Liya Women

The fashion scene in Georgia is more vibrant than ever, despite not always appearing in the style headlines. Led a few years ago by one Demna Gvasalia still at the top of his game, it is also the homeland of Amy Smilovic (founder of Tibi) and David Koma, who heads his eponymous label after a stint at Mugler a few seasons ago. Now, it's Lia Goglidze's turn to take the stage. The young woman is what you would generally call a citizen of the world. Born in Tbilisi, Georgia, the future fashion designer grew up between Moscow and Vienna before moving to Florence to study at Polimoda Institute. Next, she trained in fashion design at the Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan and finished off with a bachelor's in art and marketing from the Webster Vienna University, from which she graduated in 2010. Four years later, she founded her first business, a womenswear brand called Inky Gold, still active today. In 2017, she launched LIYA, another women's clothing and accessories label. LIYA's aesthetic is inspired by workwear from the 1980s, reworked to fit in with modern life. Designed to be worn every day, the label's pieces combine femininity and originality while remaining functional. Trench coats are paired with knitted sleeves, dresses are cut in a soft faux leather and shirt sleeves are puffed up to bring volume to any look. LIYA's slightly edgy garments are for women seeking their own personal style, definitively rooted in modernity. Alongside its ready-to-wear line, the label is also famous for its jewellery. Made of gold-plated brass, these pieces are often studded with pearls and/or hand-selected stones, the latter being chosen for its shine or unusual shape. To truly stand out, the designer shapes the jewellery according to the stones' characteristics, not vice-versa.