The Local: Bogdana Kostova

Bogdana lives and breathes fashion. She works with DARA and PREYA, makes clothes from scratch

and is the creative force behind LA PROTAGONISTA. A skilled second-hand treasure hunter, she also runs Sofia Vintage Market. Between all that, you might find her on an unexpected side quest, making TikTok content for a sausage brand or stepping in front of the camera herself. Three songs and a podcast about existentialism can be playing in her head at once, with hundreds of ideas arriving every day. The light-bulb tattoo on her arm makes perfect sense: when she leans on it, it lights up above her head. This colourful city girl likes objects with ideas behind them. Here are her three favourites.

Scissors

I think this invention changed the world almost as much as fire did. As you can see, I have several pairs, each with a purpose. Please don’t touch the ones I use for fabric. It won’t end well. You can actually

make a garment, even a whole collection, with nothing but scissors.

Take some material, cut it into strips and weave it into a dress. No sewing machine needed. And who hasn’t cut their own fringe as a child? It builds character early: you have to live with the consequences of your decisions. That lesson lasts a lifetime. Scissors are a kind of symbol of free will. Turn jeans into shorts, a sheet of paper into a snowflake, or cut up a sausage. That last one feels illegal, but it’s absolutely a thing.

The pole

I recently looked back at my pole-dancing attendance. If I’d been consistent from the start, I’d be a wizard by now. The truth is, I’ve only really committed over the past year. Breaking news: do something more often and you get better at it.

I don’t know how this isn’t an Olympic sport.

There isn’t a muscle you don’t need to engage to pull off a move. You have to be flexible too. Strength and flexibility together, then a bit of grace on top, otherwise it looks clumsy. I’m still looking for the grace. Watching myself makes me laugh: the blood rushes to my head, my face goes red and my eyes turn bright green. You could put my picture in the dictionary under “goblin”. I’m a bit more advanced now and pleased with my progress. I’ve actually developed biceps. I finally understand men who take photos of themselves flexing. Another advantage is that if I ever get tired of fashion, I could change careers. That’s bordering on impossible, though.

An IKEA bag

Not a day goes by when I don’t need one. I’m constantly hauling clothes, fabrics and whatever else you can imagine. Every stylist I know does the same. People outside the industry often think styling and design are glamorous, but much of the job is carrying clothes, going from shop to shop,

hunting for a particular red swimsuit in the middle of winter

and 40 pairs of cowboy boots at the height of summer. Last year, I moved house using these bags instead of boxes. So much easier. If anyone at IKEA is reading this, let’s work together! I could make an incredible collection using nothing else. I’ve already made a dress from bottle caps, an epoxy-resin corset and Perspex masks. I see the hardware-shop staff more often than the people at the fabric shop. I could do something magical with this bag.

The Local: Simeon Vasilev

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