Lala Berlin Talks Fashion And Statements with Fizzy Mag

Last week the Copenhagen Fashion Week climaxed by showing the new Autum / Winter 2017 creations. One stand-out show was the presentation of the Lala Berlin collection, causing not only a stir with the sign-of-the-times statement items, but also for Iranian born LaLa Boss Leyla Piedayesh holding up a sign proclaiming  "I'm an immigrant" at the finale. 

We caught up with Leyla after the show for a quick talk on fashion and taking a stand. 

Hi Leyla. Lala Berlin stands for urban Berlin chic. Would you go with that?

Well, let me think about that one! I'm definitely urban and yes I guess I can tick the chic style box. Modern absolutely, and Lala Berlin is a Berlin brand so I guess you must be on to something.

What do you like about Copenhagen? The city is so much different to London or Berlin.

I'm happy to be meeting some super friendly and well organized people here with a mind blowing style. The honesty and open mindedness I've encountered has been very refreshing.

Is doing a show in Copenhagen a conscious move against an increasingly commercial Berlin?   

Having so many customers here in Copenhagen is the real reason we started to have a show here as well as Berlin. It's a venture in itself and really detached from any supposed Berlin backlash. 

Today you took a stand after the show and got a lot of attention by holding up a "I'm an immigrant" sign. Considering your cultural background and your use of the famous Pali scarf, does this make lala Berlin officially political?

Good question because until today my answer to this line of questioning has always been: there is no political background to anything I do. But to be honest, the last year really moved me and I've come not only to believe, but am absolutely convinced that we all should become political. The time to act is now. We can't afford to close our eyes and say we not connected to as humans. I truly hope my kind of thinking has nothing to do with age. I am convinced we all need to start mobilizing ourselves and this is what I tried to express because this is what's moving me right now. So from now on I am political. It's not only fashion anymore it's now me a designer that's created fashion and who is political! 

The reason for the change/think statements in your collection?

Actually the collection statements aren't related to my sign today. The collection is based on what I experienced last year emotionally and spiritually. My mind was going "think about what's happening" "change your life" start a revolution within yourself and let that affect your entire surroundings. The thing with the sign today was totally spontaneous, I'd been up all night watching the news. It had been the first time in days weeks I'd had time to and it simply wore me down to the point that I started to cry. I was very upset. Not only what is happening to all the immigrants but the whole context. Trying to get my head around it all was mentally throwing me back to 1979, being a 9 year old girl from Iran sitting in a hotel room asking the same questions: Why is this happening. How is it possible? Why is nobody doing anything? This is all very heavy! 

Finally, what's a trend for you? 

Trend? Does it still exist? Things come and go at such a velocity, it's all so very fast. Trend does not exist!