LEILA KYRIACOS
Leila, a passionate artist with a multifaceted approach to creativity, takes us on a journey through her thoughts and experiences in the world of fashion design and beyond. With her love for various forms of artistic expression, Leila's responses shed light on her inspirations, challenges, and dreams. Let's delve into the mind of this talented individual and explore her unique perspective.
THE INTERVIEW
What is your line of work?
Leila Kyriacos: “Fashion design is my foundation, but I love to create in all types of ways; through photos, jewelry design, and a new passion I'm taking on; learning more on cinematography and how to direct films.”
What made you want to pursue this kind of career?
Leila Kyriacos: “I almost feel like I didn't have a choice, in the best way possible. From a very young age I loved to create and make projects. Some of my earliest memories of fashion are playing dress up games online and watching That's So Raven.”
Have you ever felt the need to leave your industry? Why?
Leila Kyriacos: “No-- I've had brief moments of being stressed out and of course questioning my entire life as a dramatic 23 year old! But at the end of the day, being creative and putting my soul into my art is what makes it all worth it.”
Where do you find inspiration?
Leila Kyriacos: “In an abstract way-- my emotions inspire me a lot, I am a very moody person and can usually take advantage of my feelings and create something out of them. In a tangible way-- I find a lot of inspiration in movies, the way different shots are set up, the colors, the music, and feelings that the scenes give you.”
Techniques for overcoming creative blocks?
Leila Kyriacos: “REST!! Don't force yourself to create, it helps me sometimes to watch something that isn't necessarily deemed as aesthetically pleasing or anything to do with art. Sometimes I will watch rom-com movies like "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" or a documentary on cats. Because these more so feed my soul in a "feel good" type of way and often lead to less pressure and ideas flow more naturally. A bonus that also always helps, if you live near a library-- spending hours in different aisles, reading different books, and taking pictures of things that speak to me.”
Describe your dream project.
Leila Kyriacos: “I think that I have many dream projects and they're ever changing, but I will tell you the one most recently on my mind. I can't give toooo much away but I want to do another fashion film featuring my first fully mature collection under Kyriacos, and collaborate with many different creators to put together multiple scenes, each portraying something different. And to have a spectacular showing in LA... that is all I will say for now. :)”
Do your other interests influence your art?
Leila Kyriacos: "Yes I would say that most everything I am interested in, influences me in some way or another. While some of my interests go hand in hand with creativity and fueling ideas for design, such as, watching moody and weird movies, reading books, and looking at vintage clothing references. The other half of my interests like cooking, learning about space, meditation/self-reflection, and most recently pole dancing-- do not specifically inspire my next collection, (or maybe they do, occasionally I'll find myself thinking of a design whilst doing one of these) but I do believe they're just as important as the interests that do. They keep my inner self happy and I do still need separate areas in my life that keep me grounded, because at the end of the day, being grounded and sane will influence me to create art.”
Do you have a formal art education or are you self taught? Why?
Leila Kyriacos: "A little of both. Yes, I graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in Fashion Design. While I am incredibly grateful for my education at SCAD, I was affected by the pandemic and a lot of my core pattern making classes were switched to online. I do feel as though it has made a difference in my skill set, but that being said I still am eager to keep learning and have no shame in looking up techniques and help on youtube when I am sewing or making a pattern. It is actually a goal of mine to master patternmaking in the next couple of years.
What message does your artwork portray?
Leila Kyriacos: “Emotion. I hope that every person viewing my craft can find something within themselves that relates. I have strong emotions, which allows me to create certain pieces with the intention that the feeling can be felt when looking at them. To know that having lots of emotions is a beautiful thing.”
Favorite project worked on thus far?
“My favorite project I have worked on was for my keychain commercial. It was very collaborative, it pushed me out of my comfort zone to build a story and for it to portray in the way I wanted it on screen! It was the first time I brought to life what I imagine a Kyriacos world would look like, and I really just scratched the surface. It was also my first time ever directing something -- minus the short films I used to make as a 10 year old lol-- it was definitely a challenge but it taught me so much and I've been wanting to direct a project again ever since.”
Leila's love for fashion design, coupled with her exploration of various artistic mediums, showcases her versatility and boundless curiosity. Leila's ability to draw inspiration from both abstract and tangible sources, overcome creative blocks, and find joy in diverse interests demonstrates her profound dedication to her craft. Through her artwork, she invites viewers to embrace their emotions and find solace in the beauty of self-expression. Leila's artistic journey serves as an inspiration for aspiring artists and a testament to the power of following one's creative instincts.
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