ZIYP: Can you tell us something about the ‘Garderoba Concept Store’ and how did you come up with the idea of opening such a store?  Did your love for fashion play a crucial role in making that decision?
Ana: The ‘Garderoba Concept Store’ is the realisation of my vision of a place where women would be offered different types of clothes in comparison to what Zagreb has been offering; providing the complete experience of trying out something new, by stepping out of their comfort of wearing the usual clothing combinations and colours, and by providing advice and information about the novelties of the world of fashion, as well as material and design in general. In its first year of its existence, Garderoba has been recognised by many women as a place where one can find out what is new fashion wise and where women can get together and get useful advice.
The idea of opening the Garderoba Concept Store is a result of my personal experience that I've been collecting for years in many world metropolitan cities and the feeling that something like this is missing in Zagreb. After one year of running this business, I can gladly conclude that I was correct.  

ZIYP: The Garderoba Concept Store offers mostly Scandinavian designer brands. Are you a fan of Scandinavian fashion or is there another link with Scandinavian countries?
Ana: I have always been fascinated by clothes, not just as something to cover the body and protect ourselves from the cold, but as a means of expressing our personality, mood... Dressing up for me has always been a game of combination and functionality, depending on the occasion, and this is exactly what makes Scandinavian fashion design. In Garderoba, we have vastly different Danish and Swedish fashion brands: BY MALENE BIRGER; GANNI; BAUM UND PFERDGARTEN; RODEBJER; DESIGNERS REMIX; RABENS, which can be combined with each other, although each of them has a very specific DNA. It is all about functional clothing and high quality materials with an emphasis on top design that makes clothes timeless and is not blindly tied to current trends. Our clients are women who try to be themselves and be different.

ZIYP: It is noticeable at the entrance to the Garderoba Concept Store that this is not a regular shop;  great attention has been paid to interior decoration, changing rooms, the staff accompanying you throughout the buying process, thus we can freely say that the term slow-shopping is presented  here in the best possible way. Was this the main idea when decorating the interior?
Ana: The Garderoba Concept Store has been decorated as a large luxury wardrobe where a woman can feel comfortable, relaxed and can fully indulge in the selection and trying on of clothing. Our staff is here to give advice if that is the client’s wish, and to offer what we have for certain special occasions. Likewise, we try to be critical and will not resort to selling a clothing item if we consider that some other model may be better suited to a particular client. In this way, we have gradually gained the trust of the already respectable number of women who give us recommendations and so almost every day we have new customers. It's a wonderful feeling.

ZIYP: What Croatian designers can be found in the Garderoba Concept Store? There are pieces by Ivana Omazić. Do you follow other Croatian designers?
Ana: Yes, since the very opening we have had the Ivana Omazić collection and from this winter also a collection by the Croatian conceptual artist Silvio Vujičić and his fashion brand E.A.1 / 1. These are unique garments made of elaborately woven fabrics that tell a story in each collection. We follow the Croatian fashion scene with high interest and I believe that we will soon begin collaborating with other fashion brands as well.

ZIYP: What would you pick out of the 2018 spring/summer seasons from the Garderoba offer?
Ana: In this season, we have two current collections by our fashion brands; the spring/summer and the pre-autumn collection that has just arrived to the store. The most popular garment in Garderoba is certainly a dress. From mini to maxi dresses, silky, viscous, cotton, to those in strong colours such as green or orange, red and right up to dusty pink or sandy colours. We also offer clothes and jewellery by CORNELIA WEBB, PERNILLA CORYDON and Croatian designer MAMMI, as well as accessories, such as scarfs, handbags, shoes, perfumes and EIGHT & BOB scented candles. As a novelty in our offer, we have travel steamers by the top Swedish designer brand STEAMERY, which will make it easier for our clients to have top-of-the-line fully ironed clothes during their travels. Starting this upcoming autumn, we are preparing some new things in Garderoba with new brands WOODWOOD and LIBERTINE that will offer our customers something completely different. In response to numerous inquiries, along with the women's collection, the Danish fashion brand WOODWOOD is also bringing their first male collection to our store.