Empowering Women, Embracing Sustainability, and Redefining Style, One Stitch at a Time
Simona Span, founder of Simona Span Fashion, shares her journey from creating for her daughters to international acclaim. Her designs embrace sustainability, empower women, and envision innovative collaborations.
In the heart of Romania, amidst the serene landscapes of Negresti Oas, Simona Șpan, a proud mother of four, found her sanctuary and her calling. Her story is one of resilience, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to her dreams. From the quaint charm of her small town upbringing to the bustling runways of international fashion events, Simona’s journey is nothing short of remarkable.
Amidst the challenges of the pandemic, Simona sought solace in the art of dressmaking, initially crafting garments for her daughters. Little did she know that this therapeutic endeavour would blossom into a flourishing fashion label, captivating hearts far beyond her hometown. Simona’s creations, infused with love and inspired by her Romanian heritage, soon caught the eye of fashion enthusiasts worldwide.
In our exclusive interview with Simona Șpan for Entrepreneur Prime magazine, we delve into the intricacies of her ascent from a home-based hobbyist to a celebrated designer with a global presence. Her transition from sewing for her daughters to establishing her own fashion empire underscores the transformative power of passion and perseverance.
Simona’s designs not only reflect her personal narrative but also resonate deeply with her clientele, embodying the spirit of empowerment and individuality. Her recent experience at the Pure London x JATC exhibition opened doors to new horizons, propelling her towards collaborations that bridge the worlds of fashion, art, and entertainment.
As sustainability takes centre stage in the fashion industry, Simona Șpan remains committed to ethical production practices. Her timeless creations, devoid of fleeting trends, embrace sustainability by prioritizing small-scale production and resource efficiency.
With each unique dress she creates, Simona Șpan champions the ethos of self-love and confidence, encouraging women to embrace their uniqueness with pride. Looking ahead, she envisions a future where technology and design converge to drive innovation while preserving precious resources.
Join us as we embark on a journey through Simona Șpan’s world of fashion, where passion meets purpose, and dreams know no bounds.
What inspired you to transition from creating dresses for your daughters to establishing your own fashion label?
My biggest inspiration for expanding my brand, was the happiness of my clients. Whenever I was creating a dress for someone, the excitement in their eyes and the pure joy of wearing my designs, kept me going and motivated me to create more and more.
How do you believe your personal story and the beginnings of your brand resonate with your clientele?
I think lots of women out there resonate with my story. A single mother, trying her best, pushing the boundries, getting out of her confort zone just to be able to provide a good future for her daughters and following her passion! I would love to know that I’m a source of inspiration for women and show them that nothing is impossible and is never too late to follow your dream!
Could you share with us a highlight from your recent experience at the Pure London x JATC exhibition?
I had no idea what to expect from Pure London x JATC, but many people, after seeing my dresses on the catwalk, came to me and encouraged me to expand my work and my vision towards movie, cinema and theatre world, combining my work with art like opera, exhibitions of painting and other exclusivist events.
How does your Romanian heritage influence your designs, and how are you integrating this into the global fashion scene?
My designs are influenced by the places I’ve grew up in. I love colours, I love nature, the floral prints, the landscapes from my hometown were my biggest source of inspiration.
What challenges have you faced in scaling your brand from a local business to an international one, and how have you overcome them?
Actually I cannot talk about a local business, because after my first appereance in Romania, almost every invitation that followed was international: Italy, Canada, Dubai, France, England, America. In some we were able to go, but some of them are on our pending list, looking forward to go this year.
Sustainability is a significant conversation in fashion today. How does Simona Șpan address sustainability in its production processes?
Thanks to the fact that our dresses are timeless, so they don’t follow trends, sustainability inside our company translates into limiting production to small series, without unnecessary merchandise stocks and avoiding the consumption of resources until they are clearly dedicated to a targeted consumption.
What is the philosophy behind the unique dresses you create, and how do you want women to feel when wearing your designs?
The philosophy behind my designs is that every woman is unique and special. Every woman should embrace this uniqueness and love everything about her, feel empowered, have confidence and be brave enough to wear something that is created just for her!
Looking towards the future, what direction do you see Simona Șpan taking, and are there any upcoming projects or collaborations we can look forward to?
Now we work at a new project that will combine new technology with design, specially developed to save resources such as fabrics, time, production costs. This project comes to help the production efficiency and implementing sustainability too.
Brilliant article. I was thrilled to have discovered Simona’s beautiful painted dresses at Pure London-JATC and instantly found a connection between my paintings and her dresses. We will definitely collaborate for unique shows, moving forward.