Meet Amanda Pastyrnak, Founder and Fashion Designer – Olga Pastyrnak and the WE Magazine for Women – November Woman on the Move
Tell us about how you chose your career/business and what your responsibilities include?
Well, I didn’t choose my career; it chose me. It came in the form of a hobby when I was very young. I would see a woman in a magazine, a movie, or in passing, and I would immediately set out to draw the house I imagined she lived in, the man I envisioned her with, and the wardrobe I thought she would have. For me, the thrill of fashion was always as one part of a lifestyle that I created for the woman I admired. That thrill hasn’t changed much, and my responsibility now is still to design and create clothes for that woman. She is an amalgamation of all the amazing women I have encountered over the years, the woman I strive to be, and it is my duty to provide her with a wardrobe that will do her justice.
Tell us about the company you own?
Olga Pastyrnak is the women’s apparel collection I created in 2014 as the go-to brand to dress the powerful, formidable woman. It consists of a selection of dresses and separates that are intelligently crafted to fit a range of occasions, from the semi-casual to the semi-formal. We import all of our fabrics from mills in Turkey and Italy, and produce everything locally, in the garment district in Manhattan.
What are some of the most fulfilling projects you have been involved with so far?
Well, we are still in the beginning stages of building this company, and right now the reward is found in the experience of bringing an unspoken idea and vision to life. Every time I produce a physical iteration of the message I wish to communicate, it fills me with a sense of pride but also of relief. That an idea of mine is alive in the world and speaking on my behalf, in the form of a garment that I’ve created, is incredibly rewarding.
Are there any people in your field you would like to meet and/or work with and have not yet had the opportunity?
Of course. I admire Diane von Furstenberg, and would love to get to know her. She is a visionary whose clothing designs came from her concept of what a woman is and how she should dress. For her also, it was about bringing the idea of a woman alive in the form of a garment, accentuating her and equipping her with a powerful tool to promote herself. For me, this is what fashion is all about, and I don’t know too many other designers in the field who approach it in quite the same way.
What are some of your favorite ways to network?
Networking for me is about getting to know my client better. She is a woman that could be in any industry, so I enjoy attending events pertaining to finance, art, fashion, etc, and understanding better what character traits are shared among the women I encounter. The more I get to know who my client is, who she aspires to be, and how she wishes to be perceived by others, the better I can help her dress the part.
Do you have a mentor – if so how did you choose one another?
I have a network of folks in both the fashion and business world who I consult constantly for both creative and business advice. But I have to say, the person that has grown to be my mentor, in the most unlikely way, is my father.
What have you learned from your mentor? What do you hope to learn?
Well, my father has no connection with or concern for fashion, and because of that I initially shirked all of his advice. He is a business man in an unrelated industry, and has shown me that regardless of the field, at the core of any business decision there must be wisdom, logic, and sound judgment. It is these three things that he has in spades and that he lends to me when I seek his counsel. I’m very grateful for his unwavering support and direction even when I discounted his contributions.
Thanks to him, I know now to avoid thinking in terms of what is usually done in my specific industry, and instead to consider more generally what is the best course of action to reach my goals.
What’s been the most surprising thing that has happened to you so far in your career?
I am constantly in shock at the expansiveness and influence of social media, especially with fashion. I had tried to avoid social media promotion at first, only because it’s not a world I am familiar with and I deemed it unnecessary. But the online community is an entity with the power to create a buzz or start a trend in an instant, and is a tool that any business needs to utilize wisely.
What do you do for fun/relaxation?
I love to travel, and I love to read. I love to explore new places, near and far. I think every time one encounters something new, they are challenged and forced to grow. I try to make it to art exhibits, musical performances, operas, ballets, and concerts as much as possible. To see, hear, or experience talent and beauty both relaxes me and inspires me greatly.
Any parting advice for someone who would like to follow in your footsteps?
First of all, ask yourself why you want to do what you want to do. One must have a very clearly understood goal in any business venture, and the path to get there will only be fulfilling and worthwhile if it’s to serve the purpose of reaching a desired end. Then, recognize that starting a business is a lot like being thrown into the midst of a maze and asked to find your way out. You will reach many dead ends, but you must keep in mind that the opening does exist somewhere, and it’s just a matter of trying many different paths until you find it!
What’s the best way for the readers to connect with you
https://instagram.com/ olgapastyrnak/
