Sylva Henriquez – every woman has a different story

Studio Henriquez will showcase its fashion and stylistic fantasy in a neo-Baroque style at the gala evening on 23 August. You will see models from the in-house workshop where the emphasis is on the nobility of the materials used, such as organza, jacquard, brocade and chantung, which are celebrating a comeback in new fashion trends and are also appearing in daily street, leisure and sports collections, including those for men. Sylva Henriquez herself talked to us about why her studio was set up, how women of different nationalities dress, and also why the Cristina Barros brand is iconic.

What is Studio Henriquez dedicated to?

Studio Henriquez is a fashion studio that, in its intimate setting, offers and recommends to women the best of selected collections from Spanish and Portuguese companies, from which it creates its own limited collection of models and accessories. Through its  personalised approach, the studio helps in finding or recreating the client's personal style according to her needs and wishes, always in line with the new fashion trends, which are strongly influenced by the joyful mood of the Iberian Peninsula. This work is very personal, must be discreet, social and requires mutual time and trust, precision and above all knowledge of fashion and the fashion market to the fullest extent.

When, where and why did the studio come into existence?

The idea appeared 12 years ago, after a period of challenging work as Sales and Commercial Manager for a chain of luxury multi-brand stores in Spain. I knew I wasn't going to go along with their ready-to-wear dictates. I set up a small fashion studio in a luxury hotel on the Atlantic coast, betting on renowned Spanish quality and design, and offered it in turn to a multinational clientele who took a liking to it, came back and started to seek my services even remotely. The service had to work perfectly! It was a period when the e-shop was in its infancy, with only the telephone, videophone and occasionally Facebook working. Every woman has a different story, every nationality has a different view and opinion on fashion and style and ultimately a different approach to the client and service. One of my Czech clients, known publicly and frequently in the media, whom I dressed for a couple of years remotely from the "Atlantic" with Spanish clothes, gave me the impetus to try the offer of Spanish fashion style, work and approach in our conditions.

Spanish fashion is famous...

The Spanish and nowadays also Portuguese fashion industry offer a wide original and diverse range, produced by companies in their respective countries. The long knowledge and experience, as well as the relationships built with companies, open doors for me and I know which "fashion rack" to pull out for a client in case of any of her needs.

How did the collaboration with the Portuguese brand Cristina Barros come about and who is Cristina Barros exactly?

Cristina Barros is an iconic Portuguese fashion brand (and dare I say to some extent lifestyle) from Trufa near Oporto in Portugal that bears the name of the famous Portuguese designer Cristina Barros, which I just brought back from my Spanish wanderings arounds regularly held fashion shows in Madrid. She impressed me with her playfulness, variety of cuts, attention to detail, elegant colours, precise workmanship and combinational variability, and last but not least the warm, welcoming and dynamic attitude of her entire team.

Why do you think this brand is iconic?

It is a brand that became popular with Portuguese TV for its quality and inventiveness, dressing their media faces, who then become a mirror and role models for Portuguese women, who love their brand.

What is the philosophy behind Cristina Barros' collections and what style do they represent?

I have already mentioned the specifics of the brand's collections, but its philosophy and inspiration is "woman in her purest form." All the models of the collection are created with love and respect for the woman, in an effort to capture their diverse types in trendy variations, so that femininity is always underlined and emphasized, while allowing its wearer to exercise, besides comfort, the playfulness and imagination that makes and belongs to a woman. If I had to characterize the style category, I would place CB in the CITY STYLE, with everything that goes with it – WORKING, OFFICE, STREET, FORMAL and FREE STYLE.

Try to summarize the Cristina Barros brand as briefly as possible...

The colourfulness, the interest of the cuts, the sophistication, the strong feminist elements, the original details, the variability, the materials used, but perhaps the most important thing is the fact that each collection is a beautifully sophisticated whole, where every piece is related, can be combined in a graceful harmony, dynamic contrast, strict elegance and rebellious exuberance. With the quality of materials, imaginative details and technical workmanship of the models, this company reaches the category of so-called high tailoring, which is now a luxury, typical of small series collections or HAUTE CUTURE.

Can you compare the Czech fashion with that of the South?

As I said in the introduction, each country has its own fashion specialities. It is a science from which much can be read, and by the clothes one can distinguish nationality and its level - it is the handwriting, the handwriting of every nation and of ourselves. Few of us realise this, and living in an international population has taught me this fact. But the essence remains the same, namely that fashion and dressing should be taken as part of our daily lives with full responsibility and seriousness, as a value-added expression to elevate the personality but also to respect others. It should not be dismissed with "that's good" or "whatever" and certainly not with "I'm too old for that". These are then just generally expressions of society and its community and a reflection of what is then offered to us in the commercial network.

Can say what specifically you think is important for a Czech woman...

What is important for a Czech woman is quality, originality, colour, timelessness and last but not least the attitude and level of the offer. The Czech female customer does not have to shop for cheap products in quantity on a daily basis (which is more typical for the south), but she is looking for quality and service, which she places a huge emphasis on!  And the comparison with Spanish fashion? Leaving aside its imagination, colourfulness, more courage to experiment, and the art of using essentially bold and contrasting accessories regardless of age, the essential thing that is disappearing from Czech dressing and fashion style is respectful elegance and femininity, and not only in fashion in general.

And just one more remark in conclusion. Looking good is not a matter of money, but of stepping out of your comfort zone, putting your priorities into perspective, and most importantly, paying respect to yourself and your life.