Ioana Ciolacu Miron (; born November 21, 1982) is a Romanian
fashion designer. She received a Designer for Tomorrow Award from
Stella McCartney
Stella Nina McCartney (born 13 September 1971) is an English fashion designer. She is a daughter of British singer-songwriter Paul McCartney and the late American photographer and animals rights activist Linda McCartney. Like her parents, McCa ...
, and has founded her own
sustainable fashion
Sustainable fashion (also known as eco-fashion) is a term describing products, processes, activities, and actors (policymakers, brands, consumers) aiming to achieve a carbon-neutral fashion industry, built on equality, social justice, animal ...
Ioana Ciolacu label.
Early life
Ciolacu was born in
Iași, Romania. Ciolacu is an only child. Her father is an architect. As a young girl, Ciolacu spent her summers in
Focșani
Focșani (; yi, פֿאָקשאַן, Fokshan) is the capital city of Vrancea County in Romania on the banks the river Milcov, in the historical region of Moldavia. It has a population () of 79,315.
Geography
Focșani lies at the foot of the Cur ...
and in the Romanian countryside. In 1992, she enrolled at the Iași
Waldorf School
Waldorf education, also known as Steiner education, is based on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of anthroposophy. Its educational style is holistic, intended to develop pupils' intellectual, artistic, and practical ...
, where she got her love for nature, strong ethics, and developed her art drive. After graduating from high school, she enrolled at
Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism
The Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urban Planning ( ro, Universitatea de Arhitectură şi Urbanism "Ion Mincu" din București) is a public university for architectural and urbanism studies in Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ro, Bucureș ...
,
Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...
, where she specialized in
Architecture
Architecture is the art and technique of designing and building, as distinguished from the skills associated with construction. It is both the process and the product of sketching, conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing building ...
. While in her 5th year of study, she decided to switch her career path by enrolling at
Bucharest National University of Arts
The National University of Arts in Bucharest ( ro, Universitatea Naţională de Arte) is a university in Bucharest preparing students in fine arts.
The National University of Arts is a higher education institution in Bucharest.
History
The Nat ...
, while continuing to study Architecture. She graduated in 2010 as a Junior architect, and in 2011 as a Fashion designer.
Career
While in school, Ciolacu won the
European Fashion Award FASH Berlin. Right after graduation, she began working as a design assistant for landscape artist and photographer Katja Perrey at the National University of Arts. In this period, Ciolacu also developed her first ready-to-wear line with a great local commercial success. In 2012, she received a Rector's Scholarship at
University of the Arts London,
London College of Fashion and moved to London to study for a master's degree in Fashion Design and Technology – Womenswear. While in school, she won the
Designer for Tomorrow Award, patroned by
Stella McCartney
Stella Nina McCartney (born 13 September 1971) is an English fashion designer. She is a daughter of British singer-songwriter Paul McCartney and the late American photographer and animals rights activist Linda McCartney. Like her parents, McCa ...
, followed by a year of mentorship in which she was coached by the designer in her London studios or backstage at the designer's Paris show. After graduating in 2013, she moved back to Bucharest and launched her own fashion label. In the summer of 2014, she first presented her Spring Summer 2015 collection at
Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is a series of international fashion weeks sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, a brand of Daimler AG. Designers featured during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Weeks include notable designers such as Rosenthal Tee, Mary Katrantzou and David ...
Berlin and in the same year she showed her collection twice at trade fair
Who's Next
''Who's Next'' is the fifth studio album by English rock band the Who. It developed from the aborted '' Lifehouse'' project, a multi-media rock opera conceived by the group's guitarist Pete Townshend as a follow-up to the band's 1969 album '' ...
Paris and started selling her collection on
Moda Operandi
Founded in 2010 by Lauren Santo Domingo and Áslaug Magnúsdóttir, Moda Operandi is an online luxury fashion retailer that allows customers to preorder looks directly from designers, immediately after their runway show. The concept, which was con ...
and
Peek&Cloppenburg international retailers. In the following year, she attended
Who's Next
''Who's Next'' is the fifth studio album by English rock band the Who. It developed from the aborted '' Lifehouse'' project, a multi-media rock opera conceived by the group's guitarist Pete Townshend as a follow-up to the band's 1969 album '' ...
Paris for the third time and
Ciff Copenhagen with her Autumn Winter 2015–2016 collection which was presented at
Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is a series of international fashion weeks sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, a brand of Daimler AG. Designers featured during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Weeks include notable designers such as Rosenthal Tee, Mary Katrantzou and David ...
Berlin. In 2015
Vogue.com introduced Ioana's Autumn Winter 2015–2016 in their list as one of the reference collection for the season while she released her diffusion line which promotes conscious fashion through fabric recycling and encourages local craftsmanship.
In April 2015, Ciolacu opened her online shop and launched her SS15 video campaign, called ''Lure''. Directed by Anton and Damian Groves and produced by Studioset, the video won several awards at the Miami Fashion Film Festival. In 2016, Ciolacu develops an ethical knitwear line that comes to add up to the brand ethos regarding ethical trade and
sustainability. Made in collaboration with Kraftmade, the line supports local craftsmanship and wool trade.
In 2017, Ciolacu opens it's brand first Showroom in downtown Bucharest and starts selling worldwide through several new stockists. She launches the SS18 collection dedicated to, and entitled Bauhaus Women, accompanied by a fashion film by Horatiu Sovaiala and Raya Al Souliman. In 2020, Ciolacu enrols as a PHD student at
Bucharest National University of Arts
The National University of Arts in Bucharest ( ro, Universitatea Naţională de Arte) is a university in Bucharest preparing students in fine arts.
The National University of Arts is a higher education institution in Bucharest.
History
The Nat ...
to develop a fashion sustainability project and pursue a teaching career.
Awards
Ciolacu has received the following awards and nominations:
* BigSEE Fashion Design Award 2020
* BigSEE Grand Prix Award 2020
* Awarded Best Designer at Romanian Design Week Awards 2018
* Nominated for Best Designer at the 2016 Elle Style Awards
* Awarded Best Designer of the Year at the 2015
Beau Monde Awards
* Awarded Design Award by The One 10 Years of Inspiration
* Awarded Sponsorship Award by 2014 Who's Next The Future of Fashion
* Nominated for Best Young Designer at 2013
Elle Style Awards The Elle Style Awards are an awards ceremony hosted annually by ''Elle'' magazine.
List of award winners
2017
The 2017 edition of the Elle Style Awards took place on 13 February 2017.
* Style Influencer of the Year: Debbie Harry
* TV Actress of t ...
* Awarded Best Designer by 2013 Designer for Tomorrow
Stella McCartney
Stella Nina McCartney (born 13 September 1971) is an English fashion designer. She is a daughter of British singer-songwriter Paul McCartney and the late American photographer and animals rights activist Linda McCartney. Like her parents, McCa ...
* Awarded Best Young Designer 2nd Place 2010 European Fashion Awards
See also
*
Sustainable fashion
Sustainable fashion (also known as eco-fashion) is a term describing products, processes, activities, and actors (policymakers, brands, consumers) aiming to achieve a carbon-neutral fashion industry, built on equality, social justice, animal ...
*
London College of Fashion
References
External links
Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ciolacu, Ioana
Romanian fashion designers
1982 births
Romanian women fashion designers
21st-century businesswomen
Living people
People from Iași
Alumni of the London College of Fashion
Bucharest National University of Arts alumni