🧵 What Fashion Gives Us: An In-Depth Look at Tomasz Starzewski’s Vision
Tomasz Starzewski is not just a fashion designer—he is a sharp observer of culture, identity, and reinvention. In our latest Kioi Studio conversation, we sat down with Tomasz to discuss the role of fashion and design in shaping how we see ourselves and the world around us.
Over the course of a career spanning more than four decades, Tomasz has dressed figures such as Princess Diana, Baroness Thatcher, Queen Camilla, and the Duchess of Edinburgh. But beyond the glamour lies a deeper inquiry: what does fashion actually give people? And how has its meaning shifted in today’s world?
🎨 Fashion as Function, Statement, and Identity
Tomasz begins by distinguishing between what fashion was and what it is. In the 20th century, he argues, fashion had the power to reshape cultural norms and redefine femininity—through designers like Coco Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, and Giorgio Armani. These figures didn’t just make clothes; they influenced how women moved, lived, and felt.
Today, that power has waned. While fashion is more accessible than ever, its cultural impact has diluted. According to Tomasz, much of contemporary fashion lacks the substance, intention, and societal relevance it once carried. "We live in a world with too many options and not enough meaning," he reflects.
But he hasn’t given up on beauty or purpose. He simply channels it differently now.
🏡 From Couture to Interiors: A Natural Evolution
Tomasz's second creative chapter unfolded in the world of interior design. With a background steeped in architecture—his father was a town planner and architect—it was a natural transition.
What connects his fashion and interiors is a shared attention to form, proportion, and the emotional needs of the client. Whether designing a gown or a home, he views his role as creating a space—literal or symbolic—where someone can fully express who they are.
His interiors aren’t about imposing a style. They’re about elevating a person’s identity through space, often collaborating with collectors or those with deep personal histories.
🌍 Design with Purpose: Empowering Women in Morocco
In recent years, Tomasz has taken his aesthetic sensibility into philanthropy, creating embroidered textiles in partnership with women’s cooperatives in Morocco. This initiative not only supports artisans economically, but also transforms their traditional skills into globally appreciated design objects.
Importantly, he insists these pieces aren’t “charity products”—they’re beautifully made, desirable objects that happen to carry a deeper social story. And people are responding: the work has sold out at Christmas fairs and continues to grow through word of mouth and design circles.
🧠 A Life of Reflection and Reinvention
Tomasz also speaks candidly about the emotional aspects of his career—loyalty to clients and staff, the risks of entrepreneurship, and the value of forgiveness and empathy as he's grown older.
He views his creativity as something deeply tied to memory and visual intelligence. A dyslexic, Tomasz describes having a photographic memory for form, detail, and layout—gifts that compensate for traditional challenges with text or numbers.
Final Thoughts
Tomasz’s story is ultimately one of adaptability, relevance, and depth. While fashion may no longer carry the same societal weight it once did, in his hands, design—whether a garment, a room, or a handmade object—remains an act of care and meaning.
For those seeking a thoughtful, lived-in perspective on creativity, legacy, and design with purpose, this conversation is a rich listen.
🎧 Listen to the full interview:
What Fashion Gives Us: From Designer to the Stars Tomasz Starzewski
🔗 Explore Tomasz’s work: www.starzewski.com
🔥 Fireside chat🔥:
🎉 Three things that give you joy?
🎭 Opera, 🎨 Art, 🍝 Food
🧘♂️ A mantra you'd embrace now?
🌍 Life is a continued adventure
📚 A favorite book, film, or artist that's not obvious?
📖 I, Claudius by Robert Graves
🎶 Something you want to learn more about?
🎵 Music, 💃 Dance, 🎤 Singing
🪣 One thing you'd add to your bucket list today?
✈️ Visit Japan
🧠 Something you wish you knew when younger?
💡 Forgiveness
💓 How can people tap into compassion more?
👂 Empathy can’t be taught—it must be felt
