Tel Aviv | Moscow | New York
Zoia Kozakov has always found comfort in words. However, due to her parents, who both found their calling in theatre and the arts, the idea of self-expression in a visual form has always had an impact on the path she has chosen to take. After living in Tel Aviv, Israel for most of her life and finishing her service in the Israeli Defense Forces Intelligence, Zoia knew that her fate would take her to New York City, where she could pursue her multi-faceted interests of writing as well as the business side of the fashion industry – wholesale, buying, and e-commerce. Her simultaneous passion for intellectual and conceptual thinking has also pushed her into exploration of graphic design, which she uses as a tool to aid her in portraying what she is trying to say.
That being said, Zoia finds the world most beautiful when perceived from a monochromatic perspective. Her graphic design work does not include much ornamentation and attempts to portray her thoughts in a way which leaves room for interpretation without distracting the viewer with bright colors or overwhelming decoration. This personal and aesthetic choice follows her in her main practice too – the field of wholesale allows businesses to understand where they stand within the industry and analyze data in order to design and present themselves in the best possible way. Zoia sees power in data, however, as someone who considers themselves a creative thinker and a designer at heart, believes that understanding the emotional aspect of design, and fashion specifically, will only lead to better business practice and better overall design.
In the last year of her being in Manhattan, Zoia has explored various fields of the fashion industry ranging from production, marketing, and writing to most recently, wholesale. Her internship experience with luxury companies such as Lanvin and currently, Givenchy has allowed her to be more aware of the present happenings in the industry, and to push her that much further on her path in the fashion world. As Zoia continues writing her story, she hopes to never stop learning, exploring, and valuing her surroundings; whether they are her work, friends, family or the magical city she currently lives in.