From a financial manager to a fashion designer: Una Pūpola debuts at Riga Fashion Week, presents short fashion film

Riga Fashion Week, a major fashion event, was held in Riga in October, where local fashion designer Una Pūpola debuted with her new collection targeting audacious office princesses, "Unattached Office". A short film about the designer's debut in the fashion industry and new collection, shot in Paris, was presented at Riga Fashion Week. 

After completing another financial project four years ago, Una Pūpola plucked up the courage to pursue a long-cherished dream of working in the creative industries. In 2018, Una began to study for her Master's degree at the Art Academy of Latvia and is currently continuing her doctoral studies. At the Art Academy of Latvia fashion show a year ago, Una Pūpola won the Spice shopping centre's award - support for further popularization of her collection. Thanks to the shopping centre's support, the young designer recently presented eight outfits from her collection at the Paris Fashion Week event for young designers and, upon returning to Latvia, Una Pūpola presented the full collection at Riga Fashion Week.

"The opportunity to participate in the young designers' fashion show in Paris came by chance, and I am so happy that I took that chance. Paris Fashion Show is undeniably every designer's dream. Paris is very demanding, especially during the fashion week, and especially for young designers. Whatever your past achievements and accomplishments, here you really feel like a little schoolgirl," young designer Una Pūpola shares her first impressions. "Paris is a lady who never sleeps, she is restive just like me, and my "Unattached Office" collection is meant just for such audacious office princesses," she goes on to say.

"As a fashion destination representing diverse fashion brands, it is important for Spice shopping centre to be at the epicentre of fashion events. When we saw Unas Pūpola's collection at the Art Academy of Latvia fashion show a year ago, we already saw the potential for a bold and functional brand. That Is why we were more than happy to support the young designer in taking the first steps in the challenging, but no less exciting world of fashion. Daring inspires us, therefore we hope that Una's story will inspire many women to make the long-delayed changes on the way to self-discovery," says Iveta Priedīte, Managing Director at Spice and Spice Home shopping centres.

In order to further support the art of fashion and the young artist, a short film was made about the designer's journey to Paris Fashion Week, which had its premiere at Riga Fashion Week. Film director and producer Grēta Peide comments on the creative filmmaking process in such a large and inspiring city as Paris.

"For young artists who are only just beginning their clothing brand, participating in the young designers' show in Paris right away is like unexpectedly stepping into an ice-cold shower. A career in fashion is not an easy one, which many young designers may fail to realize at first. In my opinion, this is an excellent experience for Una to see the harsh side of the fashion industry - the oversaturation of the market, the immense competition and the amount of work that must be initially invested in a new brand in order for it to become viable at all. So this was brave of Una, and even braver was her statement, which I remember was in one of the scenes cut from the film, where Una, standing next to the Dior store on the Champs-Élysées, says that she, too, will be there one day! This is the kind of ambition you have to have to move the walls in front of you," says Grēta Peide.

Watch the short fashion film about designer Una Pūpola's journey to Paris Fashion Week here: The short fashion film “Spice x Unattached”