SZOLDIER
Words by Caroline ShaheedPhotos bu James Barr

What's in a name you may ask? Shakespeare once posed that question, when he asked: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet." However, this sentiment does not hold court for Greg Blagoev, designer of the new men's line SZOLDIER. Blagoev found the inspiration for his line in the name, and hence created a militant and hyper masculine collection of

menswear. Blagoev decided to launch his line at the State Theatre (one of Toronto's newest large clubs) during Toronto's 2005 Fashion week. As a designer he took a very hands-on approach to how his collection would be presented, and personally selected each model to ensure they represented the look his line portrayed. After viewing his collection I met with Greg at his studio.

Upon entering Blagoev's studio all my senses suddenly became alert as my nostrils were infiltrated by Nag Champa incense, and my ears perked to the Sabbath blaring in the background as my eyes were greeted not only by the pieces in the SZOLDIER collection, but also by various Kiss, Iron Maiden, Bruce Lee and Scarface posters. It was not hard to figure or how or where the inspiration flowed from. Blagoev stated he was interested in pushing the limits of menswear and breaking a few rules along the way. This line is one that is quite personal for him as he has done everything from the pattern making, to the sewing, and the dying and texturing of his various fabrics. The approximately sixty piece line is full of his blood sweat and tears, which may add to the somewhat dark look of the collection. Blagoev commented he wanted to take a deeper and darker look at men's fashion and collaborated with local artist James Mejia, of www.artbythecode.com to create the graphics of his line. The two worked together to craft old school rock graphics, such as snakes and skulls that adorn the various t-shirts, tanks, and muscle shirts.

Blagoev's intention was to create a line that utilized the functionality of militant apparel and fuse it with high-end fabrics and a variety of other design details. Zippers, pockets, buttons, and various skins are rampant in the garments. Blagoev's pieces are for the confident man who

seeks to express his identity and individuality through his clothing. He has combined a diverse array of fabrics in an unconventional method, such as the black velvet blazer with python elbow patches. The colour pallet is rich with military greens, deep charcoals, blues, blacks, and browns, which also makes it quite accessible for the less adventurous male. SZOLDIER has become a labor of love for its designer, and instead of mass producing his garments Greg Blagoev has decided to keep his numbers small and custom make each piece for his client. This will allow him to concentrate on high-end fabrics and most of all the perfect fit. Because, when it comes down to it, it's all about the fit.

SZOLDIER is currently available by appointment, foe contact information visit: szoldier.com

Highrise Magazine Winter 2005