Anjeza Tufina from The Dolls Factory Interview

 Anjeza Tufina is the first Albanian Fashion Blogger. I've always been a fan of her work and her site is one great place where I get informed about Fashion updates all over the world. Besides that I personally always liked her for being so stylish and open-minded , not afraid to go for a totally new look and always prepared for adventures. It was a great pleasure of mine having an interview with her, and I hope you enjoy as much as I did!

Official website : http://www.thedollsfactory.com/

 -Tell us a little bit about yourself

I’m Anjeza, Operation Manager for a fashion brand ‘offline’ and blogger ‘online’. I was born and raised in Albania. In the last 8 years I’ve been living in Milan, London, Madrid then Milan again studying and working. Hopefully I’ll be moving soon to Paris. I blog about Fashion, Beauty and lifestyle on The Dolls Factory.

 -What are your passions?

I would say photography, even though in 2012 everyone who has a camera or an iPhone with Instagram in it, can say the same. I don’t pretend being a photographer, not until someone pays for my photographs.

-When and why did you start blogging?

I have always been blogging,starting in early 2006 mainly keeping a personal diary of photos and trips, (that was because facebook wasn’t born yet) . I wanted to keep track of my adventures. After I came from a study experience in Spain I had some extra time to figure out my future and decided to open The Dolls Factory. It was initially meant to share events and exhibitions in Milan and given that I live in one of the fashion capitals of the world, it came out as a fashion blog, to which later I added beauty and lifestyle.

 -Your opinion in fashion bloggers in general and Albanian Fashion Bloggers in specific.

I think fashion bloggers are there to stay and change the way we get information, but this is the case for every kind of blog, being it about fashion, beauty or cooking. In Albania fashion blogs have just started, and it will take a while before they develop into something that people and companies understand in full.

 -Describe your personal style and its influences/inspiration.

My style has changed very much through the years and keeps on evolving. As a teenager I’ve had my fair share of pink hair and statement shirts with mottos like ‘Girls with brains’ etc . When I moved to Milan I had the opportunity to get more information about trends, styles and subcultures, which made me find my own style, fashion piece by fashion piece. Now I can easily go from romantic looks to punk chic with no effort. It depends on the mood and the place that I’m about to go, but I always try to add a piece of accessory which will stand out.

-Favorite designers and places to shop?

At the moment my favorite designers are Riccardo Tisci at Givenchy, who has revolutionized the brand all on his own. I love his gothic inspiration and new minimalism for the French brand. Also Hussein Chalayan has entered my top list of designers. Only recently his designs have been available even for the ready-to-wear market, even though I love his sculpture dresses. 

As far as regards shopping my favorite places are vintage stores where one can find unique pieces. Always before a trip I check online the best vintage stores of the city I’m visiting. 

 -The first thing you look at in another person's outfit is:

I look at the shoes, and from there I look at the color combinations in the outfit. I don’t care about the brands one person is wearing as far as the over all look is in harmony of colors,shapes and materials. 

-A fashion rule you never break:

You’ll never see me wearing middle height heels ( 5cm-8cm). This is not a fashion rule, but it should be. Go high or go flat, no middle way is accepted.

-What do you think is the most recent notable trend to appear/reappear, and what are your thoughts on it?

The trends for fall are so many and one has just to pick one which fits their body shape and style. I love the return of the pantsuit seen on Prada, Louis Vuitton and Miu Miu. For the first time a pant suit has been given a girly look which is more contemporary and less androgynous. Girls will be girls this fall winter season. Also I love the oversize coats seen at Jil Sander and Chloe, definitely I’ll get one to keep me warm in style.

-Your favorite colour(s) of the moment are:

This summer I didn’t buy a single neon item, but I got few pastel color pieces. This is the amazing thing with current trends, you can pick and choose the one that suits you better. So Mint has been my favorite color for Summer 2012. For winter there is the return of Royal Blue, which has been a long time favorite of mine. 

-What is your next "must have" purchase?

I have this addiction to coats, I get to buy 1 or 2 every winter. I can say that I have more coats than jeans in my wardrobe. So definitely my next ‘must have’ purchase will be an oversized coat.

 -What is the ultimate showpiece in your closet?

My Manolo Blahnik shoes from the Rolando Santana Spring Summer 2012 collection (link http://rolandosantana.com/). Rolando Santana is an upcoming New York designer which is very creative and talented. He has entered this amazing collaboration with Manolo Blahnik, who makes the shoes for his Spring Summer collections.

-Are there any fashion icons or famous people whose style you admire?

I love the daily style of actress Diane Kruger, the Parisian woman style of Inès de la Fressange and the Olsen twins style which has made them become such successful designers. 

-What would you say to someone seeking fashion advice?

Before turning to fashion trends, one needs to know herself better and try to define her own personal style. Finding our style is like finding out what food we like. We have to keep on trying and experimenting with different looks. This needs to be done early in our twenties. This is the time that we’ll be forgiven for wearing overalls, dying our hair blue or going around town with UGG boots. After we have had our good share of disapproving looks we’ll find our way. It is very important to try the trends that we see in the media, but not to follow them blindly. Once you see that high waisted skirts make your legs look longer and slimmer , keep on using them even if the runway shows tell you not too.

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Love, Kiki