The Art of Sustainable Fashion - Interview with Caroline Vörös
At Kultpost, we're excited to share the journey of a designer whose passion for fashion began in childhood and evolved into a deep commitment to craftsmanship and sustainability. With French and Hungarian roots, Caroline Vörös's work blends tradition with innovation, shaping unique, well-constructed garments. In this interview, we explore her inspirations, the role of pattern-making, and the challenges of creating ethical fashion in today's industry.
1. Personal Journey & Inspirations
-You discovered your passion for sewing at a young age. Was there a particular moment, person, or experience that sparked your interest in fashion?
I started my learning with stitching by hand. First, I tried to make some clothes for my Barbies, and I really enjoyed it. Later, my parents offered me a sewing machine, and I began to make a lot of new things. To go further than just making little clothes, I began to make Tilda Charachers from the books I had. Then, I started to make clothes for myself, and I discovered the art of pattern making. It is literally the architecture of the garment. So this is how my interest in the garments started. I learned how to build a pattern and discovered all the secrets and possibilities that a volume can offer. This way, I studied in a Fashion school to develop this pattern and sewing skills that I really love. Today, I am fascinated by the constructions of all the clothes that I see in stores and on runways.
-As you developed your career, was there a designer or fashion figure who particularly inspired you?
There is not a designer in particular, but all of them have their role to play, I guess. I was really inspired by the work of volume of Cristobal Balenciaga and Christian Dior. I am also very fascinated by Japanese artists such as Shingo Sato or Issey Miyake, who make garments with origami patterns.
-Looking back at your journey from ESMOD to freelancing, what has been the biggest lesson you've learned about the fashion industry?
In school, we learned how to build a collection from a special and original concept to make extravagant clothes. The good part is that we could dream and do everything we wanted. But once we are out of school and dropped in the real life on the work market, the fashion industry is not about dreaming: it is about selling. We have to think and make a collection to be sold, think about the final client, so it has to be commercial. The production part is the main part of the job: we have to deal with the factories, delay, clients … And in a saturated market, it is very difficult for a brand to stand out. So you have to make nice clothes, well-adjusted the morphology of the client, make the garment workable in production and respect the delay (and the price!). But the most important is to have a good financial and marketing plan. I have seen a lot of very nice new brands, selling very nice clothes with an original concept, but they didn't survive. If your plan is not good enough, your brand will not survive. At the opposite end, some brands succeed in selling very bad quality clothes but they have a nice plan so they can survive. The fashion industry is about having the money and a good plan.
2. Sustainable Fashion & Ethical Commitment
-You emphasize sustainability and ethical fashion. What inspired you to focus on this aspect of the industry?
Today, the fashion market is saturated with a lot of clothes and a lot of brands. They only think about growth and sales. As a professional, I know how cloth is made and the knowledge and time that it takes. And I am heartbroken to see all those clothes in the stores which are not sold because there are just too many. I am tired to think about the seamstresses who could have made all those clothes that nobody will never buy or just to wear 1 or 2 times. For me, it is very important to be an actor to change the way of thinking of the production and the way of buying. The future of the fashion industry is to make less but better, so we have to work all together in this direction.
Caroline Vörös - Mate Ternovics