Sholpan Sergazi: Unveiling Hidden Stories
Sholpan Sergazi, a rising Kazakh couturier based in Florence, is redefining the boundaries of fashion with her latest collection Romantic Sublime. Founded in 2022, her brand Sergazi Firenze, beautifully merges Central Asian craftsmanship with European couture traditions. Through wearable art, Sergazi bridges cultures, eras, and emotions, crafting pieces that tell stories not only through aesthetics but also through the hidden elements sewn into each design.
The seeds of this journey were sown years earlier, when Sergazi, a young artist, sketched designs in the tranquil Bardini Gardens of Florence. In 2012, she began creating clothing and accessories for family and friends, a hobby that blossomed into something deeper over the next decade. In 2022, she felt compelled to share her vision with the world, founding her eponymous brand.
Beyond their visual grandeur, Sergazi’s creations hold hidden stories. Inside each garment, delicate linings adorned with beads, wool threads, and rock crystals reveal symbols of memory, human experience, and cultural interconnectedness. These hidden elements speak to the shared narratives that bind humanity across time and place. In Sergazi's world, the hidden layers are just as vital as the surface design.
In her new collection Romantic Sublime, Sergazi draws inspiration from the emotional intensity of iconic artists Caspar David Friedrich, J.M.W. Turner, and Mark Rothko. Each garment transforms their masterpieces into tactile, sculptural textiles. The Friedrich Coat, for example, channels the spiritual vastness of The Monk by the Sea, while the Turner Cape evokes the dynamic interplay of sea and sky from Margate from the Sea. Meanwhile, the Rothko Cape reinterprets the contemplative beauty of Light, Earth, and Blue, inviting wearers into a quiet, spiritual experience.
Sergazi’s production process reflects a commitment to craftsmanship and innovation. From prototype to finished piece, each garment undergoes multiple fittings, blending technical precision with artisanal expertise. This collaborative process ensures that every piece is as much a work of art as it is a testament to the artisans who create it.
As the chill of winter continues for many, Sergazi’s new collection including coats and capes offers a refuge from the cold, not only through the luxury of the materials but also through the deep, comforting connection to the stories that they carry. It’s an opportunity to envelop oneself in a narrative of warmth, artistry, and shared humanity, that showcases the transformative power of modern fashion as it merges with historical art.
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If you are interested in the work of more textile artists hailing from Central Asia, be sure to pre-order our next publication: Issue 123 - 'Silk Road', full of highlights and stories from Turkmenistan Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, underpinning the importance of Central Asia in a continent-spanning story about textiles.
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Image credits:
Sergazi Firenze