Eva Goudiaby Gabarra started her career as a teacher and then became the secretary of a German shipowner. In 2000, she decided to devote her life to her passion for fashion and represented the prestigious fashion house Résille in Senegal. In 2005, she launched her own brand : EVA GABARRA.

At the beginning, she worked as a fashion designer in exclusive places in the Almadies. Living in Germany, France and Senegal in turn, she provided television shows with clothes, took part in the 4th and 8th editions of the Dakar Fashion Week, in the first edition of the Black Fashion Week in Prague, in the 5th edition of Labo Ethnik where she was acclaimed by famous international fashion designers.

In January 2009, she was awarded best young fashion designer in Paris at the Pavillon Gabriel, an event organized by Vlisco : it was her first fashion show in Europe. Silk, lace, organza, chiffon, brocade  and Vlisco Was are her favourite material. She plays with every fabric to make unique pieces and accessories – a very colourful, lively and almost melodious version of Haute Couture.

Since 2011, every year on March 8th, on the International Women’s Day, she organizes a wonderful fashion show in Paris. This generous ingenue, aged 34, is a cheerful and dynamic person who speaks 5 different languages and lives in Dakar, Hamburg and Paris.

She promotes her vision of the modern femme fatale both in Europe and in Africa. I invite you to follow her here, now and for a long time…It’s no more a secret, we are sponsor of her second Afrodisiac Fashion Show that will take place in Paris Champs Elysées on the 8th of March 2012, during International Women’s day.

See you soon and have a lovely month!

Mademoiselle Viviane-Lucie

http://www.eva-gabarra.com/index.php

 

Ten lovely questions to EVA:

1. What are your sources of inspiration?

I am mostly inspired by what immediately comes to my senses and first of all to my sight. I am fascinated by the profusion of patterns and beauty that nature offers. My clothes may be considered as imitations and with my dresses I try to recreate the magnificent feathers of birds, the curls of rose petals or the crackled and complex grain of ochre. African landscapes have of course considerably influenced my compositions. I also like Baroque art and daring Rococo that may appear excessive but where I see luxuriance and generosity. I feel attracted  to what is weird and eccentric. Some of my costumes take on  the extravaganza of Opera and the Comedia dell’arte.

Thus my inspiration is manifold. Experimentation, the mixing of cultures and the fusion of styles guide my work .

2. You feel close to…

Marilyn Monroe’s sex- appeal, Rita Hayworth in Gilda, crazy Camille Claudel and libertarian Frida Kahlo…

3. Your prefered works of art…

Films : Legend by Ridley Scott, Babel by Inarritu, Eyes Wide Shut by Kubrick.

Painting : Andy Warhol and symbolic painting.

Music : Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, Tina Turner, Lady Gaga, David Guetta.

Sculpture : Ousmane Sow, Camille Claudel.

4. A magic place for you…

Places, the streets of Paris.

5. Your favourite moment in the day

Weekend mornings when you can linger in bed.

6. A sentence or an expression that moves you

” True generosity towards the future, is to give one’s all to the present.”

7. You have a soft spot for…

Candy boxes.

8. Do you collect something?

Paintings, intense moments…

9. What are your plans for the future?

I am going to participate in Vogue Fashion which will take place on December 9th 2012 in Burkina Faso and in the first edition of the Black Fashion Week in Paris.

I am also preparing the second edition of Afrodisiac Fashion show taking place on March 8th 2012, as well as Ethical Fashion show and Labo Ethnik. Without mentioning of course the other events I will take part in all through the year.

In what way do you find Lovely Surprise™ inspiring?

To some extent, Lovely Surprise is to gifts what “Prêt à Porter” is to fashion and Viviane-Lucie plays with what I like best : the unexpected.