Interview with Valentina Lin

I love drawing so much. When I was a kid, I remember that I would take my crayons and start drawing everywhere. Papers, walls, floors, desks, etc. When my parents saw that I have a talent in art, they sent me to an art course where I could improve my skill. After I finished 9th grade, I decided to go to college instead of finishing senior high school. I was about to choose graphic design, but in the end I chose fashion design instead. It's a challenge for me but I really enjoy those days.

1, Look for inspirations. Take a walk outside and take pictures of everything. I love to take pictures of the sky as an inspiration for patterns, because the shape of clouds are never the same everyday, and as a color palette. 2, Doodle. Never draw anything in one go, just let your hands move freely. I usually rely on my brain instead of research because I intend to create something new, something people never seen before. Sometimes I do research online only to learn more about techniques. 3, Be patient. Your first and second drawing might not be your final design. You should try over and over and over again until your instinct say yes. Never give up.

I feel stressed every time I'm about to start a new project actually. It's natural, cause you don't know if you're doing it right or if you already give everything you got but at the end of the day, you'll experience this unexplainable happiness cause you know that you just created something new, something original. The other fun part of making a project is sewing cause I personally like sewing.

When designing you'll always forget about time. You forget to eat, drink, and even sleep. I always set a series of alarms to remind me of time, to remind me to stop for a minute just to stretch and drink. You need to learn to take care of yourself even though I understand that it's hard to stop when your brain is full of ideas. But remember this, you'll waste much more time when you're sick.

I want to be known for my creative designs, cause creativity has no limits. It's hard because these so called "Creative" designs can't always sell. Money is not a number one priority, but I still need it. I want people who look at my designs to get inspired and motivated. Why are you making regular shirts when you can explore your mind further and make a masterpiece?

Great design is must, but it's not your number one priority. You heard it right. If you're at the beginning of your career, you have to at least learn some of the marketing basics. How to make a great presentation, body language, and even your expression. You have to feel confident when you're presenting. You can always improve your skills overtime but first you have to catch people's attention by your presentation.

Learn to control yourself. When you're working, you can't always stop doing your tasks just because you're experiencing a creative block. Get yourself a personal sketchbook and sketch every time ideas just pop into your mind, then use some of your ideas for later when you're experiencing a creative block again.

I always wake up at 5am in the morning. I know it sounds hard but just imagine you waking up in 5am or 7am, I can guarantee that you will feel sleepy in both times. Wake up early in the morning and do your other routines casually. While you're rushing in the morning, you'll develop a bad mood throughout the day. If you're having a good time in the morning, you'll develop a good mood throughout the day then everything will work out fine.

I never follow trends like style or color of the year. I just sticks to my ideas, cause random ideas are different than the current trends. But sometimes you could get ideas from the current trends, but do you want to have similar designs with your competitors?

The fabric quality and the stitching.

I rely on my instinct. If the design is finished but something's still bothering me, I'll make sure to check everything and make changes, then I will move on to the next project.

My #infinitecreativity collection that I submitted in A'Design Award. It's actually my graduation collection which I'm really proud of because I finished everything in just 2 months, which sounds impossible. Everyone around me hates my collection, which made me doubt myself back then. But I'm really grateful that I found A'Design Award and actually won one. It changed my life and it makes me even more passionate in fashion.

Alexander McQueen. His designs are amazing and majority of my designs are inspired by him, cause we have a similar taste and style.

When I have to design something formal, I'll listen to classical music. When I want to design something crazy, I'll listen to my favorite singer, which is Lady Gaga. Sometimes it's also depends on the mood, sometimes I just want to sit alone in the room without listening to anything and start to sketch.

I'm currently working alone but I want to have wonderful people to work with me one day. I want people that I'll hire in the future to be a person that is easy to talk to, their skills could improve overtime. I would like them to grow in a supportive environment. I want to help them grow by teaching them things that I know. They might be a future leader someday and there's this unexplainable feeling when you see your friends growing and become successful.

In the past, it's hard for me to find my footing. It's hard for me to find someone who can help me or who can encourage me. That's why, when young designers come to me, I will help them. I will provide them with knowledge that I've learned for the past few years, so life will be easier for them. I want them to be more successful than I am, so they could help more young designers. It's a nice feeling watching someone from nobody to somebody, watching them grow. It's a proof that nothing is impossible.

1., When I won my Bronze Award, I feel motivated to work harder on my future projects. Whenever I doubt myself, I always look back at my designs and certificates. It reminds me that I've achieved something and I will continue to achieve more in the future. 2, A'Design award will always get in touch with you. They will give you instruction on what should you do next, inspiring you, and always giving you details on what they're doing. 3, I encourage everyone to submit their designs to A'Design Award. In other competition, you just submit your designs and wait until the announcement. In A'Design Award, they will get in touch with you and tell you what's good and what you're lacking off, which is a best service everyone could provide to you.

As I said before, Lady Gaga is my inspiration. She inspires me to become a Fashion Designer. I imagine everyday that someday she’ll wear one of my garments and that what motivates me to do better and better.

I choose to.

Gothic style, but people today rarely wore one of those. So maybe, Monochrome? And a little bit abstract. I hate simplicity.

I can’t be called a Design Legend yet. I’m still fresh and I’m still learning. But my advice is, don’t let your target market control you. It doesn’t mean you control them, but I want you to be yourself. Don’t lose your characteristic in your creation. Do what you like to do.

Good Designer is good design, Great Designer is about quality.

Quality. Choose good fabrics, good stitching, and have your characteristic in them.

Haute Couture gown for Lady Gaga.

Haute Couture gown for Lady Gaga…? Haha.

Something simple will look more luxurious with good fabric and good stitching. So I'll go with quality.

Alexander McQueen and Gareth Pugh

Armadillo shoes by Alexander McQueen. Those are brilliant.

A Painter or a photographer.

Infinite Creativity.

My family, especially my father.

My boss when I was an intern. She taught me a lot of things learned from work experience, which I haven’t experienced yet.

I want my creation to be recognized. I want to have my own unique characteristic, for example like when people look at some garments, they will immediately realized that it was my design.

Bring Romantic era back!

Infinite Creativity.

It depends on people’s perception. For me, nowadays trends set the design. For example Lace is the trend of the year, everything on the runway will all based on lace. It’s so boring. I think people should think outside the box, like try different garment except for lace. It would be recognized easily, right?

Photoshop, Illustrator, Wacom, Sketchbook, and some coloring tools.

What is the inspiration and what techniques the designer uses.

Fashionpedia.

Alexander McQueen! I want to know his perspective of the fashion world.

My favorite color is Black, my favorite place are Coffee shop and my workshop, my favorite season is Winter, and my favorite brand is Alexander McQueen and Valentino.

I usually listen to music when I want to get into the zone. I usually do a little sketch or make notes when the ideas are coming. What motivates me that I keep imagining the finished design of mine. It is the best feeling if it turns out good and people are praising my design.

It was not obvious. My dream was to be a professional painter, but now I’m stuck in the design world… Clothes are my canvas now and I want to try to paint on the dress.

Something very simple with new kind of fabrics. Simplicity is not my thing and now I’m trying to make my creation as artistic as possible before that era comes, haha.

I have a simple advice. Whatever you design, don’t limit yourself.

VALENTINA LIN is the name of my brand. Founded on November 21st 2015; on my 18th birthday. We provide both men and women clothing. My workshop is only in my house, in a small room with portable sewing machine and a bag full of fabrics. I always feel inspired when I’m in my room.

Designing is a way to express yourself. There’s no limit on creativity, do your best.

I love to make something abstract and something dark, through painting and designing clothes.

I feel inspired when I’m listening to music. When I wanted to design something clean and simple, I’ll listen to classic. When I wanted to design something fun, I’ll listen to Jazz. When I wanted to design something abstract and dark, I’ll listen to Rock.

I’m focusing on everything. I’m a perfectionist, so everything must be perfect.

I must feel inspired and in a good mood. If I'm in a bad mood, I'll screw everything up.

You must be creative. You want people to recognize you. You want people to remember you. So, make something memorable.

I’ll consider to hear the good one first, because I want to focus on the bad one. The bad one would make me a better person when the good one just gonna make me happy.

Exhibited 1 look at Fairmont Hotel Jakarta on September 21st 2015. It is for the graduation show. I will hold my next exhibition when the next collection is finished.

I’m usually drawing something abstract on my sketchbook before designing clothes. My abstract drawings gave me ideas and looking at them made me inspired.

My characteristic is dark. Not just dark color, but it represent the darkness itself. My style is abstract. I always love drawing since I was young and when I want to draw something simple, it just turns into abstract. The way to express myself is through the shapes and colors, because di base is always abstract.

I’m from Jakarta, Indonesia. Born and raised. My designs aren’t quite accepted in Indonesia, because Indonesian’s characteristic is simplicity and something that would sell. My characteristics are not simple, so it’s quite difficult to grow.

This collection was made by 5 kinds of fabric, such as Semi-Wool for the outer, Cotton for the shirt, Lining fabric, and Leather and Prada Lace for the detail. The main point for this collection is the Leather detail, by stitching the seam allowances outside to create the Shedding Snake effect.
The combination of the colour black and white creates a strong look. The both colours means Dark and Light or Good and Evil.

Copic markers, oil paints, sewing machine, my laptop, and my sketchbook.

For young designers, don’t limit yourself. Be creative, there’s no limit in creativity. Work harder than you are now. Never give up on your dreams, because you are what you dream.

The positive thing of being a designer is that you can express yourself through your creation. You’ll get better everyday, because you learn through experience everyday. The best feeling is when your creation is positively recognized and admired by everyone. The negative thing of being a designer is that you didn’t really have much time to relax. Inspiration doesn’t come often and you have to work on it. And also if you can’t manage your time effectively, you’ll get sick.

Never limit yourself. Be creative and dare to be different.

The process of making the garment doesn’t really matter if you’re not good at it. You can ask someone to do it for you. The most important skills a designer should have are how to direct the workers and designing the clothes. You can’t ask someone to design for you.

I won’t sleep until my work is done. That’s what I do when I still a student and I got sick easily. Now, I’ve managed my working hours, that is from 12pm until 8pm everyday.

I was working (Internship) from January – March 2016 with an Indonesian designer called Lie Xiang. She is a very nice person and she taught me everything she has learned through work experience. She taught me how to manage a boutique, how to manage the workers, and the most important thing is how to manage time. Now I can manage my working hours and everything is fine and I don’t get sick often again.

My future plan is to become a successful fashion designer in Indonesia. Not just Indonesia, I also want to be recognized by people around the world. I want to express myself through my designs so people know who I am.

All by myself.

valentinasalim21@gmail.com (Personal)
valentinalin.official@gmail.com (Business)