Noblivity Spotlights Nikolo Bertock
Company/Designer Name: NIKOLO BERTOK LONDON / Nikolo Bertok
Designer Background Summary:
Born in Bratislava, I grew up enjoying an education in the arts and became fascinated with fashion design in my early years after being inspired by my mother. At just 16 I was already a serious fashion designer and within a year I single handedly produced my first fashion show with an impressive thirty-piece collection. I completed a degree in Arts and am now finishing my second degree in Fashion at Middlesex University. I now reside in London.
How did you get started?
I started designing when I was 15-16 years old and became obsessed with Fashion. My mother always wanted to be a professional fashion designer when she was that age, but because of the time before 1989 in Slovakia, the country I come from, it was so difficult to make her dream come true. My first experience with fashion was working for a local shop that sold fine fabrics. I learned a lot in such a short space of time and met a lot of interesting customers – fashion designers and people from the show-business. With all that passion in me I decided to become a professional fashion designer and work hard on my first collection, then fashion show.
What inspires your designs?
It is life. My life, other people’s life etc. The emotions we show always helps me to feel and find the right concept for my collections.
How would you describe your design style, design signatures and who is your targeted customer?
The style of NIKOLO BERTOK LONDON is very free, very liberal and sometimes screaming ´hey! look at me!´. It is what you just can’t find in any other stores or boutiques. My customers are truly free and honest with themselves. They are not afraid to show their real identity, as these days the fashion Industry seems still restricted by rules like we can’t wear sleeveless shirts to the office meeting or have to wear that particular length of dress to a VIP party. My lines of clothing are definitely not for the serious office-meetings then, but it does not mean I would not see them in the office. But if my customer wants to break these rules, that I always appreciate.
What designers inspire you?
Ihave a huge respect for Martin Maison Margiela’s fashion and art work, absolutely fabulous and I feel that is the fashion theory I would love to follow. I adore earlier collections of Giani Versace, and Andy Warhol is my big inspiration.
What obstacles did you have to overcome?
There have been a lot of obstacles and I am sure there will be many more. Many people don’t always wish you good things in your career and life. To set up a business is pretty hard and being just a freelance artist is many times like a lost fish in the ocean. To understand life around you and the whole business takes quite a long time and I can say I am still working on it!.
How did you overcome them?
Well in my opinion it has only been the best experience for me because I have learned you can always make positive changes by analyzing what is wrong and where the limits are, and you can always start from the beginning!
What has been your greatest moment on your journey so far?
It is going to be showcasing at London Fashion Week this year with my futuristic ´UNLIMITED´ collection line.
What has been the biggest change in your designs so far?
There are always some changes I am developing along with my fashion. I am trying to simplify my designs more and make my designs more wearable and affordable to the public.
If money were no object what would you do right now?
I would set up my boutique in Central London or New York immediately. Isn’t it amazing to be overwhelmed with all the duties around your own business?
What are the best and worst things about being a designer?
The best things about being a designer is being an artist. Just the artist can say how amazing it is to be someone who creates the craziest designs and products from mind to reality. It is like you have the magic-stick like fairy’s do in their hand. The worst thing is being frustrated by so much of the negative energy around and people who do not accept the fashion as a part of art but just as the product they wear and then throw away. This is very sad.
Describe your typical day?
I love wake up early in the morning. I have a coffee meanwhile everyone and everything around is still asleep. One of my favourite things when I do have time is morning coffee somewhere central, sitting outside with the newspapers and my sunglasses. I like to watch other people around, running to work, shops are just being opened and you feel all these wonderful hectic things going on around you. It is like a story or watching a movie, and it inspires me a lot. Then I usually go to University where I am doing my Fashion Degree. In the evening at home I work on my collections and during the nigh I paint.
What’s your philosophy of life?
That life is everything, everything around us. We should enjoy every second of it anywhere and anytime.
If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?
Nothing, everything is like it is supposed to be. This is the same if you was going to ask me this after I did it differently but it means I could not know that I did it, it is like a never ending philosophy. To be identified and satisfied with what we have done is one of the hardest things in our daily life, even if we know we did something wrong there is just future and it’s up to us what the next step is going to be like.
When will you know you have made it?
Never. I will just keep going. And this is part of my theory on my fashion. You never know what will happen so do it now and do not ever regret it.
