Freedom, colour and the magic of silk

An interview with Viktoria Braginskaya about MIURIO’s new scarf collection

Questions by Rita Assor, MIURIO’s founder and head designer.
Answers by Viktoria Braginskaya, MIURIO co-designer.

1. What was the starting point for this collection, and what story did you want to tell through it?

— More than anything, I wanted to tell a story about freedom and about finding our way back to self-expression.

It began with a feeling of being tired of constant control. During the move, I became so absorbed in dealing with one endless task after another that I nearly pushed aside my greatest strength: spontaneity. I stopped teaching workshops, put my bright clothes away, forgot about silk and seemed to grow quiet.

Then one day I realised: stop, I need to take a breath! I brought out my “creative suitcase” and started putting everything I’d been holding inside onto the canvas. At the time, I still couldn’t bring myself to wear a bright sweater or tie on a scarf, but all that wild energy was already looking for a way out. The paintings became my first steps towards bringing colour back into my life. I wasn’t painting to create something perfect. I was painting to feel joy and freedom again.

To me, this collection is a manifesto: allowing yourself to let go of control and make room for pure expression is one of the best ways to heal. And seeing those canvases come to life on silk afterwards — that’s the magic of our creative partnership.

2. How often do you paint, and what does creative expression give you?

— I don’t paint to a schedule. Creativity comes in waves for me — sometimes they’re full-blown creative bursts! I may go a long time without touching my materials, but my “suitcase” is always close by. It doesn’t matter what’s inside that day: paints, pastels, clay, beads or thread. I need to make things with my hands.

Creativity gives me a rare chance to quiet the constant stream of thoughts and step into complete silence. I let go and follow the work wherever it leads. I might begin with a patch of colour and end up embroidering right over the paper. I never know in advance where an experiment will take me. That unpredictability gives me an incredible sense of freedom and lightness.

And a good result is my favourite aftertaste. By the way, I’ve been carrying an idea for a large mixed-media canvas series for a long time. I want to bring together dimensional embroidery, acrylic, pastels and all kinds of textures!

3. Nature runs through the collection, from familiar leaves and flowers to imaginative botanical forms. What does the natural world mean to you and your work?

— Nature is my element and my source of energy! If I had to choose between the bustle of the city and the natural world, I’d choose nature without a moment’s hesitation. I live by the coast, and the combination of pine-scented air, the sea and the wild elements gives me goosebumps. In my work, it comes through as chaos, storms and colours colliding.

Floristry has also become a great aesthetic love of mine. I love looking for unusual plants at the local flower shop. Put something like an ornamental allium in a vase, watch the shadows play across it — and that’s it, I’m instantly inspired and full of energy!

I never copy directly from nature, though. I got my fill of academic still lifes at art school, and painting realistic vases on a table simply bores me. Imaginative forms come much more naturally. Lately, though, I’ve been drawn to the idea of decorative still lifes seen from above — flat, lush and expressive. Perhaps I’ll make some in the future.

But my greatest discovery this year, and a place that truly restores me, has been Estonia’s bogs and their almost otherworldly plants. I was quite literally “eating the world with my eyes”! The ENCHANTED GARDEN design came to me in an instant — right there in the car, on my knee, as we were driving home. I was so full of emotion that I had to put that magic on paper.

4. The collection pairs delicate painterly compositions with bold graphic patterns. How do these two sides of your artistic style work together?

— There’s nothing one-note about me. Tenderness and passion live side by side with clarity and even impulsiveness.

I’d find it boring to make a simply “pretty” pattern, so my work always plays with contrasts. How do the two sides complement each other? They literally save each other from becoming dull! The painterly elements bring emotion, air and depth of colour, while the graphic lines hold the chaos together and give it a clear shape. In AQUARELLE BLUE, for example, the bold brushstrokes set the mood, while the white graphic lines give the design its daring character.

It’s like life: without character, softness becomes bland; without tenderness, graphic work can feel dry.

5. Your colour combinations are joyful and sometimes unexpected. How do you choose a palette, and what feelings would you like to awaken in someone wearing your scarves?

— As you’ve probably gathered, I never choose colours by the rules! My main source of inspiration is the plant and animal worlds, with all their incredible contrasts. This year I’m especially drawn to combining things that seem impossible together: daring neon and soft pastels. I take it all in, and then the creative chaos begins. Whatever happens to be within reach finds its way onto the canvas!

Colour gives me an immediate, almost dopamine-like rush of joy, while natural silk is a pleasure to touch — soft and gentle.

But above all, I want the design to come alive on the fabric. I want my silk pieces to give people a feeling of complete freedom. A print starts to “breathe” and play in a different way when a scarf becomes more than an accessory: it can turn into a picnic blanket or a beach bag, sway beautifully at the hips, or shelter you from the rain during a tender kiss. I want the design to stir personal associations and hold warm memories, turning a scarf into a living story.

6. What changes when an original work of art becomes a silk scarf? How do you adapt the composition so it works beautifully when the scarf is open, folded or tied?

— Everything changes! The design comes to life, both literally and figuratively. It means so much to me to see my work step off the canvas and begin a real life alongside someone. Every time I see the first samples of our scarves, I feel a rush of emotion.

Unlike a standard print with a repeating pattern, our loose, irregular designs offer so many ways to wear and style them. I love playing with accents: depending on your mood, you can bring out one vivid element, draw attention to a particular detail or highlight a striking corner.

The border that frames the design also plays a big part. Along with different ways of tying the scarf, it can give it any mood — from elegant restraint to bold sensuality. Even at the sketch stage, I can picture how each colour and detail will look in real life.

7. What feeling or state of mind would you like to give someone who wears one of these scarves? And which design would you choose first?

— I’d love to give people pure joy — something spontaneous and alive, the kind that makes your hand reach for the scarf without thinking! I hope our designs bring back personal memories, offer a sense of lightness and tenderness, and help people feel more at ease.

If I had to choose a scarf from the new collection, I’d reach for ENCHANTED GARDEN first. It was love at first sight! That feeling came when I transferred the design into digital form and started playing with the colours and border. So many beautiful variations came out of it. I’m really curious to see which one speaks to you most.