We sat down with Founder of SÉDA, Seda Rafilovich, to learn about how she weaved her experiences as a physician to design elegant and sophisticated pieces that speak to our love of fashion and design. Learn all about her new collection and story below.
Tell us a bit about your journey to start the line
I have always admired beauty and fashion throughout my life. Growing up in Europe I was always surrounded by some stunning picturesque scenery. At the same time, I have always wanted to be a physician – so I have spent the majority of my life with both my brain hemispheres fighting for dominance. Throughout my career and journey to becoming a physician, shapes and colours kept popping up in my head, wanting to explore the creative nature of design. When COVID hit, I looked at it as an opportunity to really pursue both paths in a way that would marry both interests. So I did and that’s how SÉDA was born. I hope our customers will enjoy the result as much as we did enjoy the process of its creation.
Photo via SEDA
You are from Eastern Europe, did that offer inspiration to this particular collection?
I think it did. My deep conviction that outerwear can and should be elegant and sophisticated probably roots in the European outerwear tradition.
It’s evident that ethically made fashion is part of your brand DNA. As we head into Earth Month, why was it so important to you?
I really do enjoy my creative process, and it really gives me peace of mind knowing that people who are making my products are fairly paid Canadian producers, working in a good working environment, and actually liking what they are doing. I believe that this makes an impact on the product itself, this is the energy it is carrying within. Earth is our house so to say, and people living in this house make it home. If they are happy, then this is a happy home.
What are your go to pieces in this collection?
Oh that is so hard to say because I love them all! They all came from my desire to create a well rounded outerwear collection to transcend seasons. As this is my first collection, our offering is still lean and is the result of me bringing to life my most beloved designs. If I absolutely have to make a choice, I would say our signature wool coat. I think the wool coat carries elegance like nothing else, and it is incredibly light weight, while also being extremely functional.
Photo via SÉDA
What does the rest of 2023 hold for you personally and the brand?
We just launched on March 6, 2023 – so we are in the stage where we are building our customer base and deepening our relationships with each and every one of them. Like any venture, it comes with its sets of challenges and is equally as exciting.
I am very much looking forward to further connecting two parts of my life – medicine and fashion – specifically supporting a highly underfunded area of medicine – Geriatric care. This is really important for me. At the moment too, we are also thinking forward and finishing our fall/winter collection, which is for me, one of the most exciting processes in design.
