INTERVIEW WITH SORINA ALEXANDRA
1.Hi, could you start by telling us a bit about yourself?
Hi. My name is Sorina Alexandra Frunza, i’m 27 years old, i’m a young entrepreneur, running a business in the Fashion industry (BLACK LABEL BRAND) and I just developed my second business, in the Beauty Industry (SOKO Beauty). I am currently living in my home country, Romania. I am a very ambitious person and I believe that everything you can dream & wish for, is achievable. Sometimes people say that I should be more “down to earth”, but what would be the purpose of life if not dreaming big and hustle to make them come true?
2.Tell us about your journey so far?
I started modelling when i was 12-13 years old, at the beginning in my home town, and later on I was collaborating with FashionTV until I was 20. I was participating in a few beauty contests in Romania, and i was walking in shows of some very well known & appreciated designers in Romania, like Catalin Botezatu, Mihai Albu, etc. Later on i got few jobs abroad as well. In the meanwhile I was starting studying Law, as my child dream was to become a lawyer, but later on I realised that this is not meant for me and I started my own business.
3.How would you describe your style?
My style depends on my mood, but I can say I am a more elegant person. I love Fashion & fashionable items, but i prefer the pieces which are timeless, not the trends you can wear only one season and then forget them in the dressing. If you ask me what are my favorite colors when speaking about clothes, I will say that 80% of my wardrobe is black, haha. Being a Scorpio, sometimes I am at the extreme side, when I like to wear a cozy oversized tracksuit and confy sneakers all day.
4.How do you define success? What is your take on the ways to achieve long-term success?
Success…that’s a very ample subject and it depends on each other’s priorities in life. For me, success is when you are happy both on the carrier side and family side as well, and when you are able to be independent, to create your own succes and career without depending on anyone. I believe long-term success can be achieved only believing in yourself and in your dreams, without leaving people around you to push you down. Keeping around you only the right people, who motivate you and see the best in you. And also, long-term success is achieved mostly in silence. I believe in bad energies, that’s why I don’t like telling too much things about my future plans.
5.I know you grew up in quite a creative family, but was anyone else interested in fashion?
No one in my family was interested in fashion. I am the only one who took this way. But my family is also business oriented, so I took my passion and created a business from it as well.
6.When did you decide that you wanted to be a designer?
It wasn’t a certain moment when I said “from tomorrow I will be a designer”, I think it came naturally, first being in touch with the fashion industry as a model, and then wanting to create a business where I can do what I love, so it had to be something in this area, being a creative person since i was a child.
7.When you graduated from the Masters program, what made you decide to do a small collection?
I haven’t done a Master in Fashion Design and I haven’t studied in school anything in this area, it was just pure passion, but talking about studies I’m planning to do a Masters programme at Instituto Marangoni in London or Milan. About my first collection, first of all i thought of creating it because nowadays is very hard to find clothes that will fit you well, that are high quality but affordable price. And i wanted to create something that has all these elements, as many brands nowadays sell only their name but use cheap fabrics or the craftmanship is very low.
8.I read that you start each collection with a fabric. Has that always been the case?
I am not using only one fabric for a collection, but somehow it seems so, as I like to create a choesive collection, that all pieces follow same direction. And it was the case for my first Capsule Collection, and for the new collection, SPELLBOUND, as well.
9.What are your goals ? How do you see the future ?
First of all, I wish that my two businesses will be succesfull so I can expand both of them internationally. And of course, I see my future not only from the career side, but also having a beautiful family, kids, and maybe living in some other country.
10.What is the biggest highlight of your career so far?
My biggest achievement so far took place recently. After creating an online presence for my businesses, I opened my first physical concept store where people can find my creations and also the very famous korean skincare products. I was inspired by international concept stores and i wanted to bring something new here in Romania.
I'm in perfect balance. I invest in both of them, but life means ups and downs no matter if it’s professional life or personal life, so I’ve learned to successfully manage both of them.
