1. For all the readers, please introduce yourself.
I’m stage wear designer Lena Quist. I’m specialised in high end sparkly spandex wear for the entertainment industry. Mainly
music, circus and dance acts, but my designs are also popular as festival outfits and Halloween costumes. My brand is all about
having a good time as your most extravagant self.
2. Talk about how you got started in the fashion industry.
Actually, it’s kind of a funny story. Since I grew up on the countryside, far from any big city, the fashion options were very limited,
so at age 13 I started drawing clothes that I wish I could find in the stores. About a year or two later we had a theme day in
school focusing on what we want be when we grow up. I was clueless, so I just said I want to be a designer because I liked
drawing clothes. Came home, told my mom, and she says “how’s that gonna happen? You don’t know how to sew!” Completely
out of spite, to prove her wrong, in the next year I taught myself how to sew. Of course, I’m not going deny that it takes a certain
amount of genuine interest and talent, but it’s still a funny origin story.
3. Talk about the inspirations growing up in wanting to do fashion design.
I grew up on a farm in rural Sweden. I had no idea fashion designer was even a job you could do. But I’ve loved dressing up for
as long as I can remember. Getting in trouble for wearing my nice clothes and shoes while being out playing in the mud and dirt.
Growing up in the 80s and 90s was very different from today. There was no internet and very little outside influence, but coming
of age in fashion during the early 2000’s with Alexander McQueen, John Galliano for Dior and Tom Ford for Gucci and YSL ruling
supreme, that was quite something! For sure that shaped me as a fashion designer and grew my belief that creativity has no
limits. Until this day, they are my favourite designers, and they have greatly influenced me.
4. What are the struggles in doing fashion design?
Trying stay original and staying ahead of the curve when people are stealing your work and passing it off as their own. That
appears to be a constant struggle of mine, along with the usual work-life balance when you’re working with tight deadlines and
designs need to be finished and on the other side of the world in just a few days to shoot a TV show or a tour is kicking off. At
least my life is never boring, and it’s a struggle that I choose.
5. you started LENA QUIST; talk about the idea of starting this brand.
I’ve always loved glitter and glamour, and since I set my mind on becoming a fashion designer, I wanted to see my own name in
neon light. I started the brand fresh out of fashion school at age 22, using my last $200 to buy an overlock sewing machine. I
didn’t know a thing about running a business, but I still managed to get my handmade designs into different shops in Sweden
and Denmark, both physical stores and online. For many years, it was a lot of trial and error. As an independent designer I had to
find my own way and that’s how I eventually abandoned alternative fashion for luxury stage wear. The brand grew and evolved
with me.
6. We love the leggings and the latex type of material that you produce. how did you make this a very original concept?
Thank you! I’ve made the metallic shiny leggings for such a long time that I honestly don’t remember how it all came to be, but I
think it was a material I picked up right before it became super-trendy around 2008. I love leather, but let’s be real, it’s not the
best material for the stage. It’s heavy and gets very warm under the stage lights. I wanted something lighter that allows
movement, and this material is just perfect. It’s as sexy as leather and allows you to do a split jump without worrying about an
embarrassing wardrobe malfunction. They were an instant bestseller among my rocker clientele and are still going strong all
these years later.
7. How do you stay updated with the latest fashion trends and incorporate them into your designs?”
Sure I stay up to date with what’s going on in the fashion industry, but since I’m a stage wear designer, I tend to dance more to
my own tune. Championing individual style rather than following trends. Every rockstar and performer need a signature look.
That’s what I love to do; find what makes someone unique - and elevate it. If you want to stand out and be memorable, you got to
create something that is truly your own. You cannot spend too much time constantly looking over your shoulder at what other
people are doing. You gotta stay true to yourself and your fans, and you gotta continue to reach for the stars.8. Can you walk us through your design process from concept to completion?
My inspiration tends to start with something random. Half of the times I can’t remember what lit the fuse, but it doesn’t matter.
The idea’s already got a mind of its own. I sketch like a maniac until I’ve gotten it all out. I scout fabrics and get sample pieces.
Then I walk away. Gotta let the madness breathe, marinate and stew in its own juices. When I come back a while later, it’s with a
more civilised brain, ready to sketch another round and select the best designs. Fashion should tell a story, not just scream NEW
STUFF in your face. That’s why I’m fully committed to slow fashion. I want to infuse a soul into every creation.
Now we’re heading into impatience territory. I’m constructing patterns, ordering fabrics and sewing samples. Tunnel vision is on. I
just want to get the sample collection done, so I can watch the magic come to life in front of the camera. Luckily, I’ve got my ride-
or-die-crew in an insanely talented photographer and a makeup artist who knows how to take my vision and elevate it to new
heights. I get high on the adrenaline, and it’s the best feeling in the world.
9. Describe a time when you had to work with a tight budget. How did you maintain design integrity?”
Most independent designers work on a tight budget always, but I’ve learned over the years to stay true to myself and to my
vision. I’d rather make fewer designs than cut back on the quality of materials or hiring a cheaper team. Those decisions always
come back to bite you.
10. How do you handle feedback or criticism of your designs?
Not everyone will love you and what you do, and that’s okay. I tend to not take these things too personally. Especially when it’s
strangers on the Internet. But I will admit that the current stream of straight up hate hurled at fashion designers, and creative
people in general, is something I find concerning. It’s not about giving feedback, it’s just to tear people down. Constructive
criticism I welcome. That’s how you evolve and progress.
11. What do you consider the most important elements of sustainable fashion design?
For me, the main focus has always been on slow fashion and durability. I’m not here to flood the world with throwaway crap that
falls apart after two wears. Every piece is made to order and made to last — because when you're designing for high-pressure
shows like circus acts, your fabric better be as tough as your performer. Quality isn’t negotiable — if it’s not still shining on the
20th night like it did on the first, it’s not good enough for me.
12. What is your approach to selecting fabrics and materials for your collections?
I always start with the fabric composition — and if it’s polyester, it’s dead to me. I need a badass 4-way stretch with spandex,
something that moves like a second skin and can handle the spotlight. I don’t waste time with tiny samples either; I buy a yard or
two and put it to the test myself. I stitch up a sample, hit the rock club, and party-test it — if it can survive a night out with me, it’s
ready for the world.
13. How do you balance creativity with the practical aspects of fashion design, such as cost and production?
When I say I believe in slow fashion, I mean it. Every piece is handmade in-house, and I’m hands-on with every single garment.
No factories, no mass production, no soul-sucking quotas. Sure, paying a Berlin seamstress when I need extra hands costs more
than outsourcing to some giant sweatshop, but I'd rather pour my money into real craft than bury it under a pile of dead stock.
This way I stay true to myself and my brand, while keeping my creative freedom.
14. How do you manage your time and prioritize tasks when working on multiple projects?
Many of my projects are time sensitive with shows and tours taking place, so keeping my deadlines is of utmost importance and
I’m prioritising in accordance to those dates. Sometimes that means shuffling things around and working late evenings and
weekends to make it work, but I’ll make it work.
15. What do you believe sets you apart from other fashion designers in the industry?
The way I stay true to the spirit of rock’ n’ roll while refining it into luxury with high end materials and craftsmanship. Luxury, for
me, isn’t about status or snobbery. It’s about respect — for the materials, for the work, and for the story each piece tells. The
industry seem to have forgotten that.16. what is next for your brand what new design do you have next that you like to promote?
I’ve got a new Atelier collection dropping this May — and when I say Atelier, I mean spandex couture. Intricate, razor-sharp,
symmetrical patchwork — the kind of craftsmanship that doesn’t just happen overnight. It takes days to make a single piece.
Holographic glitter gold and silver spandex mixed with seductive sheer black mesh. It’s unapologetically sexy, and it’s meant to
turn heads so hard they'll need a neck brace!
17. your clothing will be shared on a big story and on the front cover of our magazine, how do you feel about this?
Even after nearly two decades in the industry, photo shoots and glossy magazines are still things that excite me, so it’s super
cool!
18. where can please follow your journey?
I’m most active on Instagram; @lenaquist. I’m trying to get into the TikTok game now, so you can also find me there
@thelenaquist and of course you can sign up for my newsletter through www.lenaquist.com
19. anything else you like to share with your readers ?
It’s fashion, just have fun with it. Life is too short to wear boring clothes!
20. we love to stay in touch with you and continue our FUSION x LENA QUIST collabs we wish you well
Thank you so much! I’m also looking forward to further collaborations!
