This week, Dubai welcomes a truly remarkable creative mind: Roksanda Ilincic, the force behind her namesake label ROKSANDA. Visiting the city as the first Artist in Residence at Marsa Al Arab, she’s spending her time exploring a beautiful intersection, where fashion meets architecture, inspired by the hotel’s sculptural lines and seaside setting. BURO had the pleasure of sitting down with Roksanda for a relaxed fashion chit-chat and a personal tour around the property. What unfolded was a refreshingly inspiring conversation filled with art, Salvador Dalí, dresses made of sponges, and the kind of imaginative thinking only she could bring to life.
A creative, a dreamer, and a true original, Roksanda reminded us that fashion isn’t just worn… it’s felt, seen, and experienced.
WE KNOW YOU AS A FASHION GENIUS, BUT IF YOU HAD TO CREATE A WEARABLE ART PIECE OUT OF SOMETHING COMPLETELY RANDOM YOU FIND IN THIS HOTEL, WHAT WOULD YOU USE?
Well, interestingly, with this collaboration I already created the flowers, and if there were ever a dress made entirely out of those flowers, that would truly be a dream. The collaboration with Jumeirah Marsa el Arab Hotel began from a very creative place. We wanted to do something outside the box. People know me for fashion, but we wanted to explore something that people don’t usually associate with me, and that was florals. So we created sculptural flowers, and I absolutely believe they could be translated into dresses as well.
HAVE YOU EVER FOUND INSPIRATION IN SOMETHING SO ORDINARY THAT IT MADE YOU THINK, “I COULD MAKE A COLLECTION OUT OF THIS”? DID THAT TRANSLATE INTO YOUR MARSA EL ARAB EXPERIENCE?
Absolutely. I once created a Fall/Winter collection inspired by very mundane objects found in my studio, leftover pattern pieces, fabric scraps, ribbons, things that had no “life” anymore. I find it incredibly exciting to elevate objects that have lost their purpose and transform them into something unique and timeless. That is the power of being an artist: picking up something perceived as worthless or ordinary and taking it to the next level through imagination.
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU FEEL UNINSPIRED OR CREATIVELY BLOCKED?
We all have moments where the ideas don’t flow. When that happens, I go to galleries. I love art, and I’m a big supporter of female artists, each of my collections is inspired by a different woman artist. Living in London, I’m spoiled with incredible galleries, especially smaller independent ones that showcase niche talent. Just the act of going to those galleries already reignites my creativity.
IF YOU COULD SWAP LIVES WITH ONE ARTIST OR FASHION DESIGNER FROM HISTORY FOR A DAY, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
If I could swap with a fashion designer, it would have to be the legendary Yves Saint Laurent. I’m a huge admirer of his work. I grew up surrounded by his creations because my mother loved him too. His use of colour, the way he balanced masculine and feminine, couture and daywear, and his daring move into ready-to-wear when it was unheard of for a couture designer, all of that inspires me. Above everything, the magic he brought to his collections still lives today.
YOU SHARED A BEAUTIFUL STORY ABOUT SALVADOR DALÍ EARLIER, CAN YOU TELL IT AGAIN FOR THIS INTERVIEW?
Yes! Salvador Dalí is such an inspiration, with a point of view that was completely unique and often against the norms of his time. There was a film made about him (film title to be added), and by pure coincidence, I discovered that one of my designs was used in a very memorable scene in the film — a dinner scene where the guests wear masks. I loved how connected everything suddenly felt. Life is funny that way — your wedding was connected to the same castle. Even when we don’t realise it, we’re all linked somehow.
WHAT’S THE MOST ECCENTRIC THING YOU’VE DONE IN THE PROCESS OF CREATING ART, AND COULD MARSA EL ARAB INSPIRE YOU TO DO IT AGAIN?
During the pandemic, when everything stopped, events, socialising, community, we had to rethink the purpose of fashion and how to present it. One of the most creative projects I did was a dance performance instead of a traditional runway show, with choreographer Holly Blakey. We showcased a collection through dancers expressing emotions we all felt during COVID: loneliness, frustration, uncertainty, lack of light at the end of the tunnel. It was powerful. I would love to bring Holly and the dancers here, and take the collaboration even further by involving more female creatives.
IF SOMEONE CREATED A MUSEUM ENTIRELY ABOUT YOU, WHAT WOULD THE MOST SURPRISING EXHIBIT BE?
I love this question, and I’m going to manifest a museum dedicated to my work! And yes, my pieces deserve to be showcased. I think the most surprising element would be something not related to fashion. Perhaps a room where the walls, tapestries, and artworks are all created from our in-house textiles. We hand-paint and craft everything, so having a room dedicated solely to the original artworks, the prints as paintings before they become garments — would surprise people. They look so different in their 2D form before they are translated into clothing.
WHAT’S THE WEIRDEST PLACE OR OBJECT THAT HAS EVER SPARKED A DESIGN IDEA FOR YOU?
I often find inspiration in unexpected places, that’s part of the creative mind. But recently, for one show, I used discarded sponges from a previous project and transformed them into the stars of the collection. No one would ever know unless they were told, but those sponges became the most beautiful evening pieces.
YOU SEEM FEARLESS WITH EXPERIMENTING, WHAT ELSE HAVE YOU USED THAT ISN’T “FASHION” MATERIAL?
So many things. I once used sequins cut into oversized square shapes, then manipulated them, breaking, folding, reshaping, to give them an entirely new life. They became the hero embroidery pieces for the finale looks and were displayed in the Mount Street store window. Another example was the “air bubbles” dress, made of organza, with 2,000 handmade organza bubbles, each molded into a lightweight, airy shape. Every season, we experiment with something unexpected, sometimes boldly, sometimes hidden in tiny details you only notice up close.
LAST SPONTANEOUS QUESTION: WHAT ARE YOU READING OR WATCHING RIGHT NOW THAT’S INSPIRING YOU?
Recently, I’ve been re-watching cinema masterpieces. I saw them years ago, but now my Friday nights have become “film nights” at home. I revisit iconic moments in film history, Tarkovsky’s Mirror, Fassbinder, Visconti… I recently rewatched Death in Venice, one of my favourite films. There’s something beautiful about revisiting works created decades ago, in today’s fast-paced world, they resonate differently and remind us to slow down and absorb art more deeply.
ALSO READ: FASHIONABLY FREAKY: 9 HALLOWEEN MOVIES THAT ARE BOTH SCARY AND STYLISH.
