders and bloggers. In Dubai, as in Moscow, word of mouth works great: if you offer a truly high-quality product, people will quickly find out about you.
Dubai amazes with its versatility; its possibilities seem inexhaustible to me. Every time I come here for a week, I manage to do more than in Moscow in a month. Here, everything happens as if by magic: the right people, interesting events — all of this becomes accessible thanks to the loyalty of the local community. In Dubai, all expats support each other, and this creates a special atmosphere. At the same time, the East is a mystery to me, alluring with its depth and versatility. Arriving in Dubai, where I live as much as in Moscow, I always discover something new and unexpected. It's like an endless book that you can't finish reading. To fully understand the East, you need to be born here. But each visit brings new discoveries, and this endless journey is fascinating.
Understanding and feeling the mood of the city is very important: if you plan to start a business in Dubai, I advise you not to rush, because the East is unhurried. You don't need to immediately open a boutique or strive to get into all the shopping centres. The main thing is to open an account yourself, without intermediaries. Then it's better to act gradually, through cooperation with opinion leaders. In Dubai, one season is enough for people to know about you. Unlike Moscow, where a flagship boutique is necessary for mid-range and premium brands, here you can develop progressively and achieve success faster.
Locals have a simpler attitude towards shopping than in Moscow. The income level is higher, and decisions are made faster. If in Moscow it takes girls a long time to choose a dress, trying it on several times, in Dubai everything happens more easily — people just enjoy life.
Fashion in Dubai is diverse and reflects the interests of a motley community. We expected evening and sportswear to be popular, but it turned out that there are many businesswomen here. Therefore, office looks were the first to be in demand, followed by evening wear. Women in Dubai are actively engaged in various affairs: they need to look stylish in the office, in a restaurant in the evening, in sportswear on weekends, and in beachwear on vacation. Everyone strives to stand out, to be bright and different from each other, so they choose young brands. There is a chance to find something special among small brands, avoiding the massiveness of large ones.
A designer's success is determined by their creative approach and ability to create something new. However, I can't call myself a designer in the full sense of the word, as I'm more involved in brand management. I have a team that develops collections, and I'm more of an owner and entrepreneur. A designer is someone who leads the collection from start to finish, creating product passports and dealing with many routine tasks. But as a leader, it's important to me that the brand doesn't repeat others' ideas. If a sketch resembles something that already exists, it is immediately rejected, even if it only concerns the silhouette.
I like the theme of women's strength and emancipation. We created a collection called "Spring and Little Women", inspired by such stories. I would like to create costumes for a play or film dedicated to this time when women were just starting to work and gain rights. It was a time of awakening and strength. Our mission is to show that a woman can be multifaceted: beautiful, athletic, smart, and successful. She doesn't have to sacrifice one of her roles for another. We believe that everyone deserves to be themselves — bright and multitasking — and our fashion helps them express this. She is a daughter, sister, wife, mother, able to stand firmly on her feet and run a business.
Two events in my life changed my consciousness, as if turning it inside out and then returning it, but already different. The first is the birth of a child. At that moment, I realised that I was no longer alone. On the one hand, a huge responsibility descended, and on the other, unconditional love was born. The second event is the loss of my father. The time when you were a little girl who had the privilege of asking for help at any moment has ended. These events happened in the same year and had a profound impact on me.
At a crossroads, I always turn to my husband for advice. He is the smartest person I know. His intelligence and managerial experience are invaluable. In business matters, he is my best consultant, and I am incredibly lucky to have him by my side. His advice is always accurate and wise. I was not left alone with the new reality. But the experiences prompted me to start my own business. When asked where I found the inspiration for this, I can't always give a straightforward answer. It's not just inspiration; it's an inner core that is formed by strong life events. Then the main thing changed — the realisation of reality came. Before the birth of my child and the loss of my father, I lived in illusions. Taking off the rose-tinted glasses, I realised how fleeting life is and understood that I need to value every moment. My values changed: now I ask myself what I want for myself, not for someone else.
Life satisfaction for me now lies not only in global achievements but also in the little things. For example, aesthetics has great value for me. When I changed the office to match my ideas of beauty and cleanliness, my quality of life improved. Satisfaction consists of small joys: drinking a cup of coffee, enjoying the cleanliness around you, a conversation with an inspiring person, or being alone. These small pleasures form an overall sense of happiness. The main goal is to enjoy life and remain true to your desires. I want to wake up one morning at a mature age and realise that everything I did was for myself and my loved ones. That I lived without betraying myself.
When I meet people with inexhaustible energy, it's like a breath of fresh air. Each person is amazing in their own way, and sometimes you meet someone famous and think, "Wow, look at all they've done!" But then you realise that behind the facade there is emptiness; they were just lucky. And suddenly you walk into a store where a woman selling bread works, and you are filled with joy. Her energy inspires more than many celebrities. It's important to be able to see this in everyone — not to envy, but to learn and accept.
I recently returned from a vacation with a sense of renewal. Three weeks of recharging is a luxury for an entrepreneur. The first two weeks were spent on business, but the last one was a real detox: no phone, social networks, or meetings. It was necessary to restore my strength. Landing in Moscow, I felt a surge of creative energy. Now I'm full of desire to work and create. It's a state where you do everything not because you have to, but because you want to. I have a dream project in the works, related to the fashion industry, but not under my own name. I want to create a mass sports line. I hope that in 2025 I will be able to realise what I have in mind and introduce the world to my new projects.
