In a world where fashion often dictates strict rules and beauty standards change faster than the wind, there are designers whose work goes beyond the usual. Victoria Avdoshina is one of them. Her path in design is not just a story of creating beautiful things, but a deep journey of self-discovery, overcoming difficulties and realising a unique mission. From her childhood passion for sewing and medicine to creating unique accessories that serve as personal ‘amulets’, Victoria proves that true creativity begins where limits and fears end. This article will immerse you in the world of Viktoria Avdoshina, where every stitch carries meaning and every accessory becomes a guide to your true essence.
Please tell us about your childhood. What memories most vividly reflect your love of creativity? What lessons from your childhood do you apply in your work today?
At 11, driven by a desire for creative experiments, I decided to sew a new costume. I found my mom’s 80s wedding dress made of lurex tulle in her closet. Thinking it might yellow and be forgotten, I decided to “breathe new life into it.”
I made patterns and sewed the costume. I clearly remember putting a dark purple zipper into a white costume—it looked absurd, but I was in a hurry to wear it. Despite that, everything worked out. I was happy to have independently completed the entire process of creating the costume.
I rushed to show Mom, but when she came home from work, she punished me. At the time, I didn’t understand why, but as I grew older, I realized how much pain I had caused her. Now it’s just a family story I recall with love.
My grandmother did a lot of embroidery, passing down Ukrainian traditions to me. She often told stories of how women used to gather in circles in the evenings, singing and embroidering. That’s how she made me fall in love with this magical craft, and imperceptibly, I started embroidering with her in the evenings.
Our home was entirely hand-embroidered: from paintings to bedding. I easily picked up new creative information on my own, simply by observing my mom, who was an excellent painter. She even decorated a large wall in my kindergarten with fairy-tale characters, and at school, she depicted a “ship of knowledge” with letters across an entire wall. I’m proud that she did all this for all the children, and for me.
I always thought that my mum could have been a successful artist if it wasn’t for her life choices. So I gathered all the creative talents from my female relatives and decided to realise them for us all. I believe that talents should not die; they are given from above and are incredibly valuable.
I apply everything that my older women passed down to me in my handiwork: artistic techniques, weaving, knitting, embroidery, sewing. I cannot let this knowledge disappear; it is my ancestral mission.
Why did you choose hairdressing in college?
The reason was simple: I didn’t have enough money for my dream. I wanted to be a surgeon. I loved cutting, stitching, blood, saving, and healing. I even tried my hand at it: I treated my animals, collected medical books and an American medical encyclopedia, knew all the tablets and their instructions. Due to poor health, I often ended up in hospitals, where I’d pester doctors with questions, reading their books in their offices. Back then, there was no internet, so I cherished every medical book at home.
Unfortunately, my family couldn’t help me with such an incredibly expensive path. During that period, I went through a court case with my parents, the death of my grandmother, and I had to drastically change my life by moving house. I also didn’t become an architect because of money, despite my excellent spatial awareness, sense of perspective, and knowledge of drafting.
The only options left available to me were studying hair styling or fashion design. Since I was already good at sewing and cutting dogs’ hair, I was keen to learn something new. And I didn’t regret it!
At college, we studied chemistry, perfume compositions, cosmetic production, how to open one’s own beauty salon, marketing, and the economics of running a business, as well as human anatomy. We even went to a morgue to properly understand the structure of organs and the body, reflecting this in our sketches. And we drew a great deal. I was admitted based on one exam where I had to draw a still life with a graphic pencil; I passed the others just for formality. That’s how I found my calling, where I further diversified my knowledge. I was very lucky with the college lecturers – they were truly dedicated educators.
How did participating in avant-garde hair competitions help you realise your calling in design?
Entering competitions has been a passion of mine since college. Creative coursework, shows and competitions required me not just to do hairstyles, but to develop full-fledged themed looks. I even had to supplement them with floristry, which I knew nothing about at the time.
I am always critical of myself and set the bar higher than possible in every project. That’s how I realised I was capable of more. After college, I went to the academy to study fashion design, and on a budget.
What pushed you to open your own design studio in Kharkiv?
I found studying at the academy boring. We did a lot of drawing but very little sewing. They gave us the basics, but not the knowledge that would truly spark my imagination. I craved more practical experience with complex problems and their solutions. I got a job at a large outerwear factory, but even there, they put me on an assembly line, performing the same single operation. My colleagues told me I wouldn’t be allowed to assemble an entire coat — only two sewers had achieved that position in five years. This didn’t suit me, so I quit.
Later, I was unfairly expelled from the academy due to my health. I got angry and started sewing clothes at home. Even later, I rented a small, cozy space in the historical center of Kharkiv. My former classmates started coming to me for advice or to sew something on my machines.
It was then I realized I hadn’t lost anything, and being expelled had actually made me stronger. Anger is an excellent resource for me; it helps me find a way out of any situation. I’m able to break through barriers to new things thanks to that anger. So, if you see my new achievements, you’ll know: I got angry!
How did you come up with the idea of creating accessories? What inspired you to work in this particular direction?
While sewing dresses in my atelier, I started to try haute couture embroidery techniques. In this I have always been inspired by the work of Christian Dior. I admire their philosophy and fine taste. I treat my clients with the same tenderness.
When creating my famous transformer wedding dress, which caused a lot of discussion on social media in 2015, I embroidered so much that I thought: embroidery is worthy of a separate attention. So I challenged myself again to create unusual accessories based on these techniques. I like to stand out, to attract attention with unconventionality. And accessories play an important role in our wardrobe, often even more important than the clothes themselves. They can transform an outfit into a single ensemble, link the elements of the wardrobe, emphasise the important things in our appearance and tell us things about ourselves that are not visible at first glance.
How has the public responded to your unique designs?
It saddens me to say this, but I’ve encountered a disappointment: how under-popularized accessories are in modern fashion. I still face a lot of internal resistance in society. People are afraid of them; they think it’s complicated, don’t know how to wear them, and don’t understand why they need them. Nowadays, minimalism in a wardrobe is even considered a sign of status.
Remember a time when professions like “hatter” or “glover” existed? Back then, it never even occurred to anyone that these were unnecessary items, and stylists didn’t even exist! And embroidery, in general, was a mark of exceptional wealth. Many dreamed of owning such accessories but couldn’t due to their high cost.
What’s stopping this from being the case now? I understand that time moves on and everything changes. I believe people have lost a lot of beauty over the years, and I’d like to bring that back to us. Since I’ve gained clients from various countries, I believe I’m succeeding in this.
Tell us about your most meaningful creation and its story?
Every piece I create brings me so much value: new connections and knowledge, both from a technological standpoint and in terms of moral values. But I’d particularly highlight the story of the “Sacred Heart of Virgin Mary” earrings. I believe in serendipity.
My clients never know exactly what piece I’m creating for them. That’s my principle. I craft these pieces in a meditative flow for the client’s soul, not for what their mind desires. Our brain sometimes leads us astray; it’s a way it protects our psyche, which is normal – psychologists will understand what I mean.
When a piece was ready, I would organize a “meeting” between the client and their accessory. And it was magnificent! The girl had no idea what had been created for her. I told her I envisioned one thing, but at the last moment, I diverged from the original plan without telling her.
And at their meeting, she wept so intensely. She said her deceased grandmother had appeared to her in a dream and spoke of the symbols I had created in those earrings. In that moment, I realized I was doing more than just making accessories. It was incredibly touching for both of us; we cried together.
How did moving to the USA affect your work? What changed and how did it affect your work?
I have an open mind to everything new and I don’t cling to the past. Yes, I’m scared to move forward, just like everyone else. But when I was forced to leave and found myself in a country where I had to speak a different language, I asked myself: “If you’re afraid to buy food at the supermarket, what will you ever do with your life?”
Since then, I’ve been integrating myself as much as possible into new societies, wherever I am. I’ve overcome many fears in my self-expression and creativity. I couldn’t even imagine myself at international competitions before, but now my boundaries have expanded, and I want more.
I proudly declare what I do, unafraid of seeming strange or “not normal.” Consequently, the idea that my creations are “outside the system” has vanished for me. They’re simply not for everyone. You need to understand their role in your life and learn how to use them.
I don’t want to conquer the world like mass-produced toys. I am a master craftswoman with deep individual meanings. This can’t be taken away from me; I can do this anywhere in the world. This realization came to me precisely with the relocation.
What do you see as your mission as a designer? How exactly does your work help women on the path to self-discovery?
I’m not an ordinary designer – and it’s not about fashion trends. For me, fashion is a reflection of your figure and soul, not blindly following trends. I believe that our soul knows what it needs and I only help you find and wear it.
My mission is to help you open up and come back to yourself through images and accessories, creating a kind of personal amulet.
It’s all simple and complicated at the same time. Some see my work as a connection to past lives, finding answers to current issues. Others attract love or return to the ‘home of the soul’ in another country. Some seek protection from negative energies.
It is especially touching when people come to their ‘child wounded part’ through the accessory, saying ‘thank you for surviving’. This brings inner peace, a sense of love and being heard.
These realisations change lives forever, like you find the key to a long locked door. It’s similar to therapy, only you work on your own through the image of the accessory and I guide you to myself, creating it for you.
How do you promote your products? What tricks or ways of popularisation can you advise?
I don’t give universal advice. I have worked in SMM and promotion in the past, and I can say: look for your unique ‘tricks’. This is a broad topic, and although I can develop a promotion scheme for a specific business, remember that paid Instagram advertising will work for some people, and for others only personal recommendations will work. Any marketer will confirm, ‘You have to test for yourself.’
Personal recommendations and customer videos work well for me. I’ve been building this out for years. To really want my product, you have to know me personally, understand my philosophy. Only then does a person realise that they have made the right decision and make an informed purchase.
I do not sell just a ‘beautiful picture’ on social networks, as it does not convey my meanings and energy. This requires ‘live touches’: exhibitions, forums, masterclasses. If this is your option, you can adopt my model of behaviour.
What does the concept of ‘deeply meaningful design’ mean to you?
I reflect the psychology of the client in my design, drawing on my knowledge of psychology and energy practices. After ten years of personal therapy and practice, and possessing an innate critical analysis (numerologists and tarologists call me ‘The Hermit’), I have healed myself to help others. I love being alone, for the many wounds I have ‘licked’ have given me the power to open the eyes of others.
To make these deep ideas understandable, I transform them into matter, creating familiar accessories with offbeat imagery. In the process, I use techniques suitable for materialising the ideas. If a needlework technique is unfamiliar to me, I learn it myself by experimentation.
It is always a unique search that requires patience.
How do you feel when you see your work being worn and it resonates with people?
One day my husband called me on the way to work and shouted happily: ‘Vika, I saw your dress at the bus stop!’ Or, coming to a restaurant, I hear at the entrance: “You are Victoria Avdoshina, aren’t you? I know you, my friend is subscribed to your page and dreams of your jewellery.”
Of course, it is a pride in my work to realise that my view and philosophy finds like-minded people and that it is valuable to them. For me, it’s a signal to move forward.
This is very important, as I consider it a gift of sorts that should serve humanity. We are all born for a mission, even if it means handing a stranger a glass of beer in a bar or delaying a flight so that it doesn’t crash.
What are your creative plans for the future?
To be honest, it’s hard to make plans now. But I don’t stand still and I like to try myself in new roles. So, I’m already trying my hand at teaching. Even after oncology, I couldn’t get over this fear; it was only when I moved to another country that I came to it decisively. This is a case where fear turns into a resource rather than stopping it.
I don’t want to voice the details, there are no concrete satisfactory results yet.
I am already acting, and it is already a big step for me in another country, with new people and language, having lost all my previous resources.
