What is she like, the Divno girl? This question was asked by the founders of the Divno brand Masha Fedorova, Dasha Samkovich and Dilya Khisamova while developing the spring-summer collection. “The idea was born after we realized how diverse our audience is,” says Dasha Samkovich. — As a rule, a brand has a target audience united by age or other criteria. At Divno, we found out that we have a very wide audience, consisting of different ages, types and even taste preferences.” The brand’s stylist consultants note that 20-year-old girls with their mothers come to the boutiques and together select looks for university and various events. Also among the brand’s customers are elegant women 50+. “Fashionistas also come to us, choosing oversize, which is great for relaxed looks,” adds Dasha. “It was this diversity that inspired us to create the shoot.”
For the advertising campaign, it was decided to invite not only professional models, but also friends of the brand, who became the embodiment of the image of the brand’s heroine – brave, cheerful, strong, but at the same time fragile, stylish, self-confident and accepting of herself for who she is. “All models are somehow connected with Divno,” says Dasha. — Photographer Sofia Karavainskaya shoots all our campaigns. Model and blogger Olya Costa supports us on social networks, comes to all events and chooses the brightest and most daring images.”
The project fully reflects the concept of Divno – freedom from stereotypes and standards that for decades have convinced women from the pages of glossy magazines and social networks that beauty can exist within limited boundaries. “Any disadvantages can and should be turned into advantages, look for extra strength in yourself, you cannot focus on one thing – only the good or the bad,” comments Masha Fedorova on the project. “Life is diverse, and we are all different, and only in our synergy, unification, community, for example around our favorite brands, does a strength arise that helps to support each other.” Masha emphasizes that self-acceptance is not a weakness, as many may think. “It’s not that I gave up and am now who I am,” Fedorova adds. — This is accepting yourself with all your shortcomings, habits and character traits. There are no ideal people, there are only thoughts, and not everyone can achieve them in simple ways. Some people spend their entire lives looking for their path, and are lucky if they find it. But for some, the search for, if not truth, then oneself is the most important thing.”
According to Masha Fedorova, over time she realized that perfection is practically unattainable. “Everyone has different ideals,” says Fedorova. — Let’s remember the famous photograph of the cover of the American Vogue magazine, taken by Peter Linberg with supermodels of the 1990s Claudia Schiffer, Linda Evangelista, Tatjana Patitz, Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford – each of them faced hate. Crawford, for example, was not accepted by some because of her mole above her lip, while others, on the contrary, drew a black dot on their face.” However, both “La Gioconda” by Leonardo da Vinci and “Spring” by Sandro Botticelli are criticized. For some, these masterpieces depict ideal women, but for others they do not. Masha is sure that there is no single ideal; you need to strive for the best version of yourself, but do it gradually, taking care of your mental and physical health.
How to accept yourself as you are? “I had a long way to accept myself,” says Dasha Samkovich. — I’m not in the plus size category, but I’ve always been very tall. And it was difficult for me as a child. I grew up early, at the age of 14 I was 180 cm, now my height is 186 cm. In connection with this, I had many complexes. It seemed to me that I would never have a boyfriend and I wouldn’t be able to wear heels. Only at 25–26 years old was I able to fully accept myself. It just happened. Most likely, this was facilitated by the emerging affairs and worries. My brand I AM STUDIO began to actively develop, and, firstly, I was distracted by creating beauty. And secondly, when you get older, other values come into life.”
According to Dasha, for her the concept of “happiness” lies not in appearance, but in what you do and with whom, who your close friends are, what you fill your life with. “When you have a busy and active life, you no longer pay so much attention to appearance and don’t think about how I can accept myself. You are you and everything around you. I hope my advice will help other girls change their minds, change their values, focuses, guidelines and look not inside themselves, but to the outside world. It helps not even to accept yourself, but to accept that you are as you are, and that’s normal.”
The issue of self-acceptance is complex, and everyone solves it in their own way. “For some, it’s accepting all your shortcomings as they are,” shares Masha Fedorova. “Some people come to this only in the process of correcting their shortcomings, in the endless search and pursuit of ideals. I found a middle ground, although at certain periods of time various things seemed like shortcomings to me, and the way to deal with them was different, from complete acceptance and calm to shocking and using my shortcomings as advantages. I heard both words of support and hate. This is how our society works: if you cannot fight your own shortcomings, then most often you begin to fight the shortcomings of others or, without noticing your own shortcomings, you notice them in the eyes or bodies of other people with whom you do not sympathize. This is human nature, but from the point of view of social censure or hygiene it is bad. In this regard, I even at one time abolished the “Yes – No” column in Glamor magazine, in which we showed examples of well or poorly dressed stars and analyzed street fashion.”
How can clothes help you express yourself? “Clothing is not just protection from weather conditions and compliance with norms and decency,” says Masha Fedorova. — People choose clothes not only by price segment, climate and functionality. Style, direction and storytelling play a big role.” Today, storytelling is important for many brands, and PR teams are working hard on it. “We decided to express our story by inviting wonderful and very different women who work with us, are friends, and are proud to work with us. Stories of real women are the best storytelling. We have created an organic and honest story,” explains Masha Fedorova.
In the Divno spring-summer collection you can find flowing dresses, structured jackets, trousers, jeans, T-shirts and delicate cupra sets. The brand’s lineup includes items from sizes 50 to 64.
