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| Anna Scholz at work |
Anna, you're a fashion designer, which makes many women looks great and fabulous. You are also promoting a healthy lifestyle and well-being. Do you have any rules you live by?
To be honest I hate rules, as I always feel they should be broken. I am fairly unconventional and impulsive. My mum used to try and tell me “less is more” which never made any sense to me. Even as a kid I wanted to have 3 plaits and not 1 or 2 ? I think you can get away with almost anything if you do it with style, confidence and a smile.
You are very busy woman; how do you balance your professional and personal life?
When I started my business I put all my energy in to it, worked far too many hours and weekends and burned myself out. I had gallstones and pancreatitis 7 years ago and being in hospital for 3 weeks gave me enough time to think and re-evaluate my lifestyle.
Balance is key to a happy being! I took a step back, looked after my nutrition and started going to the gym with a personal trainer 3 times a week which has completely changed my fitness, strength and endurance. I also walk my dog every morning to get some fresh air before I start my day in the office. I sometimes think I am still 25 and I love going out and socializing ( including dancing until the early hours) but fact is I need a lot longer to recover now I am in my 40s, so I got to plan nights in as well as out.
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| Anna Scholz at work |
In today's world, there is a huge pressure to succeed in all different industries. A lot of people are looking for an inspiration by others. How would you describe and what does a “success” mean to you?
Success doesn't necessarily mean financial wealth to me. My dad always used to say the biggest luxuries in life are time and space. So for me success means finding a profession you actually love, which pays you enough to allow you to have a comfortable home and freedom to travel and enjoy spending time with the people you care about. Again it is always about finding the right balance.
Could you share with us the most important lesson you have learned in your professional life?
I had to learn that you can't control everything. I am quite a perfectionist, but the best thing to learn is how to deal calmly with inevitable problems and learn from them. ( Every problem has a solution)
You are in a plus size fashion industry for many years. How much has changed and evolved the perception of women's bodies, their self-esteem and well-being in all those years?
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Style is a way to say who
you are without having to speak |
I have been working in this industry for over 25 years. I started out as a plus size model myself when social media didn't really exist. A lot of things have changed for the better and positive perceptions have accelerated in the last 5 years with the rise of bloggers and social media interactions. Plus size women have found a new platform and voice which had been denied to them by the mainstream media for so many years. There are so many muses and inspirational plus size women to look up to, that I believe it is much easier for younger girls to find positive diverse role models for themselves. There are modelling agencies ( like Models of Diversity) signing unconventional models and I filmed a new TV show called “the Fashion Hero” last year which is casting a new breed of models.
Social media has completely changed the landscape for all people working in the fashion. What advice would you give to all aspiring models and teenagers, using this platform to promote them selves?
Try and grow your following! I always tell all the models I work with to be supportive of others and to be positive and inspirational. It is important to stay true to yourself and your brand and post regularly. It has been my mission from the beginning of my career to make women of all sizes feel better about themselves and enjoy fashion again. It always makes me sad to hear how many women still suffer from low self confidence and body image. Together we can improve that.
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| Portobello - Street Style |
Your designs are the reflection of your experiences and journey, am I correct? What is fascinating you in your life now and how does that feed into your work?
My collections are always a mix of commercial decisions and the fantasy and inspiration I want to create. Travel usually inspires me, the colour combinations of my last trip to India, embroideries from Mexico but also trips to Portobello market where I pick up little vintage trinkets and amazing 70s retro prints which I then re-colour and have them printed onto our amazing silk stretch fabrics.
Every woman loves to dress up and feel comfortable and sexy in her clothes. What would be three pieces every woman should have in her wardrobe according to Anna Scholz?
Dressing starts with the correctly fitting underwear. So to start with invest in some great fitting uplifting sexy lingerie so you got a great base. Fashion changes so much and so quickly and I personally love dressing for my different moods, vamipsh, minimal, bohemian or sporty cool. But every woman needs a fantastic go-to LBD ( little black dress … or big black dress ?) which accentuates her curves in all the right places. (I probably have about 20 of those) and then a great pair of our Svoboda stretch skinny jeans!
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| Anna in Plant Print |
Last couple of years there has been a change in terms of the perception of the diversity. We have just seen that at the Fashion Weeks. What steps you think the fashion industry must take to maintain this positive change going
It sometimes annoys me that I feel some designers use the one plus size of slightly different from the norm model in their show simply to get press attention. I am always happy to see diverse beauty ideals on the catwalk, but I feel we have achieves a great deal when this will become the norm and not the exception.
Models of Diversity has campaigned for years on the streets, in shows and shoots and worked with The British Fashion Council. How important, do you think, are these actions for the positive future in industry and is there any message you would like to send to all hard working people in our organization?
I would like to thank each and everyone who is willing to go out there and make a difference. I believe the change in the industry is only achieved through the summary of all of us believing in the same message and our actions.
Anna, that leaves me to thank you for the time you have made to talk to us. I'd like to wish you to keep inspiring people all around the world not only with your beautiful designs but also by being a great role model you are.
