TIMELESSNESS REVIVAL: IN CONVERSATION WITH VICTORIA/TOMAS

by Mira W.

Is flexibility the new luxury in fashion?

Founded in 2012 by the talented duo of Victoria Feldman and Tomas Berzins, VICTORIA/TOMAS, a transformative brand that redefined the parameters of contemporary fashion, has swiftly established its presence at the forefront of contemporary fashion, inspiring audiences with its seamless duality.

From its inception, VICTORIA/TOMAS has sought to challenge conventional norms and celebrate the beauty of duality within fashion. By skillfully appropriating the elegance of the classic men’s wardrobe, Victoria and Tomas have crafted an aesthetic that is both innovative and deeply relatable. Their designs articulate a story made of contemporary femininity, where strength coexists with softness, creating garments that are not only visually stunning but also empower the women who wear them. The duo believes in the power of balance, a philosophy intricately woven into the fabric of their collections—where sleek lines and structured silhouettes harmonize with whimsical details and luxurious textures.

Today, more than ever, it is essential to recognize that creativity is intertwined with the demands of sustainability and adaptability. Historically, fashion followed a predictable seasonal rhythm; however, that rhythm is breaking down due to faster trend cycles and the pressing realities of climate change. The industry is witnessing a shift where flexibility is now the new luxury. Fashion is no longer confined to delivering a new rhythm every year; instead, it is driven by a commercial need for novelty alongside a pervasive desire for change. Seasonless fashion has emerged not just as a trend, but as a vital survival strategy—a thoughtful response to the urgent need for sustainable practices.

VICTORIA/TOMAS design clothes with adaptability, aligning with changing consumer needs. They are creating garments from breathable fabrics that insulate, through modular layers that can be added or removed for versatility, and utilizing neutral tones that transition seamlessly across seasons. Maybe a commitment to a seasonless approach is fundamental to the future of fashion.

In the below interview, we will reflect not only on the remarkable trajectory of VICTORIA/TOMAS but also on the meaningful story behind their comeback. The synergy between Victoria and Tomas lends reflects a kind of creativity that feels both personal and universally accessible—an embodiment of their shared values and visionary aesthetic.

This moment is particularly significant as it marks a new chapter for VICTORIA/TOMAS, following a period of introspection and growth. They are challenging the complexities of independent fashion design, but their unwavering dedication to creativity and authenticity remains resolute. This interview is a celebration of their past successes and a glimpse into their exciting future, one that promises to be adorned with collections that resonate with emotion, artistry, and a commitment to sustainability. True elegance lies in the courage to express one’s identity and embrace transformation.

In conversation with VICTORIA/TOMAS for Vanity Teen

How did your childhood shape your perspective on creativity in its various forms, for both of you and what key experiences drove you to establish VICTORIA/TOMAS? How has your education helped you see the bigger picture?

Victoria: As a child, I never knew exactly what I wanted to be, and I was never pushed to focus on one specific path. Creativity came very naturally to me, especially through clothing. I always wanted to dress differently, layering skirts over the pants, wearing all my necklaces at once. I knew that whatever I would do, it would be creative.

When I was 16, my parents told me that if I wanted to become a designer, no matter the field, I had to learn how to draw. That led me to art school, and after my BAC I studied at the Beaux-Arts in the South of France, focusing on painting, graphic design, photography, and visual arts.

Fashion came to me suddenly, not as a childhood dream but as a clear realization when I was 18. That’s when I moved to Paris. Fashion school with a focus on styling and pattern making gave me a strong technical foundation, but the desire to create my own company didn’t come from school, it came from my father. He was always independent and running his own businesses, and for me it felt organic to build something of my own with Tomas rather than work for someone else.

Tomas: I grew up in an environment where observation mattered where you learned by watching, not by speaking too much. I didn’t imagine becoming a designer. I was simply attentive and followed my intuition. I always paid attention to proportions and to how people protect themselves emotionally, often through what they wear. I always loved fashion, music, and self-expression.

Luckily, a one-night coincidence led to a lifetime decision, moving to Paris in 2008 and toward fashion as a whole, being just 16. I was naïve and didn’t even consider what to expect from my time in fashion school. Surprisingly, I fell in love with manual work and especially sewing, which further developed my full ability to construct real, high quality garments.

Compared to Victoria, I never felt a need for my own company,  but I always had a very high need for freedom. Freedom in decisions and my  own schedule, so it made perfect sense for me to start VICTORIA/TOMAS.

With the stride of change in the fashion industry accelerating, independent brands often face significant obstacles. What unique challenges did you confront after graduating and establishing your brand, and how did you work through those challenges together as a couple and creative partners?

Victoria+Tomas: We think every business goes through many obstacles at the beginning. We launched the brand when we were 22–23 years old, guided mainly by our vision, taste and a strong desire to share it. Of course, we were aware of the commercial side, but we weren’t a company built on a five-year business plan or backed by investors. We were young, coming from nowhere, without strong contacts and we decided to take this risk together.

We were fortunate to be supported by the FHCM from our fourth collection, which gave us visibility and credibility at a crucial moment. Being a couple and creative partners has always been our strength, it gave us momentum, balance, and the energy to keep VICTORIA/TOMAS moving forward at full speed. 

Your brand is known for merging masculine elements into women’s fashion. Can you discuss the societal implications of this approach? What do you hope to convey through this mix of gender codes, and how do you see it resonating with contemporary femininity?

Victoria+Tomas: When we started the brand, the most important thing for us was to express something that felt natural and familiar. As two designers sharing the same vision and voice, we wanted to create a woman who is both strong and feminine.

For us, femininity is not defined by a short or a tight dress. Oversized silhouettes can be just as feminine, powerful, confident, and sexy. What matters most is balance, and the ability to place the right details in the right places.

We were never interested in looking at other brands, our focus was always on creating something new and authentic, looking for new combinations of shapes, colours, fabrics, but in a very desirable and wearable manner. When we first saw our designs being copied by mass-market or even other niche brands, our initial reaction was frustration and a desire for justice. Today, we understand that it’s almost impossible for a young independent brand to fight against large groups. Instead, we choose to see it as recognition and a sign that we were moving in the right direction.

VICTORIA/TOMAS is not only a brand, but a “beautiful love story.” How does your personal relationship enhance or challenge your creative process? Can you share specific instances where your partnership has influenced the designs or themes in your collections?

Victoria+Tomas: It’s a question we are often asked, because being a couple and creative partners suggests a life where everything is shared, all the time. In reality, our strength has been learning how to separate spaces, keeping work at work, respecting each other’s individual vision, and building a solid foundation that allowed us not only to grow a brand, but also to build a family.

Our relationship has always been based on dialogue and balance. Creativity, like love, requires trust and space. That dynamic has deeply influenced our process, allowing ideas to evolve through exchange rather than conflict.

The arrival of our two children Rain and Terra, just 15 months apart brought an entirely new dimension to our partnership. It’s still rare in the fashion industry to navigate intense creative work alongside parenthood, especially so closely spaced in time. But rather than seeing it as a limitation, we embraced it as another creative and emotional challenge, one we chose to share fully, just like everything else in our journey.

Your collections often reflect a duality that symbolizes various contrasts—such as sweetness and strength. Share with us several thoughts on how this concept manifests in your designs? What artistic influences do you draw upon to achieve this balance?

Victoria+Tomas: We believe that the ability to combine sweetness and strength is one of the greatest powers of femininity. Even in today’s world, women are often underestimated, judged more for their appearance than for their work. Personally, we see women as modern warriors. As mothers, designers, and businesswomen, and constantly navigating multiple roles at once: a Zoom call, groceries, keeping everything moving forward at the same time, this is a woman in our perspective.

In that context, clothing and personal style becomes essential. They function almost as a hidden superpower, something that gives you energy, confidence, and the sense that you can handle even more. This duality naturally translates into our designs, where softness and structure coexist, and where elegance never excludes strength.

Victoria: My background is rooted in art. I started as an artist before moving into fashion, and I have always approached clothing as objects with presence and meaning. While I deeply respect minimalism, I am more drawn to genuinely constructed pieces of garments that stay in your wardrobe, collect memories, and evolve with you over time. That emotional durability is central to how we think about design and balance.

Partnering with brands like Caron and Chantelle brings both challenges and exciting opportunities. How do you explore these collaborations to ensure they align with your creative vision while honoring your partners’ identities? Additionally, could you share your thoughts on the significance of collaboration in today’s fashion scene?

Victoria+Tomas: We are very selective when it comes to collaborations. For us, it’s never only about aesthetics, it’s also about history, heritage, vision, and the people behind the brands. A collaboration has to feel natural, almost inevitable, rather than forced. When that alignment exists, it often doesn’t stop at a single project, we enjoy returning for a second chapter once the collaboration has been well received by the public.

In today’s fashion landscape, collaboration has become almost constant. Every day seems to bring a new announcement. While collaboration can be a powerful creative tool, too much of it risks losing meaning. When everything is a collaboration, nothing feels special anymore. The audience needs time to absorb, understand, and emotionally connect with what is being created.

For us, collaboration should be intentional and respectful, an exchange where both identities remain visible and enriched, rather than diluted. When done thoughtfully, it becomes a dialogue rather than a marketing gesture, and that is where its real value lies today. Most of the time, for us, it’s not only dual collaboration, between two brands or a brand and an artist. We truly enjoy linking multiple and diverse directions into a merged Collaboration in order to connect fashion, art, music, lifestyle, experience, etc…

Reflecting on your own experiences and the challenges you’ve faced, what advice would you offer to young designers striving to establish their unique identity in such a competitive industry? Specifically, what were some of the most challenging aspects you encountered in developing your buying strategy? Additionally, how crucial do you believe a strong visual and cultural identity is for a brand in today’s market, especially in relation to these challenges? 

Victoria+Tomas: When we started the brand, we had only our small savings and no real connections. At that time, the market felt more open and welcoming to the younger brands, especially Paris based. There were fewer designers, fewer fashion weeks, and fewer showrooms, which allowed space to grow.

Today, beyond investment, it often feels necessary to have strong support from the industry or a visible figure such as a star musician or an actress, who can bring you instant attention and visibility. The pace has accelerated, and there is very little time given to grow, to learn, or to make mistakes, even though those stages are essential.

When we look at museums, we see the finished masterpieces of the most celebrated artists, but we never see the hundreds of attempts, failures, and experiments that came before. Fashion designers deserve that same space to try, to fail, and to evolve. Without it, creativity risks becoming rushed, cautious, and ultimately less meaningful.

How do you balance your family life and the creative process? What does a typical day look like for you? What’s your favorite way to spend time with your family on a regular day? 

Victoria+Tomas: A typical weekday starts between 7 and 9 a.m. with time dedicated to our children, followed by a full workday from around 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. From the evening onward, we try to be fully present with them, no phones, just quality time. They are two and three years old, and at this age they need their parents to be 100% involved. It’s not always easy to maintain this routine, especially when certain projects require immediate attention, but we do our best to keep a healthy balance.

Your favorite cozy spot in Paris.

Victoria+Tomas: Authentic Parisian terraces are the best cozy spots in Paris, that’s the beauty of our city. 

The last museum or art exhibition visited is…. 

Victoria+Tomas: Recently we went through Musée Carnavalet, we’ve never been there. We found it quite underrated. It’s really big, visually pleasant, fully Paris dedicated and free. 

_

‘’This is the first interview we are giving since we’ve paused VICTORIA/TOMAS.

In March 2024, we presented our show as usual, during Paris Fashion Week. At the time, we didn’t know it would be our last one after so many years. 

Being independent means accepting unexpected changes. We stood the COVID and never skipped a season. For the past seasons, the brand was commercially stable, but it wasn’t growing in the way we wanted. At the same time, we began developing our side projects and collaborations, which sometimes gave us even more creative fulfillment than our own brand.

As designers, we have always prioritized the desire to create. In April, when we understood that another season had brought us similar results, we started to feel it might be a sign to move in a new direction. In June, we decided to publicly announce our decision.

It was very important for us not to “disappear,” as so many companies do. We have always shared our steps and transitions openly, so it felt natural to communicate through platforms such as WWD, FashionNetwork, the Financial Times, and others. For some designers or brands, this moment might feel like a failure. We believe that you are free to choose what is right for your life.

The brand was still a part of the official Paris calendar, with two shows per year and pre-collections, strong visibility, and retail presence. But as Victoria and Tomas, we felt it’s time for a new chapter.

This session for VanityTeen marks our first public appearance and editorial project with our children involved. We styled three looks with them. The first look is soft and sweet, built around warm, cozy tones. We don’t often wear pink and purple in daily life, but we felt that an archival VICTORIA/TOMAS poplin ensemble was the perfect way to express the softer side of the motherhood, an image of a modern woman who is always moving, yet constantly seeking comfort and Tomas matching same tones wearing our Fila collaboration mixed with other contemporary and street brands. 

For the second look, we wanted to create an ultra-styled, fashion-forward family moment, choosing a total black silhouette with a sparkle. We love black on children, we find it playful, graphic, and surprisingly joyful.

The third look features three shirts from our Summer 2015 collection. This piece was one of our bestsellers at the time, and seeing it worn by our children ten years later, paired with colorful rain boots felt almost like destiny.

For our couple look, we mixed archival VICTORIA/TOMAS pieces with vintage designer items and creations from other established and younger brands.

The archive Maison Margiela coat carries a very personal story.’’ 

Victoria: I was in my first year of studies and about to go home after class when I was invited to a private Maison Martin Margiela sale. As a devoted admirer of the brand, I couldn’t refuse, but my intention was only to watch, not to buy. The moment I saw this coat, I knew I couldn’t leave without it. It was a sample and a show piece, and its cost was almost everything I had at the time.

A letter by Victoria+Tomas

Follow VICTORIA/TOMAS HERE

TEAM CREDITS

Talents: Victoria & Tomas Berzins & kids
EIC + Style: Luca Imbimbo
Interview: Mira W.
Graphics Designer: Davide Caruso
Photographer: Guel Sener
Production: Jennifer Kaiser
Make-up Artist: Emanuela Farano
Hairstylist: Tsuyoshi Tamai
Photo Assistant: Devin
Fashion Assistants: Alegría Haro & Aleks Vardanyan
Location: Experimental Marais

Fashion Editor: Corinna Fusco

All looks are mixed with VICTORIA/TOMAS archive styles