So, what on Earth happened to Nyx?

            

      If you have been following my work, you probably know that I had taken a 4-year break from my own fashion label, NYX, as I got married and moved country. This period felt like a blink of an eye, as I have been incredibly busy with putting the basics of my life back in working order, or better yet, setting up new ones. So, it took a while to get things to start working out, and here I am, 4 years later, digging up my old blog - which I even thought I would delete, revamping my website and essentially re-branding. I decided to drop Nyx as a label name, because of the identically titled make-up brand (and a cool one, may I add!) which wasn't present in Europe at all when I started ''project Nyx''. I figured it would be more convenient for me in the future to simply embrace my name and work with what I've got. 💃

Finally, I drew my own logo. Neat, huh?
I like to think the association to roman numerals  is evident, for various reasons.

       Living in a new country (in my case Norway) does change your style, if not your whole personality. It really does. I went through somewhat of an identity crisis when the reality of my old life disappearing for good, because of the choice I made, finally hit me. The nocturnal creature in smart black nightclub outfits was gone. It has a day job. It gets up at 7. Not that this one is new, but still. I now live in a place ''where the air hurts my face'' and where the weather is so rainy and humid, that I may consider myself lucky if I get 2-3 good hair days a year. I have to be able to jump over ponds and race over rugged terrain to get to work. Bye-bye high heels 😢 No friends. At least, not at first. No dark, flamboyant peacocks to hang out with. Everyone seems to be rocking trends, and trends only. Or being very down-to-earth and basic. Do I have to do the same, to be accepted in my new homeland? I tried wearing some trendy scandi shit for a short while, and I felt ridiculous. Having moved from Serbia to Norway, carrying one suitcase only, I simply had to buy new stuff, and so I figured I might as well try to suck up to my new country(wo)men and blend in. 

None of this worked, of course.

This is how I felt at first - invisible, naked,  faceless and alone.  Still cool in a way, though. See more of this project here.

       The fact that I am a fashion designer, and lucky enough to do exactly that for a living, didn't make things easier, though. I haven't been away from fashion, actually. I just had to adjust my style sense to make it on the commercial Norwegian market and succeed at designing mostly clothes that I wouldn't necessarily wear myself. Also, Norwegians are very fond of the Scandinavian style, and not easily impressed with anything they see as ''Eastern European'' or even Russian, let's say probably because of their fondness for USA.  Although I do not see any connection of my personal style to any of the aforementioned, coming from where I come from, I was scared stiff of being called out on my supposed ''Squatting Slav'' swag.

       Another fact that should have made things in the transition period fairly smooth, is my BA in Scandinavian cultures and literature  with Norwegian language as major. (Yup, I have that, too.🙋)

Didn't help that much when my interests of the more peculiar type collided with the cold pragmatism of the Norwegian way of living in the here and now. I will spare you the details, but let's just say, the one friend back from my country that I miss the most, is probably the one who believes he is a reincarnation of Paracelsus, and acts accordingly. 

       Anyway, to try and keep a 4 year long story somewhat short, finding the way back to my ''true self'', after moving abroad, has not exactly been a walk in the park.

Only now can I say that I have the necessary prerequisites in place to start my own label. 

Again. 

From scratch. 

Exciting times ahead, for those that have missed my designs. Stay tuned!

Xoxoxo 

Iva