The vision of Chic Icon by Mazarine extends beyond the world of fashion. The founders of this capsule collection of women’s suits, Alina Dyachenko and Maryna Mazarine are committed to positively impacting the environment and society. Their slow fashion approach ensures that each suit is crafted with the best fabrics, guaranteeing durability and longevity. This reduces waste and allows women to wear suits for years, maintaining their quality and style.
Moreover, their dedication to philanthropy is remarkable. Alina and Maryna demonstrate their belief in empowering women globally by donating 5% of the collection’s income to organizations supporting needy women. They understand that true empowerment involves supporting and uplifting one another, creating a ripple effect of positive change and inspiring women’s confidence. We had the pleasure of doing an interview with Alina and Maryna to talk about their combination of style, sustainability, and philanthropic uniqueness.
Empowerment is a highly subjective term – What does it mean to you as a woman?
Alina: I come from a very strong women’s background, my grandmother was one of the first Telecommunication engineers in Russia and she was among the first academics in this area. I have this example from my early childhood, women’s strength was something very natural for me. I don’t believe women need empowerment, they are already powerful – all they need is to merge, don’t be afraid of their power and strength. It is already there. When we talk about women’s empowerment I think it is very important to mention that women are already strong and there is no need to hide the strength or be afraid of it.
Maryna: As a businesswoman, the word “empowerment” means staying true to your values and vision, even if it means going against the grain. It’s also important to build powerful relationships and partnerships with others in your industry who share the same values so that you can help each other amplify your message and achieve your goals faster and more effectively. And finally, not to be afraid to take risks and try new things, that’s how you’ll continue to grow and evolve.
What do you think each of you individually contributes to Chic Icon by Mazarine?
Maryna: Being the fashion designer and founder of the Fashion House Mazarine, I can create stylish and functional, trendy yet timeless garments. I am responsible for the production process from A to Z with attention to detail and a commitment to quality, as I have full knowledge, experience and expertise in this field, as well as a team of professional tailors who produce everything in-house at the Mazarine Atelier under my control.
Alina: I contribute from my fifteen years of experience in the luxury industry and owning a lifestyle magazine Chic Icon that is quite popular in the UAE and worldwide. I have a lot of experience working with luxury brands through magazines and events, understanding the premium market and customer behaviour. My creative part is also there. The collection has the concept and design I had in mind for years now – classy and elegant suits for women for any occasion.
Can you tell us more about this capsule collection’s environmental and philanthropic causes?
Alina: Our suits are meant to help women feel confident throughout their life journey and to empower women worldwide. That is why we have decided to donate 5% of our income to charity organizations that support women in need worldwide.
Maryna: When we talk about an environmentally friendly collection, we really mean it because we do slow fashion, using the most expensive fabrics and you can easily use these costumes for 10 or 20 years and the quality will be the same, believe me, there is high attention to details and quality.
Slow fashion means that one can wear the same suit in different combinations many times. This is not a mass-marketed product that you buy and wear for a maximum of a year and then throw away.
This is a different case since the collection is timeless, elegant, and crafted with the best fabrics and materials guaranteeing that the suits will have a long life.
Article edited by Stefanie Kennedy
Photo by Alexandra Borodina