About the brand

Eustratia means the “good” or “right” way in regards to the road that you take. The name was passed down to me by my Greek grandmother, a strong woman and a talented seamstress.

The brand was born in the UK in 2010, following my graduation from university attaining a BH (HONS) in fashion design and technology. 

The core concept behind the brand was that of duality, contradiction and balance. Acknowledging that light and dark elements coexist simultaneously in nature, in all of us. Contrasting elements can be celebrated, or balanced to achieve equilibrium. 

Silhouette wise, I often draw inspiration from historical clothing. I admire the craftsmanship and attention to detail. The meaning behind the different styles of garment fascinates me.  I often incorporate elements of historical clothing into my work. Various types of pleated sleeves, corsets and ruffles feature heavily in my collections. 

The adoption of period influences ties in well with my affiliation with the goth subculture, which has created a safe and accepting space for me to share my art and also influences my clothing from a wearability perspective.

The themes for my collections are inspired by mythology, philosophy, history or science fiction, often drawing on my Greek heritage and the stories I grew up listening to as a child. 

Perspective on fashion:

As someone who was studying at university during the rise of fast fashion, I’ve always found it problematic. I remember being disappointed when tutors explained parts of the buying and manufacturing process. The aim of copying an existing garment to remake a version of it as cheaply as possible, removing all the signs that any thought had been put into its design, eliminating the details that made it special, replacing any buttons, trims and closures for the cheapest option. Then placing order with whichever factory could offer the best deal, no matter the conditions of their workers.

I decided that I didn’t want to be part of that industry. I still wanted to start my own clothing brand but I would express my love for fashion in a different way.

The thing that made me most excited about fashion in the first place was its ability to convey a message without words. One can still express a mood, feeling or ideology without having to articulate it. What you wear can alter or enhance your mood. It can help you find your people, make connections and share unspoken nuances.

Before I had the words to express my views, I had the ability to choose my own clothes and put them together in a way that made sense to me. I imagined clothes that didn’t exist and how it might feel to wear them, the opportunities they might bring. It was these feelings of joy and authenticity that I wanted to bring to others by starting my own brand. 

The idea of working in a fast fashion world, where clothing is cheap, throwaway stuff, only worn for a few weeks to fit a trend was problematic for me and went against everything I had dreamed of creating.

I had already developed an interested in alternative fashion. I loved the elements of DIY, unexpected combinations, the addition of found objects, patches and accessories to help clothing become more personal, tell a story and connect to memories. This approach appeals to me as an artist and ties in with assigning value to clothing, creating a garment that is cherished by the individual.

For my brand, I wanted to add an element of luxury, take all of these elements of customisation, collecting and making memories but elevate it. Adding in the aspect of skill. Current pattern cutting, flattering silhouettes, embellishment, couture techniques, made to measure items. I saw a lot of people who were not happy with their clothes, even in the alternative community so I wanted to create a service to provide this.

Working in latex:

I was initially drawn to latex because of its otherworldly appearance. I was intrigued by the construction techniques, which were clearly different to those used with fabric clothing, as well as its unique properties of stretch and shine.

As I started working with latex I found the process much more enjoyable than working with fabric. The seams are joined by hand, which feels to me, like a cross between sewing and sculpture.

What I loved most latex clothing was that the culture behind it fit in with my ideology towards fashion. The handmade aspect is more artisanal. The fact that it is a niche material, means that wearers are often passionate about it, willing to take good care of their garments and cherish them for years to come. Most importantly, that latex outfits are often commissioned for a specific purpose or event, meaning that thought and preparation has gone into the process. This provides the opportunity to create amazing garments and often cultivates a relationship of collaboration between the designer and the wearer. Under these circumstances, it is expected that most items are made to order, which ties in perfectly with the slow fashion business model. Each purchase is considered, fighting overconsumption and waste is minimised as garments are rarely created and not used. 

Signature textures

With latex being a niche material, came the opportunity for innovation. Although the main appeal of latex has to be its sleek, shiny appearance and second skin-like feel, I saw an opportunity to add pattern and texture. This is where, latex-lace and the subcequent signature textures were born. Initially, the aim was to create a lace pattern that didn’t rub off like printed latex. I tried different techniques and eventually settled on rubberising lace fabric. I had planned to use it underneath translucent latex so the pattern would be visible through it but I loved the aspect of the added texture so much, I decided to feature the lace on the outside, giving me the opportunity to use it with opaque colours as well.