His name is often mentioned both at the royal entertainments and the Donald Trump’s private parties because his haute couture dresses with hand-made embroidery and precious stones are the real masterpieces. Tony Ward cooperated with the most famous Paris Fashion Houses like Lanvin, Christian Dior, Chloe and his own brand was founded in 1994. Today his name is world-known as the master of the real haute couture fashion. So, Tony Ward himself.
- Tony, many famous brides go to the altar in your dresses. Why have you chosen this specific trend in fashion?
- You know, I make different kinds of dresses and I am proud that many women set their choice on my dresses for their wedding ceremony. I think it is very important for the masters who seriously involved in fashion to be able excellently making various costumes for any situation: from a morning costume, cocktail ensemble to a wedding dress.
- The story of your development in the fashion world is quite successful. After graduation from the high school in Paris you worked for Lanvin, than for Christian Dior and finally for Karl Lagerfeld in Chloe. Why have you decided to come back to Lebanon to launch your own project, but not stayed in Paris?
- My childhood was happy. I grew up in a good family which gave me everything. My family owned the most famous fashion salon Atelier Ward Haute Couture in Lebanon and I watched the creation of fashion from my early childhood. When I was 18, I was told that I could fly using my own wings. And I went to study to France.
When I left home I knew for sure that I would come back. But was very important to choose the right moment. After I had worked with the legendary brands and people from the fashion world, obtained the precious experience and perfected my skill, I came back home. I understood that I was able to do everything myself. By the time of foundation my own Fashion House I’d already had the customers.
- Tony, which materials do you like most of all for your work?
- I like various fabrics and I am always in search. The more fabrics I see the more creative ideas I have. We have already been in search of the new materials for 2 years and have always experimented. For example, I created the new dresses from optic fiber which is cut out and patterned using the laser equipment.
- What female images inspire you?
- Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy. They are very refined ladies and could wear the clothes accentuating their beautiful inner world. I think people should not have a blind trust in fashion. It is better to wear what is suited without following the trends.
- How can you describe your own style?
- It is a peculiar mix of the East and the West resembling my own nature. I am a person from the East who was living in Europe for a long time. This style is very successful in many countries.
- What differences between your customers from various countries have you observed?
- There is no particular difference in the characters and the preferences but there is the significant influence of the country where a woman lives or intends to go. In America Puritanism is spread, in Europe the women are too feminized, they work a lot, get used to do everything themselves and do not care much about the attractiveness of their clothes. On the contrary, in Russia I see that men often place women upon a pedestal, indulge them. That’s why people here like to be dressed free and fascinatingly, and transparent fabrics and décolleté forms are so popular. Lebanese women travel a lot around Europe and often speak a few foreign languages. Today they are in one country, tomorrow move to another one. They are not easy customers because they lose their identification scattered in different countries.
In Muslim countries, for example in Saudi Arabia or UAE, there is an open market and a mentality. You can not imagine how revealed the dresses the women wear there.
- Tony, your life is an endless string of fashion silhouettes. Do you have any other passion, maybe a collecting, a sport or travelling?
- A lot of. I have 4 children and I devote my time to them. I like to go in for sport, play basketball, volleyball, love travelling and women. I don’t stint myself in anything. Also I collect thimbles and stamps from different post offices all round the world. I have a big home library which I like very much. According to my mood today I can read Plato, tomorrow a detective story.
Natalia Andrianova
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