The Urban Watch talks with Ruta Gyvyte, founder of COMFESS, creative director of fashion-label Atella and the face behind fashion blog Amoureuse De Mode.
Ruta shares with us her story on how it all started, her daily motivation and what it takes to be working for yourself. We also discuss the differences between living in London and New York after her recent move to NYC.
You are the face behind ADM, founder of COMFESS fashion label and creative director of Atella all at the age of 22. How are you able to balance it all?
Well, first things first, things aren’t always as beautiful and easy as they look on my Instagram! Honestly, I think the secret is very simple – to truly enjoy what you are doing. I know that may sound cliché, but that’s true. As soon as you have passion and excitement for the thing you are doing, even though it’s hard sometimes, you still keep doing that because you simply love it. I still struggle to manage my time almost every single day and some things take longer than I’ve planned, however it always works out in the end. It’s all about believing in your work!
Working for yourself: is that a dream come true or a curse?
I honestly think it can be both. It all depends on what kind of person you are! Some people prefer working in a big company that has a strong culture and specific rules, however, after working for a few companies, I’ve realized that this way doesn’t work for me. It’s not always easy, but I still prefer managing my own time and having my own schedule. I guess it’s because I am a creative person and it’s hard to put myself in the frames, so I create them myself.
Looking back to when you were starting your blog, what was the major creative force for you? What was the mission that inspired you to create these brands?
I never really had one single source of inspiration. I believe that fashion blogging made a huge impact as I had so many exciting opportunities to meet with designers and brand founders or attend fashion shows and gather all the inspiration from it. There’s still so much competition as the fashion industry is full of new start-ups coming up every single day, I think people are always craving new things. I always felt that need to create something that I am passionate about and clothing was one of those things.
Has that changed at all as time has gone by?
There are so many things happening and changing day by day and that really excites me. I feel that having your own brand or business is an amazing way of growing yourself as a person. You are learning and experiencing new things every single day!
What is your ultimate goal?
I definitely have a lifetime goal to be happy, healthy and to have loving people and family surrounding me (as we all do!). However, I strongly believe in the theory that we all need to create small goals for ourselves every single day. I think that every time we achieve something, it gives us more motivation to go forward. It can be anything, like finishing an article you promised to write ages ago or going to the gym after a one-year break.
You have recently made a swift change in your life, moving from London to New York City. What are your biggest expectations and plans for the near future in NYC?
Definitely working much more on my blog and creating exclusive content for brands. It’s so easy to lose inspiration when you are always working on creative projects, however since I’ve moved here, I feel so excited to work hard again. I really believe that New York has millions of opportunities for the fashion industry and I’ll do my best to learn as much as I can from this city!
What surprised you the most about NYC in comparison to London? Why?
Well, not talking about prices (haha), I think it’s the feeling itself. I always thought I would feel too far from home, however I do feel like I’m at home here. I love London a lot, however I have to agree that you still feel like a foreigner there as British culture is very strong. In New York, people don’t even care where you are from and it really creates that homey feeling away from home.
What is your favorite aspect/thing about New York?
I love big cities. Even though I’m from a small country, London got me used to big crowds, tons of cars and a crazy busy lifestyle. I still feel that I’m in that phase of life where I need someone to push me further and New York is definitely doing that!
Do you have a bucket list for NYC that you could share with our readers? Something that every New Yorker, Londoner and traveler should try to do whilst they are there?
It’s funny, but I met a few New Yorkers just recently who have never been on the Brooklyn Bridge. All those touristy places are always crowded, however I really recommend to visit it at least once and take some cool pictures to remember! Go to West Village to have the most delicious brunch in Rosemary’s, rent city bikes and explore Central Park, go to China Town to see a completely different world, try the amazing cocktails at Apotheke and definitely take a walk around Williamsburg to feel those hipster vibes!
Edited by Sophie Walker
