Written for Fashion & Beauty Monitor
Mija Knezevic is a creative director, art director, influencer, social media strategist and stylist. An NYU graduate, Mija is originally from Montenegro but has lived all over the world, from Switzerland to London. An influencer with 302K Instagram followers, her collaborations include Net-A-Porter, Tory Burch and Tibi, as well as acting as brand ambassador for Burberry. She has also supported luxury brands such as Roland Mouret and Nina Ricci. Her personal style and fashion expertise has been featured in Vogue, W Magazine, WWD, Elle, Grazia, Harper's Bazaar, L'Officiel, Man Repeller, The Cut, Coveteur, Refinery29 and more.
Mija is also the Co-founder of NEOHIRO - a new fitness technology company, launching at the end of 2021, that looks to revolutionise the gym space experience by training the central nervous system, not the muscle.
We caught up with the multi-hyphenate to discuss trends for Summer, Tribeca hotspots and digital fashion weeks…
You’ve been featured in a lot of publications, what would be the dream outlet to land?
Dazed and Confused, ID, POP, Self-service are my favorite publications. I hope one day I get to talk about my start-ups in one of those magazines.
What tips would you give to any aspiring Art Directors?
Expose yourself to as many different facets of life that will end up shaping your aesthetic. Art, Architecture, Industrial Design, and Film are some of many industries that have a lot of great inspiration for visual communication of contemporary content production.
How would you describe your personal style and has this changed during lockdown?
My style has definitely changed. In my twenties I was all about being minimal and very mature looking. Now in my thirties I want to dress more fun, even more color incorporated, lots of t-shirts and sweatshirts. The sartorial look suited me when I was younger, now I feel like the youthful and more experimental style speaks to me far more.
What is your go-to high street brand?
Cos - Scandinavian modern staples that you can wear with anything.
And your favourite luxury label?
Loewe, Khaite and JIL SANDER are my fav luxury brands at the moment. The reason being Loewe is very fun and modern at the same time. Khaite is more feminine and seductive in a very sophisticated way. JIL SANDER is just one of the best brands of all time, with the most incredible fabrics and timeless pieces.
Which other creators do you admire?
Blanca Miro, Peggy Gou and Natasha Goldenberg because they have very distinct style that is consistent.
Where is your favourite spot in Tribeca?
My best friend’s loft on Warren Street. A place where I go to immerse in old downtown New York, art and friendship. Milica Perovic is a reputable art collector specialising in emerging American artists. She always gives me great tips for which artists to invest in.
How do you think attitudes to the term ‘influencer’ have changed over time?
Influencers have become like celebrities. Hollywood stars used to be captured once a month by paparazzi and published in monthly magazines. Influencers post daily content that feeds into the audience’s emotional trust. I recently read an article by a woman who worked for American Express and then moved to Walmart, she was emphasising how emotional trust is the most important thing for loyal online customers in today’s world.
What is the most pressing issue the fashion industry needs to address right now?
Fashion corporations are not focusing enough energy on building out good lifestyle habits for their employees via educational programmes. This leading for poor mental and physical health within creative industries. For instance, lots of people within the industry have a poor work/life balance - they work late, don’t work out, smoke cigarettes, and have poor nutritional habits. All of these things have a negative impact on our minds, bodies and the planet, which is something I am very passionate about. Companies can and should be doing more to encourage people to spend less time sitting at their desk day and night. As an industry we need to encourage having a more active life for everyone to thrive.
What are some key trends for Summer?
There are definitely things that I pick up on that are of-the-moment as who doesn't love it when a slightly novelty trend they have always loved is on the runway! For example, I enjoy wearing baggy jeans and Hawaiian shirts, but I have to say that for me, staying away from fast changing trends has always been an objective. Most of the time I feel like the quality of an individual’s style is compromised by these fast changing trends. Style is timeless and its personal, why would you want to wear something half of instagram wears? The same looks over and over become very unoriginal and conformist. When fashion is simply copy and paste it lacks the creativity that made us all drawn to this industry in the first place.
Any emerging brands caught your eye?
Casablanca, Wales Bonner, all the t-shirt brands at Dover Street Market like Dreamland Syndicate.
Do digital fashion weeks have the same allure as the physical event?
Unfortunately not. The human excitement and presence is what makes the shows.
What attracts you most to a brand partnership?
Believing in the brand and being part of their story, no matter how small or big that might be.
What do you remember about living in Montenegro?
I left twenty years ago, but I remember only wonderful things. Such as playing with kids on the beaches and old seaside towns all Summer long. Eating Mediterranean food and enjoying childhood freedom without technology.
How have you built up such a strong social following?
I started a long time ago, back in 2009, and was at the forefront of street style in New York when it all begun in 2010. Also, in Eastern Europe I gained a lot of attention at the time as their fashion sense was quite behind the curve then. Now things have definitely evolved and there are some incredible brands coming from the region.
What was the last book you read?
The Chosen by Chaim Potok, it’s a book about two boys growing up in the Hasidic Jewish community in Brooklyn in the 1940s.
Tell us about NEOHIRO.
Neohiro is a fitness company accompanied by sophisticated AI software that tailors every training session to you personally. You will hear more about it at end of this year.
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