Samo Gledam with Alenka Cindrić
The lovely UK based Croatian designer Alenka Cindrić runs a microlabel called Samo Gledam.
[SN] What is a microlabel?
[Alenka] I have decided to call Samo gledam a microlabel because the term small label already feels established and doesn’t fully represent what Samo Gledam is about. As a really small label you can`t compete with the big, established labels on their own playing field. So you have to make your own and that`s what I am trying to do with Samo gledam as not even a small, but a micro label.
I love fashion but I think so much pressure is put on designers, models and other creatives to move at a ridiculously fast pace and make tons of money. I started Samo Gledam because of the enjoyment I get from designing, and if I was to try and play by the rules of the fashion industry I think the enjoyment would become replaced with stress. So I take my time, don`t do formal collections, design at my own pace, develop new designs and stop making certain designs when it feels right. I am at the moment the only person involved in the label and I make everything by hand and in small amounts.
[SN] Tell us more about you, your background and your work.
My background is in fine art and languages. I have a degree in both. I moved to the UK last year, before that I was living, studying and working in Croatia, (Samo Gledam was started in Croatia in 2012). I wasn’t that involved in fashion design before, I was very much in to socially engaged art, doing video performances and installations, but as I was figuring out what I would like to do for a living, I went to a skill exchange workshop and did crocheting. That gave me a tremendous sense of empowerment. Being able to make your own clothes felt really good.
After that I connected with my roots and my early childhood - my granny was a seamstress and my mother worked as a self-employed dressmaker, so I grew up surrounded by patterns, played with sewing machines and learned to make stuff. I also got very used to wearing clothes that no one else had because my mum made almost everything I wore. I think I am trying to give a bit of that experience to people who buy Samo Gledam - small amounts of stock makes the pieces unique, but at affordable prices.
[SN] What is your design manifesto?
Experimenting with materials and letting the materials inspire the design rather than the other way around is an important aspect of Samo Gledam. For example, for one of the bags, carpet floor tiles were used (amongst other things).
Another important thing for me is that men and women in almost equal proportions have been buying and supporting Samo Gledam. I am not designing with a unisex aesthetic in mind, but Samo Gledam will never have a menswear or womenswear label on it either. This organic gender neutrality of the designs is something I am eager to keep.
[SN] What's interesting in fashion in UK and Croatia right now?
In Croatia, a little breath of fresh air, in my opinion, is the label Dioralop by Andreja Bistricic & Maja Merlic. Another interesting designer whose work I am looking forward to see evolve is Morana Kranjec, who drew attention to herself with her paper origami dresses. Fashion in the UK is at it`s peek at the moment, exciting, bold and vibrant, with all the great university fashion courses, like the ones at Central Saint Martins, London College of Fashion and others. Cristopher Kane is (deservingly) making it big and lending some of his spotlight to the other UK based designers, which is a great thing because I think there are many more interesting young designers to be found here.
[SN] Thank you Alenka! We look forward to continued success of Samo Gledam!
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