Facemasks are currently a necessary part of life during the coronavirus health crisis and now the fashion world is ensuring that they also become trendy.
In an interview with Monaco Life, local fashion designer Margaret Wisniewska talks about why she decided to incorporate masks into her latest collection.
 
Monaco Life: Tell us about yourself, where you are from and how you came to be a fashion designer? 
Margaret Wisniewska: I am from Poland and I have felt the need to be creative since the age of seven, always enjoying drawing, painting and sewing. I used to paint Disney characters for kids at school, for example. I always dreamt of becoming an artist and designer.
I also spent time watching Hollywood movies, especially musicals, as music, rhythm, modelling and designing all make me feel alive.
I was never into sciences and preferred the artistic side of life. So, I decided to go to fashion college in my motherland, Poland. Later in life, I worked as a model and studied fashion design at the University of Arts in London. In 2016, I opened a fashion design company in London and just like that, the brand name Margaret Wisniewska was born.
From London, I moved to Monaco where I now reside. In the not-too-distant future, I shall make my entry into the US fashion design market.

What is the philosophy behind your creations? 
My philosophy in life is “Fashion is therapy”. Everyone should take care of themselves and have a unique style, because your appearance shows who you are.
Also, a positive mindset, self-love, trust in one’s values, strength, and the guidance of God have all given me experience and inspiration and have developed my philosophy behind my creations.
My principal goal is to fulfil the needs of different women through bespoke designs. I’m inspired when creating my designs through natural flowers and movies.

Has anyone famous worn your dresses?
Celebrities who have worn my fashion designs include Anita Chui who wore my Black Mysterious Dress during the Cannes Film Festival. The name of this dress was inspired by the Mystical Black Magic petunia.
Also, the beautiful Victoria Silvestedt wore my amazing Purple Rose Dress in the 2020 collection at the Hermitage Hotel in Monaco. This creation was inspired by the American romantic comedy film ‘The Purple Rose of Cairo’.

Do you have a favourite dress or design? 
Sure, every fashion design artist has their own preferences. My favourite is ‘The Purple Rose Dress’.
I also love designing wedding dresses and special occasion-clothing. Beauty and elegance impact not only the women wearing these clothes for what is perhaps one of the most exciting moments of their lives, but also the friends and family who share that moment. While designing them, I transport myself into a realm of total happiness and love. One has to love the creation. This is how the world started, did it not?
How have you coped during the coronavirus health crisis? 
The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has obviously affected all of us negatively from a business viewpoint. However, it has also taught me how fragile we all are and how nothing should be taken for granted. I do hope that out of this terrible situation we will all come out more mature, attaching relatively more value to what matters: family, friends, the pleasure of a well-done job, and the importance of caring for each other.
How did the coronavirus crisis impact your business? 
Cancelled events have hit the business hard. Confinement is about staying as invisible as possible. Whereas fashion is about making people happy by looking beautiful and seeing beauty in others.

You have diversified your business and now sell fashionable face masks. Can you tell us more about them?
When lockdown was enforced, I asked myself: “Why should a mask look sad?”. That is why I decided to design masks that represent a chance at life, not just protection from sickness. The masks I am designing are made of silk. They can be worn after washing at gentle temperature. I can also include a filter inside the mask, upon request.
Has the crisis made you think about diversifying your product line long-term?  
In the long-term, I do not think that the product line has to be altered. Competitive prices for high-quality products are always going to be necessary, for sure. Yet, the product line will be as distinct and unique as it currently is. At the moment, I do not see a need for a change in the values that I consider, if I may say so, eternal.
I shall approach the future as I have lived so far, trusting myself, working hard, trying to inspire others with my designs and getting inspired by what good is in human beings.
How do you think this crisis will affect the fashion industry as a whole? 
The future will need to be viewed, as I hinted earlier, as a return to basic values. At least, I do hope so. Beauty is a basic value and the industry of fashion design will only have to continue doing its job of enlightening our lives with beauty.
What is the future of Margaret Wisniewska designs?
I would like to have more designs and develop more products for women and increase my luxury brand’s visibility all over the world.
And as I love kids, I am in the process of creating a new range for children. This collection will include, for example, unique bags, because it’s one of my preferred design activities.
Where can we find your designs?
My designs are available online through my official website: Margaretwisniewska.com as well as at private events in luxury hotels in Monaco, France, Italy and London.
Instagram @wisniewskamargaret.