Interview with Gaja Hanzel

I am an independent freelance designer working across both fashion design and visual communication design. I officially started my professional journey in 2017, and soon afterwards I established my personal fashion brand, Fi by Gaja, through which I present my handbag collections.
In fashion design, I focus on timeless aesthetics, sustainability, and carefully selected environmentally friendly materials. Quality is always my highest priority, both in the materials and in the craftsmanship, which is entirely locally produced.
Alongside fashion, I continue to work as a visual communication designer, creating brand identities, graphic design projects, and visual concepts for cultural events, companies, and various creative projects.

For me, design is a way of creating products that are both functional and beautiful. But aesthetics should never outweigh usability—otherwise, I don't consider it good design.
In fashion design, I also believe it is important that every designer brings a part of themselves into their work. Developing a recognizable design language or personal style is essential, but it should always go hand in hand with functionality and purpose.

Fashion accessories, especially handbags, are my favorite products to design. They combine functionality, craftsmanship, and storytelling in a unique way.
My latest collection also allowed me to combine my two professional fields—fashion design and visual communication. I developed three original graphic patterns inspired by personal stories and cultural heritage, digitally printed them onto cotton fabric, and incorporated them into both the handbags and the clothing pieces of the collection.

My favorite design is the Three Worlds handbag collection, which recently received the Iron A' Design Award. It is one of my most personal projects, inspired by the lives of my grandmother and her two sisters, who lived in three different places—Slovenia, Croatia, and North Macedonia.
Each handbag carries a story through its shape, materials, and original textile patterns, making the collection much more than a series of fashion accessories. It is a tribute to family memories, identity, and the emotional connections we carry with us throughout life.

That's actually a difficult question because I don't remember the exact first project. I believe it was a logo for a small local company while I was still finishing my university studies. Looking back, it was one of the projects that gave me confidence to pursue freelance design professionally.

I enjoy working with innovative plant-based materials, especially with the apple peels alternative for leather, which I use for many of my handbag collections. I appreciate materials that combine aesthetics, durability, and environmental responsibility.
I also enjoy creating original textile patterns digitally, as this allows me to merge graphic design with fashion design and develop collections with a strong personal identity.

I feel most creative when I begin working on a completely new project. That's the moment when anything feels possible. As I start exploring ideas, more and more directions begin to appear, and sometimes there are almost too many possibilities to choose from.
Creativity also depends on my state of mind. I work best when I feel relaxed, positive, mentally balanced, and well rested.

When I work for clients, I always listen carefully to their wishes and objectives while trying to communicate the right message through the design.
When I create my own handbag collections, I focus on functionality, timeless aesthetics, storytelling, and sustainability. I also pay close attention to customer feedback, as many new ideas come directly from conversations with the women who wear my designs.

Designing is a very positive and exciting process for me. I especially enjoy the moment when everything suddenly starts coming together and I realize that the project is moving in the right direction.
Whenever a new idea improves the previous one, I become even more motivated. Seeing a design evolve into something truly meaningful is one of the most rewarding parts of my work.

It is an incredibly rewarding feeling. Seeing an idea evolve from a simple sketch into a finished product is always something special.
The greatest satisfaction comes when clients or customers genuinely connect with the final result. Knowing that something I imagined and created from scratch becomes part of someone's everyday life makes me feel grateful, proud, and excited to continue creating.

I believe every designer has a responsibility to contribute positively to society. Design can communicate values, raise awareness about social or environmental issues, and inspire people to think differently. It is much more than creating beautiful objects.

Personally, I have never wanted to create fashion that contributes to overproduction and environmental pollution. From the very beginning of my journey, I have been thinking about how to minimize the impact of my work on the environment. That is why I chose to work with innovative plant-based alternatives to leather whenever possible.

As a small independent brand, I also have much better control over material waste. I try to use every piece of material, transforming leftovers into smaller products and accessories whenever I can. Producing many of my products only after they are ordered also helps me avoid unnecessary stock that could eventually become waste—a problem that is still common in both fast fashion and even many luxury fashion brands.

I believe every designer should approach their work with a sense of responsibility—not only towards the people who use their designs, but also towards society and the environment.

When it comes to fashion design, I often find inspiration in people and their stories. Several of my collections are based on the lives of women, whether they are real historical figures, members of my own family, or even mythological goddesses. I am fascinated by their personalities, emotions, life experiences, and the periods in which they lived. Sometimes inspiration also comes from the everyday objects they used or the places they called home.

I nurture my creativity by giving myself time to think deeply about each project. I enjoy observing the work of other designers and artists, visiting exhibitions, and exploring creative disciplines beyond fashion. I believe that inspiration can come from anywhere—architecture, graphic design, nature, history, or simply everyday life. The more curious I remain, the more ideas begin to connect and evolve into something new.

I would describe my design style as clean, timeless, and thoughtful. When designing handbags, my goal is to create pieces that can be worn for many years rather than just one season. I want women to be able to style them for different occasions and combine them effortlessly with different outfits.
From the very beginning of my brand, I was looking for a balance between sustainability and aesthetics. At that time, many sustainable fashion products were available only in basic or neutral colours. I wanted to show that environmentally conscious fashion could also be colourful, elegant, and expressive. That's why many of my handbags are available in a wide range of colours.
In my latest collection, I also introduced original textile patterns that I designed myself and digitally printed onto fabric. This allowed me to combine my background in fashion design and visual communication while giving the collection an even stronger personal identity.
My approach to design always begins with a story. Every collection has its own concept, and each design decision—from the choice of materials and colours to the final details—supports that narrative. At the same time, functionality remains essential. I believe good design should not only tell a story and be visually appealing, but also become a practical and lasting part of everyday life.