Issue #14

Olga Gromova: From Classical Pianist to Fashion Designer

by Oksana Yerofeyeva

Olga Gromova is the embodiment of the George Elliott quote: "It's never too late to be who you might have been."

Sitting in her studio in the Pechersk section of Kyiv, the tall, blonde fashion designer related the story of how she always dreamed of being a designer as a young child, but her parents had other plans. They wanted her to be a classical pianist.

It wasn't that she didn't like playing the piano. It was simply she had this inner desire to come up with comfortable clothes that brought together harmonious materials and colors that spoke elegance and practicality.

So, just as soon as she ended her classical music career, she went out in search of her dream. She wasn't starting from scratch.

From the age of seven she was making dresses on her grandmother's Singer sewing machine, the old black model with the floor pedal that powered the needle and made the stitch. Her grandmother was an excellent seamstress and taught her step by step.

More than that, her grandmother had this extensive library on the technology and construction of clothes. Olga made clothes for herself, her family and her friends. When she was 10, she got a sewing machine of her own.

Still, it was a big jump into the fashion business from a classical music career. She had help and support from her husband, Simon Jackman, considered one of the foremost marketers in Eastern Europe and a former general manager of Gallaher tobacco.

"Without Simon's endorsement and support, it would have been a difficult transition," she said. "He guided and encouraged me every step of the way. He believed in me and assured me I would succeed."

Olga broke into the fashion industry by first making costumes for various company in-store promotions. Because the competition was not stiff at the time, it wasn't hard to make a name for herself. In fact, there were only six other noted Ukrainian designers at the time.

However, there was major hurdle in 1997-98 when she launched her business. Ukrainians didn't want to buy Ukrainian designed brands.

"There was the feeling that if it were Ukrainian it wasn't as good as European or Russian," she said. "Women would go so far as to cut the Ukrainian label off the dress and sew in Versace or some other famous brand."

In 1999, she took the giant leap of opening seven stores featuring her fashions. Her view was that over time the situation would change, and Ukrainian designs would gain acceptance. However, even today, it is difficult for clothes made by a Ukrainian designer to succeed in top line stores such as the upscale clothing boutique Sanahant.

The Uman native believes this will change; but, until then, Ukrainian designers set their sights a little lower, marketing at the mid-level. "It will change in two or three years," she said. "There will be more balance." Currently, there are several designers, including Olga, who are liked better in Europe than Ukraine.

"Europeans don't mind which country you are from as long as you have a great product. In Ukraine, though, designers who sell in second line stores are more successful," she said. "They are closer to the mass market."

Olga is a designer who takes chances. Instead of concentrating on Ukraine's fashion week, she held, with the help of Simon, a well-attended fashion house party at her spacious home just outside Kyiv. The outdoor show was unusual, and garnered attention from sponsors and an A-list of Ukrainian guests.

"Simon has always been a great help in terms of marketing the Olga Gromova brand," she said. "He may or may not give advice, but living together with such a marketing genius you can not help but learn from this person."

Olga and Simon, who is British but grew up in Switzerland, have three children, one daughter in a university in England and two young twins. Other than design clothes, Olga also designs interiors and unusual installation art for homes and businesses.

She also has designed a unique travel collection for busy women who are on the go, consisting of an outfit that can transform into five different styles to emulate an entire, small wardrobe. Her hope is to market it in the United States.

Does she still play the piano? "Yes, but just for my family. I always just wanted to be a designer."