10 Questions with Johanna Parv

We will always appreciate an innovator. And Estonian-born, London-based designer, Johanna Parv has cast her creative eye over the once monotone landscape of sportswear and represents just that when it comes to re-inventing a classic. Inspired by the women that cycle the busy and oftentimes dangerous streets of London, Parv blends chic, sartorial structures with the more technical accents found in activewear. For her AW24 show, hosted at Fashion East, stretchy, tech fabrics gave models that streamlined look often found on the velodrome, all the while meshed with a refinement. Between creating a balance between form and function, Johanna seems to understand that while the rules of the road are pretty strict, fashion allows for plenty more lane changes. 

Why do you do what you do? What keeps you motivated to keep creating fashion collections?
My mission is to rethink and reinterpret how women are presented in society. I aim to develop design features and details that encourage us to question and reconsider what womenswear should be and what women can do, while showcasing their strengths and highlighting healthy, active lifestyles.

Have you found a technique, or a supplier, or a contributing craftsperson that has excited you to incorporate into your new SS25 collection?
This season we are working with a brand called Dubie who crafts beautiful leather shoes made for movement from Argentina and Sweet Lime Juice, a London based Jewellery brand with whom we developed a stretchy chain collection for the show. Featuring their beautiful core pieces with stretchy chain links - developed from the concept of "Stretchy metal" which I am very interested in.

How do you keep healthy and energised in the runup to showing your new SS25 collection?
It's important to have good sleep, exercise, running and yoga and spending time with your friends. Very important.

Over the past few challenging years - with Brexit, post-Covid, with the retail landscape a bit of a mess - how have you thought about what you make and how to make it connect with your customer?
I believe it is important to focus on a good product and offer value and support healthy lifestyles. I believe in longevity and creating designs that are here to stay and offer more value, products that do something.

Are you Tik Tok or Instagram? And why?
Instagram for now. At the moment it is the key platform to connect and present our work.

Give us a link to a site you make sure to check out everyday that isn't the news!
https://www.lab.zip/welcome

If you had to recommend one product from your newest AW24 collection to buy, which would it be and why?
I would recommend the Velocity Capris and Leather Neck Holster.

Why does fashion month and your show or presentation still give you an adrenaline and a creative rush?
I am always excited to share new work and see what other brands have been working on and also spend time with friends during fashion weeks and showrooms.

How will you celebrate when the show / presentation / showroom is over?
I would like to spend some time with friends, maybe take a few days off :D??

What's the one product that is NOT your own, that you can't live without, or has stayed in your wardrobe for constant use, and why?There is a leather fold skirt with snaps that I love wearing around my hips, it's my mums and has been fixed so many times that I think I need to frame it one day.