The Voronezh-based designer on moving from banking into fashion, handcraft, Italian leather, the power of runway shows, and a new beach collection.
In a world where accessories have long ceased to be secondary details of an outfit, Zinaida Serova chooses the most personal path: handmade work. Her bags are born not on an assembly line, but in dialogue with material, color, and the character of their future owner. Behind every piece is the story of a woman who once dared to step away from a familiar profession and turn a long-standing passion into her own fashion brand. For MosFocus, Zinaida explained why a bag can become a point of strength, how Italian leather coexists with crochet, and why a true handmade item always carries the maker’s mood.
From Banking Precision to Fashion Freedom
MosFocus: Zinaida, until recently your life was connected with the banking sector. What became the point of no return — the moment when you decided to devote yourself fully to design?
Zinaida Serova: I worked in banks for twenty years, so from the outside it really may have looked like a sharp turn. But internally, the decision matured gradually. For the last three years, I had already been creating bags, taking part in shows, preparing publications, and working on promotion — and all of that required not only time, but a special inner state. At some point I realized that creativity could no longer remain something I did “after work.” It had become my main source of energy.
The decisive factor was the response: people began writing reviews, asking what would come next, and inviting me to events. I felt that it was working, that I was needed in this environment. After that, returning to numbers, spreadsheets, and a strict eight-to-five schedule became impossible. In February of this year, I finally drew a line under my banking story and chose design.
Loops of Memory: Grandmother’s School and the First Sense of Form
MosFocus: You say that knitting came into your life in childhood thanks to your grandmother. What from that time has stayed with you today?
Zinaida Serova: My grandmother taught me to knit — incidentally, her name is also Zinaida. My first works are still preserved: doilies I made as a child. Back then, my grandmother simply showed me how to do it, without explaining the terminology. Later, in a school crochet club, I learned to read patterns, understand stitch symbols, and work from magazines.
What has remained from childhood in my current style is probably the most important thing: love for the process itself. For even loops, neat stitches, and the feeling of something warm, familiar, and openwork. A person changes at every stage of life, but that inner tenderness toward handmade work has remained unchanged.
A Bag as a Personal Statement
MosFocus: Today your brand is built around handmade knitted bags. The description of your Telegram channel includes the phrase: “to emphasize individuality through a handmade accessory.” How accurately does that reflect your philosophy?
Zinaida Serova: Very accurately. For me, a bag is not just an object where you can put your phone and keys. It is an accent that can change an outfit and a mood. A handmade knitted bag is always a little more than an accessory: it has character, the maker’s energy, and the individuality of the woman who chooses it.
The public description of my Telegram channel also says that I use quality materials and ship pieces to different cities. That is an important part of the brand: an item should not only look beautiful in photos, but also be reliable in real life.
MosFocus: The move from toys and children’s items to bags is an unusual path. What surprised you about the first bag?
Zinaida Serova: It all began rather accidentally: I was looking for a master class for a new toy and saw that yarn could be used to crochet bags. Technically, it turned out to be close to what I already knew — the same loops, the same hook, the same logic of crochet. But the material was different: instead of soft plush yarn, there was a dense polyester cord. You have to feel it differently, hold the shape more firmly, and control the tension.
The first bags had to be remade: in some places the loops came out too large, in others the pattern did not lie as evenly as I wanted. But that very density became an advantage: the bag holds its shape, looks composed, and lasts a long time.
Materials with Character: Leather, Cord, and an Impeccable Fit
MosFocus: Natural Italian leather plays an important role in your pieces. What matters most to you when choosing materials?
Zinaida Serova: I work only with genuine Italian-made leather and have been collaborating with one supplier for several years. I tried different options, but the quality and design did not always meet my standards. For me, three things matter at once: aesthetics, durability, and the tactile quality of the material.
A bag should be beautiful, but beauty makes no sense without quality. The leather must not crack, crease, or lose its appearance. I have my own bag that I have been carrying for three years — in winter and summer, in the rain, on trips with my children, and to the country house. It still looks worthy. For me, that is the best test.
Favorite Models: From Chocolate Classic to a Blue Accent
MosFocus: Is there a particular bag among your pieces — one connected with a personal story?
Zinaida Serova: Yes, a chocolate-brown bag that I crocheted for myself. It became a symbol of durability and quality for me. I often cite it as an example when people ask how long such an item can last. Three years of active wear — and it is still “like new.”
There are also more statement-making models: for example, a chocolate bag with a genuine leather flap textured “like giraffe” — elegant, with a touch of chic. Recently I also kept for myself a bright bag with a blue flap, ocher details, and a rich green base. It was created for a runway show, but after the presentation I realized I could not part with it. If the brown one is the aesthetic of calm confidence, the blue-green one is challenge and energy.
Runway Shows, Recognition, and the Moment a Brand Begins to Live
MosFocus: Your VKontakte community is called “Zinaida Serova | Designer | Voronezh,” and it features products and posts about shows. What do fashion events give you?
Zinaida Serova: First of all, recognition. Shows are not only about sales. They are an environment, communication, new connections, and new opportunities. Last year I searched for events myself, wrote to organizers, and made acquaintances. Now offers already come to me — including through recommendations.
One of the most inspiring stories happened in Voronezh: a guest at a show came up to me and said she knew me, subscribed to me, and followed my development. When you are recognized not only by the professional community but by someone “from the outside,” it gives an incredible feeling: it means the brand is truly beginning to live.
MosFocus: The posts in your community show a practical approach: you talk not only about beauty, but also about size, convenience, and seasonality. For example, in spring you suggest choosing a slightly larger bag so it can fit an umbrella, scarf, or gloves. Is that a conscious strategy?
Zinaida Serova: Of course. A bag has to work in real life. It is important to me not just to create a beautiful object, but to imagine the woman who will walk through the city with it: rain in the morning, warmth during the day, wind in the evening — and everything she needs should be close at hand. That is why I think about shape, volume, texture, and seasonality. My pieces have now become more considered: I see my audience and understand their needs.
A Course for Summer: Beach Line, Hats, and the Mood of Bali
MosFocus: You are now preparing a summer beach collection. How will it differ from the city bags?
Zinaida Serova: This really is a new stage. My collection previously included summer and autumn models, but they were still urban: with leather flaps, leather bottoms, more structured and aesthetic. The beach line will be different — I plan to sew bags from cord rather than crochet them in the usual way.
In mood, it will be vacation, the sea, Bali: azure, white, milky, sandy, perhaps creamy yellow. I want to add hats in colors matching the bags: I am only beginning to work with this direction, but I already see great potential in it. I will most likely avoid overly aggressive fiery shades in the first collection — I want lightness, air, and a feeling of travel.
MosFocus: You are also studying to become a travel agent. Where do travel and bag design intersect?
Zinaida Serova: At first glance, these are different fields, but for me the connection is obvious. On any trip, a woman has a bag: a large beach bag, a small belt bag, a crossbody for a phone and card. A bag is a travel companion. I already have an idea for a collection inspired by countries: Europe, Asia, different moods and cultural codes. For now it is still in development, but the direction is very interesting to me.
From Gifts for Loved Ones to a Personal Style and Audience
MosFocus: What has changed since the time when bags were gifts for friends rather than a full-fledged brand?
Zinaida Serova: A lot has changed: seasonality appeared, along with an understanding of the audience, attention to trends, and promotion. But the main thing has remained the same — love for the craft and high standards of quality. In the past, I could remake my first bags several times because I did not like a line or the density. Now my skill allows me to work faster and more precisely, but my internal standard has not become lower.
MosFocus: What advice would you give to those who want to turn a hobby into a profession?
Zinaida Serova: Do not give up. It will always be scary — at the beginning of the journey, after several years, and even when you already have experience. But you can stand still and be afraid, or you can move forward while being afraid. The difference is enormous. If you have chosen your direction, do it, try, change your approach, listen to people, but do not stop moving.
For a designer, it is important that work does not turn into mechanical production. A handmade item is always about a person and energy. I never work on a piece if I am ill or in a bad mood: I believe the maker’s state is transferred to the item. Every bag should have a soul — otherwise it is no longer handmade, but simply an object.
MosFocus final touch: What is especially valuable in Zinaida Serova’s story is that behind the apparent lightness of a fashion accessory stand inner discipline, professional courage, and respect for manual labor. Her bags do not try to argue loudly with an outfit — they subtly bring it together, adding the very detail by which a woman is remembered. And perhaps that is why Zinaida’s brand sounds so convincing today: it contains not only fashion, but also personal truth.