NastyaMasha is the brainchild of twin sisters who are just about attached at the hip. They think in layers, contradictions, and a very “what if we just tried it?” logic, and their clothes live somewhere between girl-coded officewear and nightwear that wandered into daylight: mesh, crochet, ties, slips, soft materials flirts with structure, constriction dissolves into play. We caught up with the siblings to talk about building a brand as a tiny two-person team.
Hey girls! How are you, what’s been on your mind lately?
Hey! Currently we are working on the orders and some customs and started working on a new collection which is always very exciting.
What was it like starting a brand together as sisters—and twins!
We started our brand during the pandemic as we have just graduated from the university. We’ve always known that we wanted to have something of our own but never knew where to start, it felt like a perfect time. It was always meant to be both of us, we couldn’t imagine it any other way.
What kind of backgrounds did each of you come from?
We have basically the same background, we graduated from the same university, did the same internships together but in spite of that we still have different strengths.
You’re basically one person! How do your roles differ within the brand, and where do they overlap?
It depends, when someone has an idea another one can reinterpret it in a different way and then the third idea comes up out of this and the result is totally unexpected. Although there’s lots of differences in our opinions during the process, in this case we usually try both options which also leads us to serendipities sometimes.
Can you tell me about how you grew up? The places, moments, or people that shaped you creatively?
To be perfectly honest while we were growing up we were not into fashion at all, although we always knew that we would end up in some creative field. When it was time to choose the path after school graduation, we gravitated toward fashion, for no apparent reason. It was unexpected, even for ourselves. We realised that it required a very hands-on approach, which we were always interested in, not just working on your laptop. We always need something tangible to work with. And once we started, it felt natural and we understood that it was the right decision for us. Now we can’t imagine doing anything else than fashion. We really love that fashion embraces lots of creative aspects, you need to be versatile in order to succeed. That’s what we really love.
How does being twins influence your practice? Do you ever struggle with comparison, between the two of you? How do you deal with that?
I think being twins actually works in our favor, because having both of us involved already feels like a small team. This was especially helpful in the very beginning. In our case, I’d say 1+1 equals 3: each of us brings a different point of view and different strengths, but we’re ultimately looking in the same direction. We’ve never really struggled with comparison, because people who know us see us as separate individuals. When we created collections separately during our university years, they were completely different, yet still shared a similar feeling. So it doesn’t really make sense to compare them; it’s like comparing apples and oranges. What we’re doing now is merging those two worlds by bringing together different elements from each of us.
Do you ever look back at things you made as a kid and realise your voice was already there?
Of course, it’s natural for creativity to develop gradually and become deeper over time. You can’t really miss it, because it’s what makes you you. For example, we loved making collages from magazines as kids, collecting clippings and turning them into something new, often just out of boredom. Now we can clearly see where our layering techniques come from. Looking back, it’s really interesting, especially since we never consciously made that connection before.
You often work with mesh and crocheted knitwear in your collections. What do these materials offer you, and how do they shape your approach to comfort and movement in womenswear?
We love working with delicate, transparent fabrics, as it allows us to create different layers and dimensions. We love crocheting, as it is very handy and unique; it gives you a one-of-a-kind feeling. It is like you made your own fabric completely from scratch, so you are the one who created it. We also like to mix unexpected fabrics together.
Speaking about mixing, you often mix officewear with feminine nightwear in your designs. What interests you about combining slip dresses and sheer fabrics with more traditional office pieces like tube skirts and neckties?
We really love using contradictions in our work, I think it highlights both elements even more, and at the same time balances them. It gives you a totally different feeling and perception of the item when you combine it with something more unexpected, which makes it fresh and new.
You’ve talked about how this generation is more open with sexuality and self-expression. Do you see that reflected in the way you design?
Now people are more confident in their choices and self-expression, and I think that’s who our client is, someone who’s confident to be who they are and very unapologetic about it.
What’s keeping you excited lately? An artist, a book, a sound, or something that you’ve experienced?
There are so many things that excite us… our trips, nature, movies and TV shows we’ve watched (and we watch a lot of them, haha). Basically, it can be any random, seemingly mundane thing that catches our attention, sometimes even our own work. When you start getting excited while working on something new and don’t really know how it will turn out, that uncertainty makes you curious about what it will become. We are really into traveling, learning new languages, and trying new things. We try to travel as much as possible and explore new places, which helps you become more open-minded and broaden your horizons. Even when things don’t seem connected at first, everything around you actually is. Watching a lot of movies is also important—film is an art form that directly connects to what we do: the emotions it creates, the way it’s shot, and so many other details.
Is there something you’re trying to unlearn in your practice right now?
Yes, we’re trying to be less focused on making everything perfect and allow things to go the “wrong” way sometimes. We’re learning to give ourselves space to make mistakes and let those mistakes guide us in new directions, without forcing outcomes, and by trusting ourselves more.
There’s often an expectation for artists to speak publicly about political events. How do you personally navigate that expectation, if at all?
Of course, it’s been a very difficult time for the brand. The only thing we want to say is that we believe creativity and art have no boundaries, and we stand firmly by that. We believe art is something that should bring people together from all around the world.
What do people often assume about you that isn’t true?
People often assume that things come easily to us, as if we can just click our fingers and everything happens. What they don’t see are the struggles behind the scenes, the time, effort, and hard work we put into what we do. Usually, people only see the final result and assume it’s simply luck.
With everything happening globally, what’s giving you hope right now?
The hope that you can make even a small difference by doing something you truly believe in and inspiring others. I think everyone should keep moving forward and continue doing what they love—that alone can help make the world a little better.
What are you curious about exploring next?
We have big plans for the future, and very excited about it! At the moment, we are moving step by step towards our goal. We’d love for our brand to be introduced to more people globally, and we want to take our brand to the next level.
Images courtesy of Nastyamasha
