from the white sheet into unique creations
1977, October 3
Ilona was born to a tailor mother of Jewish origin, who are descendants of a jewish orientalist scientist born in Poland.
Ilona father’s roots are from Azerbaijan.
She was raised with the support of her grandmother born in Russia.
First Creation
1986
Aged 9. Ilona sewed her first skirt with a huge bow on the side and wore it to a school, attracting very surprised attention. During the Soviet Union era, people dressed simply and modestly, daring fashion was unknown.
First Place in Costume Contest
1989
Aged 11. Ilona won first place in a costume contest, presenting a gypsy dance in a handmade costume made from a white sheet with flowers on it that she drew by hand.
Factory Pattern Cutter
1989-1995
After school, Ilona often assisted her mother in various sewing factories in the city of Tallinn, serving as a mass sewing factory pattern cutter.
English Language Practice
May-September 1992
Aged 15. English language practice in the medina of Stockholm profoundly influenced Ilona’s inner world, returned home as a renewed person.
Member of the Board of Mass Production at Vartanelli OÜ
1994-1998
Aged 17-21. Together with her mother, Ilona entered into a large business of mass-producing women’s clothing for renowned Swedish brands: H&M, Gina Tricot, Marie Philipe, Joy, MQ and others . Ilona’s role involved attracting workers, interacting with customers in Sweden, managing sewing technologies at the production factory, administrative logistics, and collaboration with border customs. The mass production operated in 2 or even 3 shifts, with tens of thousands of finished products shipping worldwide every month.
Member of the Board of Mass Production at Beline Group OÜ
1998-2002
Aged 21-25. Due to the high quality of the products, Swedish business partners trusted to Ilona additional orders for spreading control between other Estonian companies. At that times, Ilona was the youngest manager of a sewing production company in the whole of Estonia.
Bankruptcy
2003
Aged 25-27. In 2007, the economic crisis in Sweden led companies to shift orders to Asia for better production conditions. Ilona adapted by finding clients in Estonia and fulfilling police uniform orders. Despite her efforts, these orders were insufficient, and Ilona family business, like many others, went bankrupt.
At that time, Ilona was left without work, home and family, ending up with a small child in a homeless shelter.
Music Band Costumer
2004-2006
Aged 27-29. Created Jipsy costumes for musical&dance group while simultaneously acting as a manager for the development of the concerts.
Historical Costumer
2006-2012
Aged 29-35. Ilona accepted the challenge of creating the «Medieval Archery» project. The unique approach included with studying the history of medieval fashion to create a collection of medieval costumes but also developing archery services for tourists and locals. Ilona organized competitions among participants, creating exciting contests that attracted the attention of history enthusiasts and those seeking new forms of active recreation. Additionally, she took responsibility for training staff and ensuring customer service at the show level in medieval style.
Atelier "Tallinn Fur Masters" Head Designer
2012-2018
At 33, Ilona opened her own fashion atelier, creating custom-made products from textiles, fur, and leather. To self-learn sewing fur and leather, Ilona collaborated with outstanding Estonian masters who received their education in various countries: Estonia, St. Petersburg, Finland, and Italy. Each year, demand for her services grew, and Ilona enjoyed creating outfits for the most influential and successful women in the country, as well as headwear for the mayor of Tallinn and a dress for the official reception of the President of Estonia.
1st Place from Radio Marketing
2016
Received first place for the «Dress in an Hour» project and for attracting attention with her uniqueness and innovative approach to attracting the target audience.
During this period, Ilona gained experience from intern-practitioners from Africa. This represented valuable experience in cultural exchange and collaboration, allowing them to learn from each other, exchange knowledge and skills, and bring new ideas and approaches to work.
A Turning Point
2018
Aged 44. Due to difficulties in her personal life and psychological fatigue, Ilona closed the doors of the studio in Estonia. This was one of the most difficult decisions of her life.
The Kingdom of Morocco
2021
At 44, Ilona embarked on a new chapter in her life by opening the doors to the Kingdom of Morocco, preparing for a new inspiring beginnings in the world of business and fashion.
“A Lifelong Dedication to Fashion”
