Interview with a Star - Evgeniya (DemyBlackDesign)

Hello I’m Evgeniya and I’m the person behind DemyBlackDesign. I have lived in Moscow, Russia all my life.

- How long have you been creating? How did your journey in art and creativity begin?
I used to work as an HR manager and really loved and still love my profession. I was proud of myself as I achieved a pretty high position at my last place of employment, but….. things are changing….. and one day I decided to try something new or maybe I should say almost forgotten old skills. I used to go to workshop and do things in batik technique and I decided to start creating things in this style again. And here we are …with my first handpainted pareo, maybe not quite technically perfect but unique and I’ve made it by myself!

So the pareo was the first thing I’ve created and I decided to continue and made few silk scarfs (you can see them in my shop on Etsy). But I wanted to do more! I have always wanted to try to create some beautiful and unique jewelry. A friend of mine makes some jewelry as well and she was the person who told me about Etsy. Once I opened this amazing site I wasn’t able to close it! I’ve been inspired by all those wonderful and original items so I made some sketches, ordered supplies and that as they say was that! And you know the more you create the more ideas you have!

Besides batik silk scarves and jewelry I’ve also tried another technique – nuno felting. I’ve started to do it after I’ve made a felted beret for myself. I love scarves and this technique allows to make warm and at the same time very light scarves as you use natural silk.


- How would you describe your style? Have any other artists etc influenced your style?
I love simple, elegant and original things and pretty sure that all my designs reflect this style. You can wear my design everyday or for special moments. My moto is Be yourself! You can afford to be original! And I admire such designers like Vivienne Westwood – such an amazing example about how original style can be more than just popular!


- Why did you decide on DemyBlackDesign for your business?
Pretty short story )))) That’s just a login and password from one of my old jobs. Demy is short version of my surname and Black – is a reflect of movie ‘Meet Joe Black” And after some time I’ve started to use this name as a name for one forum and some friends of mine started to call me Demy! So when I was choosing the name for my shop it was pretty easy 

- What would you say makes your shop unique?
You can find different things for 4 seasons in my shop – hand painted silk scarves that you can wear at the office or outside in spring and summer, nuno felted scarves that will keep your warm during autumn and winter and jewelry you can wear everyday!

- What are your main sources of inspiration?
That’s nature for my scarves and different fashion shows as you can see something interesting and that’s inspiring you to create something new.


- Where would you like to go with your business?
My goal is don’t have an office job and work only on my designs. Right now my sales a bit slowly but I believe that I’m on a right way and I just have to work harder as I have a lot of ideas and I know people like my designs. I’m pretty sure that handmade things are more unique as they made with love and some of them is impossible to copy as no one is able to make two the same nuno felted scarves.


- Do you have a favorite item you have made?
Right now that’s earrings with red murano beads I’ve made for myself and also my new earrings with Japanese seed beads. I’ve been inspired by amazing nature of Cape Verde – a perfect place for surfing and this earrings reflect waves, clouds and sunsets. They are perfect for summer time!

- Name 3 things you can’t live without?
Family and friends, rock music and holiday on a sea shore.