We meet the long-awaited Spring with an inspiring portfolio of our creative director Simona. We thought you would be curious about getting to know her better – take a glance at her daily life at and outside OffOn. After all, our brand’s creative ideas and new ventures are closely related to Simona’s everyday life and her values.
What do you love the most about living in Lithuania?
Nature, people, family, heritage, freedom.
Is there one Lithuanian tradition that you like the most?
Twelve-course Christmas dinner with family
How did you get an interest in fashion?
I have always been interested in fashion. As a child, I drew sketches and tried to sew clothes. Later, I got interested in vintage clothing; I enjoyed searching for gems in second-hand clothing stores. After meeting Paulius, my fashion hobby turned into our small business, the first collection of our dresses appeared. I can’t say that having the brand was my dream; everything happened naturally – the passionate interest became work, work became a hobby.
You are the creative director of the brand. What are your responsibilities?
All OFFON’s creative ideas are my responsibility – starting from the fabrics selection, clothes designs, and product functionality. However, we always adhere to the principle that all ideas and thoughts are discussed closely with all team members. We test and wear every new product ourselves before it appears in our collection.
Describe your typical day at the office, from morning till evening.
The day starts when Lola, our toy poodle, and I come to the studio. First of all, I make myself a cup of coffee with milk (my favorite), read and reply to all the letters. Then I either have meetings with product constructors about custom orders or spend time photo editing, creating content for social media, or communicating with our suppliers. When the workday is over, we take the children from kindergarten and school and go home, cook dinner, and spend time together.
How do you apply sustainability values daily?
Sustainable living values are indeed integral to our daily lives. It seems that these matters are no longer separable – they are self-evident things that we follow daily.
How do you understand the word balance?
I am probably one of those people who are naturally balanced inside. The internal balance resources come from nature, music, alone time, or packing the orders.
How do you spend your weekends?
Weekend – on Saturdays, we are usually at home with the whole family, and we like to sleep a little longer, eat late breakfast, and walk in the woods. We typically plan to go somewhere on Sundays.
How does your home look? Does it reflect your personality?
Recently, reflection has been influenced not so much by the home but by the environment in which we live in general. Our family lives outside the city, surrounded by forests and nearby lakes, and such a natural environment enables us to unwind and settle.
Do you have one OffOn dress that is nearest to your heart?
I don’t have one. There are maybe five of them right now. I am fond of our gingham dresses, and I often wear a black linen V-neck puffy sleeve dress. Lately, I love wearing our new Boxy gingham and Boxy cord pants.
What is the best thing about running a family business? What about challenges?
The incredible thing is that this is our family’s business, and we are all involved in that. The biggest challenge is our family time and its absence.
Where do you look for creative stimulus?
Music, movies, nature, personal experiences, travel.
How do you unwind?
By listening to my favorite music, alone time, or when traveling.
What is your favorite meal?
Tuna steak with tomatoes and avocado salads
Finish the sentences:
Good life to me is… balance in everything, new experiences, and travels.
My soul feels the most alive when… I create and gain new knowledge.
My biggest wish is… as many trips as possible.