London Fashion Week is a time for emerging and established designers to push the boundaries and showcase their new season collections. Taking five up and coming designers from LFW, we’ve highlighted the ones to watch for SS17 and next under the spotlight is Dasha Pash, founder of PA5H. After her debut collection featured in Vogue, PA5H is bringing her SS17 collection to the On|Off showcase at LFW. With a sports-luxe aesthetic, PA5H balances statement pieces with contemporary silhouettes and describe her label as sporty, playful and adventurous. So meet Dasha Pash…
Did you always know you wanted to be a fashion designer and was launching your own label always the dream?
Growing up I had lost of different creative interests and it took a while for me to focus on fashion design so I can’t say that having my own label was always a dream. I’ve always loved design and textile; my parents have a textile businesses and I come from a creative family so I knew that I wanted to do something creative. For a while I worked as a stylist but soon realised I needed to be in control and designing is the way I found to create my own vision, and express myself. After graduation I went travelling for a bit and then started PA5H once I was settled back in London.
Who inspired you to get into fashion?
When I was around 15 or 16 I remember seeing a Yamamoto collection in a magazine and it made a big impression on me. I remember the silhouettes, fabrics, detail and styling. I was inspired by the overall package, styling and art direction.
Talk us through your design process.
I get ideas from the past and present urban street culture. I’m always doing research, taking pictures and adding to my scrapbook. I also enjoy going around vintage stores and markets too as you never know what you’ll come across. The initial idea of where I want to go however can really come from anywhere. This season the inspiration for the collection came form an old racing jacket that I found in a vintage market. I love the collar and the details and it set the tone for what has followed. Once I’ve got an idea of the direction and collection’s story, I go back to my scrapbook and filter. Of course things then inevitably change a lot along the way in creating the final samples, but once you start (which is the hardest bit) things kind of take on their own momentum. So to sum up, I’d say the inspiration for me really comes from finding a way to make different references work together to create something original.
What does your typical day look like?
Getting ready for the SS2017 show has been a huge effort so it’s by no means glamorous or easy. It’s hard work with late nights and lots of running around, stressing and juggling things. To give you an idea, a typical day might involve a trip to Shepherd’s Bush to source fabric followed by dashing across town to get something else, a fitting which ends up with several pieces being reworked followed by chasing a half dozen suppliers whilst doing a newsletter and updating social media stuff. I’m lucky I have people helping me.
What are your plans for the future?
Looking forward I would like to see the brand see steady growth. For me it’s about longevity and sustainability, at the end of the day having a viable brand means having sales so that is important, but I also want to continue to have a bit of fun too. I enjoy designing cohesive pieces that work both commercially and editorially and want to maintain and develop that point of difference. We’re also looking forward to our first London fashion week show at On|Off , which will feature our first ever menswear looks. We’ll also be joining Capsule in Paris alongside some other great brands so that’s exciting.
And finally where in London do you live and what do you love about the area?
I’ve lived around Shoreditch on and off for over 10 years and am actually just in the process of moving house right now so I don’t know where I’m going to end up. My studio is on Brick Lane and although the area has changed a lot over the last few years it still has a vibe. On weekends the street food options are amazing and the markets and the vintage stores are great. The Truman Brewery is always hosting interesting pop ups too so there are always interesting things going on.