Rita Saardi

This is my 3rd (I think) interview I've created with talented designer Rita Saardi! I am in Awe of this Mademoiselle's creativity which is full of Beauty Always. The season of Fall 2010 she got the chance to work together with the head designer of the wonderful house of Nina Ricci. The team of Ricci found Saardi's extraordinary talent and asked her to create the actual "show pieces" and in my opinion it's what MADE their show going from beautiful to Wonderfully Beautiful. All credit to Rita. She is someone to Watch. Here is my questions for this time. Enjoy.

Name: Rita Saardi

Occupation: Fashion Designer

Where are you from originally? Lebanese grew up in Sweden

Current Location? Paris

Who do you most admire? why?
Anyone who follows his own dreams, because it's important not to give up, we only have one life.

Any Guilty pleasures?
I'm not gonna be original but it has to be food...

What inspires you?
I'm quite emotional so anything that makes me react, good or bad, can be the object of my inspiration, nothing is more sad than something that leaves us indifferent.

What would you like to come out of the future? Dreams?
I really want to make it in fashion and by that I don't mean become famous and have a multimillion label, I just want to have a nice studio and to find a good team of people to work with. It's important to have fun and enjoy the people you work with... I'm sick and tiered of working all by myself....!

Any fears?
That time will pass by and I won't have the time to do things that I really want in life, like having children or traveling around the world.... Working in fashion can be quiet a trap sometimes.

Favorite foods?
Anything with Chocolate, My mums dishes, My special pasta salad.

Favorite song?
it's a different one every week :)

What idol growing up has influenced you the most?
Influenced me??? No one really, I was to serious when I was younger, idolizing someone has always seemed silly to me cause no one is perfect, I respect many artists though.

What do you do when not working?
Don't laugh but I clean, it calms me down...My husband calls me Monica (" Friends" ). I also like to enjoy Paris with my husband... Lately I spend a lot of time in front of my computer just surfing and listening to music, bad habit cause I think I'm in love with my Mac:)

What is your life mantra?
Carpe Diem but lately I've been doing the opposite

How would your perfect day be like?
Hm, wake up in a beautiful room situated on an exotic island with my husband , take my time to have breakfast on the beach, enjoy the sea, spend two hours in a nice spa with some really close friends, get dressed and go out together to explore the country we're visiting and get inspired for my next collection :)

Your worst habit?
I am a cleaning addict as I mentioned, I like to organize and put things in the right place, it often makes me loose a lot of time.

Secret Talents?
I love receiving friends for dinner apparently I'm an excellent hostess :) , I would like to think that I could become a pretty good film director.

What makes you angry?
Stupidity, lack of imagination, unfair things, like war or poverty.... Many things make me angry!

Which movie did you see last?
I see many movies a week so I'm not gonna give you the name of the last one cause I really didn't like it, but the last one who made me happy was " Gainsbourg Vie Héroique".
What did you think?
It was perfect, and it's not because I really like the artist.... no, it was very well directed, a great casting, the first 15 min, Gainsbourg child was perfection, it felt like breathing fresh air!

What book did you last read?
I'm reading the Biography of Jean-Paul Gaultier I don't usually read "fashion books" and I'm not a big fan of JPG prêt à porter, maybe more the Haute Couture, but I admire the man.
What did you think about it?
I haven't finished it yet.... I'll tell you when I'm done april 21st when you visit Paris my darling.

Hahahaha! ok! that will be part 4?....of my Rita collection of interviews then!!!

Favorite song at the moment?
Ceremony by New Order..... Marie Antoinette soundtrack.... I'm addicted to the whole thing.

Favorite location in this world?
like destination??? if it's destination I have to say Japan.... why? Do I really need to explain why? For all the obvious reasons.... It's my dream destination with my husband,

Favorite designer? A new one every season.... ( usually I'm very faithful in life, in fashion less so.... )

If you could make one wish, what would it be?
Just one..... hm, Have my own label and make it into production and retail.

That one my Wonder, I'm sure will come true:) You are A Darling Talent my dear.

What makes you laugh?
Whenever my husband laughs, it's contagious.

What do you think about first thing in the morning?
Shower!

What keeps you awake at night?
Sometimes I can't sleep because I'm too excited and have so much creativity in my head.....I get frustrated cause I know that I won't be able to realize 10% of the things that I have on my mind... I'm not a good tailor you know and I often have to make sacrifices because of that, and the fact that I don't have a lot of money or time to spend on each collection.... I really hope it's gonna change.

Describe the person you love the most: patient, generous, loving, caring, cosy and extremely good looking :)

I think i know who that is...!

Any news? Anything happening right now that you would like to share with us?
I'm working like crazy on my upcoming collection, as usual it has become a bad habit to finish a collection in no time! For this one I have only 5 weeks.... I wish I could have more time for each collection....it's really frustrating but for the time being I have no other choice!

Nina Ricci! Tell us all about this collaboration:
Oh :) it was an interesting experience, the funny thing is that I had been working for Nina Ricci in their showroom for the last three years, but not in the studio..... so no one from the new team ,that Peter Copping have today, knew that I was a fashion designer..... except a friend of mine who is in the designing team. I was lucky that she came across an inspiration board they were working on for this last collection, and between the pictures she spotted some of my designs. She told Peter that she knew me and that I know the house really well and he was generous enough to ask to meet me, and that was the beginning of a nice collaboration during the three weeks that preceded their fashion show.

What are your plans for the future?
Let me stay focused on the nearest future, I have to deliver a collection in three weeks and I just got started.

Where can we see your works?
You can see some of it on my site, my blog: Rita Saardi's Mood and Inspiraton. And if you're in Stockholm you can view at IBEYOSTUDIO.

Darling, Thank you So Much for your time. See you soon in Paris!

All images here are from Rita Saardi's Mood and Inspiration blog and it's of her collections, the last 3 ones being from the collection of Nina Ricci with Rita's flower show pieces.

LOVE
Lindha Marina Portman