Claudia Rosa Lukas graduated at the University of Applied Arts both in Vienna and Berlin in 1997, having as teachers important designers such Vivienne Westwood, Helmut Lang, Marc Bohan or Jean-Charles de Castelbajac.

Soon after her graduation she started her own fashion label, and since then she started to get different awards like the Prize of the Ministry for Science and Transport (1997) or the Austrian Fashion Award for Contemporary Design (2001).

She has been one of the 25 designers chosen to participate at the EU project named EU Gateway to Japan, projected to introduce European fashion in the Japanese market.

Nowadays she shows her collections at the Prêt-à-Porter Fashion Week in Paris, and some of the most prestigious showrooms in Paris, Austria or Japan are featuring her collections.

Her designs are characterized for their simplicity, minimalism and seduction through simple, curves and well executed shapes, that strengthen a nowadays femininity, an avant-garde woman.

by Laura Eceiza

1. What has been the bigger influence in your career, after having such important designers for tutors like Vivianne Westwood or Helmut Lang in the University of Applied Arts of Vienna and Berlin?
With Vivienne Westwood I started my study. After my first correction with her, I started to do detailed research.
With Helmut Lang, the longest period as teacher, I refined my concepts and my way of thinking.
With Marc Bohan and J.C. de Castelbajac I was completely free in my work, they strengthened me in my doing.
No one had the chance to influence my development completely, and I am happy to have worked with 4 designers, so different to each other.

2. What do you think is the role played by the international fashion schools nowadays in creating a culture of fashion?
Their influences in creating a culture of fashion is growing. The international professionals have an eye on just some well known schools.
I hope this will change again. I prefer various fashion mix up of different cultures.

3.What is the present situation of Austrian fashion?
There are some good thoughts of making Austrian fashion more internationally. But there is still a lack of communication and cooperation between the important fashion players in this country.
So far, fashion in Austria is much more considered as a pur showing up event.
I hope this will change in the near future, as we have lots of good Austrian fashion designers.

4. During your short career, as you are very young, you have achieved many awards and nominations, are these awards an important thing for a designer's career? does it help to the designer growth?
It helps in the very beginning. Good and open feedbacks are very important to keep going with the work.

5. I can see you have a space in Iqons*, Have the new web spaces created a new way in fashion communication? What kind of use do you make of them?
Yes, I think. I was one of the first Austrian designers using this space.(besides, I have lots of spaces throughout the internet.) I watch its growing at regular intervals, as an active user for the purpose of research.
It shows the big influence of new media also in the fashion area. But those are just tools. There is no way around of getting in touch with people directly.
To go out for a drink with someone, for example.

6. I have found out that you belong to “EU Gataway to Japan”; what kind of actions do they promote from there?
I joined the European Commission’s “EU Gateway to Japan” project two years ago. I got to know the Japanese market thoroughly. It is important when starting to work with Japanese customers.

7. Who or what motivates you to design?
Just people around me.
Mostly their way of thinking, living and acting.

8.There are many fields where a designer can investigate; art, Interior design, accesories, household linen, children, styling... What part of fashion would you like to aprouch that you haven't?
One's whole life has to be designed in any way. A designer has to have good looking and / or practical ideas.
Political ideas could be redesigned as well.

9. What are your key concepts for the next season?
Close to the customer, practical ideas, sophisticated, simple femenine and straight forward.