Businesswomen in a hurry, top actresses, fashion designers looking for one-of-a-kind pieces, clients all looking to assert themselves. Designer Aylin Grushovenko Karsenti has made a name for herself on the Côte d’Azur with her elegant and timeless collections. Based in Paris and Cannes, the designer is comfortable crafting silhouettes of princess like everyday looks that don’t go unnoticed. From the Cannes Film Festival to the latest Fashion Week, meet the talent brought to life.
Fashion, a career? How did you start?
Eileen : Yes, it’s a real vocation, a calling … I still remember, as a little girl, the dolls that were really my first models. I chose fabrics, cut them, and then other fabrics to dress and improve. I wanted them to be the most beautiful and unique. I was creating lives and characters for them…it was beyond fun! I was passionate about the methods I reinvented. This is how my passion for design began.
How do you define your own style?
This is a question that lives on any fashion designer’s mind. Style is the meaning of our profession, why I create “me” and what message I convey through my pieces when they are worn. I like the idea that my creations cross time and borders. I want to express universal femininity. I would say my style is “Timeless Chic”. As an illustration, I am thinking of this feat achieved at the behest of a dignitary in Africa, a costume worn splendidly some years later during a Parisian conference. This feeling fills me with joy!
Recently, I imagined a custom-made dress for the Cannes Film Festival that, while sketching, draped myself to 2030, telling myself it would still be a gorgeous princess silhouette.
Timeless elegance but also a dream, who is the “Aylin” woman?
She loves Aylin, dreams of Aylin, thinks big and respects life.
I am sensitive to the beauty of the moment I am given to live and grateful for the true love that surrounds me. If I were offered a magical power, I would choose one that would be able to lighten a shade to full light. I ignite life.
What are the characters you dream of dressing up?
everyone! All the women I wear have strong personalities. They give individuality to my dresses. Each of them highlights the costumes she created in their own way. I see their own femininity, strength, and uniqueness expressed. This fullness is a dream come true every time.
Where do you find inspiration?
I consider we all have a muse within us. Once you take the white paper as a starting point, you can put words and ideas on it, thus generating images, then projects, and with action, achievements. Words like: color, class, comfort, fluidity, luxury, casualness, length, elegance … will evoke emotions. And now I suddenly want to paint my future creativity.
What are your most prominent groups?
In my job, we propose but we also act. Strong pieces impose themselves as a guide by fulfilling my clients desire and demands. I listen and translate their desires with my drawings, because every woman is different! Thus, the caftan as he envisioned it became a centerpiece. Comfortable, stylish, and suitable for all body types and all positions. Each one, and sometimes both, will fit into this silhouette.
A unique dress, tailor-made for a specific event, is also a strong part of my activism. In this specific case, the connection between the designer and the client takes on an intimate character, exacerbating the relationship of trust. it is exciting !
Established in the French Riviera and in Paris, how do you operate to satisfy the global and highly specialized clientele established in these two leading destinations?
It was the cosmopolitan aspect of Paris and the Azure coast in particular that guided my choices. In the heart of these cosmopolitan French arteries, I knew my clothes would live on and inspire me. Along with major luxury brands, Aylin offers a discreet and unique alternative. My clients love the uniqueness. On the other hand, to explore my world in France is a privilege for me. My work consists of juxtaposing the requirements, knowledge, and elegance of France, with the creative impulses of my Ukrainian origins.
All this while not compromising in terms of quality of fabrics and stitching.
Bustling with projects, what do you plan for the future?
So many things, my head is constantly boiling (laughs)! This year, I wanted to emphasize production and societal impact. I absolutely wanted to feel useful to the citizens of Ukraine and decided to locate part of my garments in Kiev where I met seamstresses who were overwhelmed with talent, love and resilience.
On the show side, I’m preparing for a fashion show of my new collection in Cannes in September. Finally, on a strategic level, I intend to rely on operating my own workshops in order to develop my activity through the lever of distribution. I intend to internationalize my brand and for this, I will need more energy.
I’m ready !
For more :
Eileen Groshovenko Karsenti
aylin.official Instagram
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