Today we’d like to introduce you to Nami Milivojevich.
Hi Nami, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
After studying at the Rhode Island School of Design, I worked as a fashion designer for over 20 years for brands like Moschino in Milan, J. Crew, Geoffrey Beene, and Victoria’s Secret in New York, and Puma in Nuremberg. I designed pretty much every type of garment there is, from silk ball gowns to jeans and technical sportswear, swimwear, lingerie, and everything in between. I was very lucky to have such a varied experience as a designer and for some of the best companies in the world.
As much as I loved my work, it became harder and harder to continue to design for others. I’m a professional and always did my job well, which, as a designer, meant putting myself in the mindset of whomever I was designing for to make the best product I could for them. However, something was always missing… I needed to figure out what was important to ME. I wanted to create a product that matched my values, my aesthetics, and my way of living.
It started to bother me that people actually believed in trends, believed that garments had some kind of season or expiration date, or that certain colors were “in” for a few months, and then no longer. None of that made sense and the fashion system felt more and more warped. There is such an oversaturation of clothing being produced and disposed of, and the process itself of making a garment can be so wasteful and polluting, to begin with.
I needed to find a way to balance these thoughts with the fact that I love what I do, that I love to design and make clothing, and that people feel good when they wear something new and beautiful and of quality. So the question became, “What was the coolest, least wasteful, and a most useful garment I could make?”
Reka is the culmination of my journey as a life-long lover of clothing and design. To me, Reka kaftans represent total freedom. They can be a blank canvas for every person’s style, they’re useful in all kinds of situations and are made of materials that feel good on the body. Our kaftans are sustainably made with GOTS certified 100% organic cotton, and hand block-printed or dyed with non-toxic pigments in factories that uphold a high standard for working conditions.
Honestly, I don’t even like to push the sustainability aspect of Reka because I believe that actually, everything should be made according to these standards, just like all food should be organically grown… But that’s a topic for another day.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As with any business, there are always challenges to face and decisions to make. Sometimes you get it right, once in a while not, but you keep following your intuitions and over time they become sharper and sharper. I would say that the biggest struggles we’ve had are with social media.
It’s changing constantly, so there is no formula for the best way to put yourself out there. We are constantly experimenting and it’s tough and time-consuming, but at the moment it seems to be the way things are going.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Reka kaftans are beautifully made, sustainably produced, 100% organic cotton kaftans that were designed for all humans. They come in a variety of patterns and colors and are suitable for all seasons.
They are one-size-fits-all, available in three lengths, and customizable according to one’s personal style. We are proud to make a product that is truly genderless, ageless, timeless, elegant, and fun.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
To do everything I do out of love, to live honestly and with integrity, to be brave when things don’t go as planned, to explore this big, beautiful world as much as I can, and learn every day, especially through my kids and businesses, to treat people with kindness and respect, to improve myself and my surroundings however I can.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@rekakaftans.com
- Website: www.rekakaftans.com
- Instagram: @rekakaftans
- Facebook: rekakaftans
Image Credits
Boogie
