An interview with Monika Luczak, winner of The Link contest 2023
Monika Luczak is the winner of the THE LINK, the talent scouting competition, organized by MarediModa, in the “underwear” category. (The 2024 notice is now online, click here)
Monika, born in 1998, is a talented Polish designer trained at the STRZEMINSKI ACADEMY OF FINE ART in LODZ. Her passion for the world of lingerie, her attention to details and materials made her reach the finals after her third attempt.
Determination, desire to get better and better and skills led her among the nine finalists and made you win the competition. (watch the fashion show)
Monika, first of all,congratulations for your success.
This was your third participation in the Link competition, the first year you were not selected, the second year you arrived among the semi-finalists and, on the third attempt, you reached the finals and won the competition, your perseverance has paid you off. How is your approach to the contest changed over the years? Can you tell us something more about the collection you presented in Cannes, which allowed you to win the competition in the lingerie category?
First time was when I started my lingerie design studies. I wasn’t really good illustrator in that period, but I was trying and testing new solutions. In this edition I decided to make a collection designed in the most professional way and it paid. My collection is titled ‘Madama Butterfly’ – the same as Puccini’s Opera.
This year we celebrate the hundredth anniversary of his death. Like Puccini, I succumbed to the beauty of Japan. The land of the rising cherry blossoms has many extremes and that inspired me. I wanted to show new quality and feminine point of view for the erotic underwear. I choose pink as a main colour, but it took me hours to find the right tone. Print was designed based on my silk painting. Pink is deeply conected with feminity, but previously was reserved for men, so I decide to play with that. My collection is sensual and I decided to design it for the luxury sector of the market.
How do you evaluate The Link experience overall? The competition and the feeling with your fellow competitors?
The Link is deeply conected with Mare di Moda Cannes. In that case imagine a situation when you’re showing your skills on international area and hundreds of people from industry can give you something: job offer, free textile samples, good advices or visibility in magazines. I received a lot of support also from competitors. We knew that winner is only one but we wanted to meet better each others, enoy the time during trade show, know more about education in other countries and after few months we still have a contact.
What happened during the show we all know. Please tell us something about what happened afterwards, back home and back to school:
The week after MarediModa I had another fashion show connected with my graduation in fashion design and leather goods, so let’s say “I cooked a bomb”. At Mare di Moda I rised level of international followers and viewers and then I showed that I’m working in several paths of fashion. Media started to ask: who is that girl who won competition in France? My Instagram exploded (iam_woochuck), I received a lot offers of collaborations on national and international level. But what’s the most important – because of The Link I decided to think more about a lingerie brand which I’ll be owning with my partner-in-crime, model Paulina Wisińska. Launching a brand together was her idea. She came up with this as soon as she saw The Link collection.
We hope to have you back to Cannes as a stylist. What plans do you have for the near future?
Right now I’m working on several paths in the same time. I’m making customs looks and a lot of styling for celebrities in Poland. In April ’24 I will show my first upcycled collection. By the end of the year me and Paulina will make an unveiling of our lingerie brand. And last but not the least – I’m preparing a new fashion collection with mix of clothes, lingerie and leather goods. Oh! I forgot – I just started my new art studies – jewelry design. As you see – that’s a lot of things but I’m pretty sure that I’ll back to Cannes as soon as possible, I met wonderful people there.
