Fashionis My Only Drug: Tko je Lana Biželj i što znači biti žena?

Tko je Lana Biželj?

Lakše bi mi bilo odgovoriti na bilo što drugo nego na ovo :)

Lana Biželj je samostalna mlada žena, koja na van djeluje jako samouvjereno i čvrsto, a zapravo je dosta nesigurna i jako osjećajna. Lana Biželj je borac protiv nepravde bez dlake na jeziku s velikim ambicijama za svoj život. Ona je novinarka, studentica, strastvena obožavateljica mode i žustrih rasprava o životu.

Top 3 žene koje će te inspirirati do kraja života?

Prije svih, koliko god patetično zvučalo, iskreno to mislim - moja mama. Žena koja je prošla toliko oluja u životu, kako god da je bila raspoložena, uvijek je bila prepuna ljubavi i pažnje za sve. Žena koja je raširenih ruku davala drugima, bila je najbolji prijatelj, osoba za razgovor i rame za plakanje. Naučila me da dajem ljubav 200%, makar kasnije i patila, barem ću je doživjeti kako treba. Druga, Waris Dirie, ona je somalijski model i veleposlanica UN-a za borbu protiv genitalnog sakaćenja žena. Napisala je predivnu, emotivnu i strašnu biografiju 'Pustinjski cvijet', osakatili su je s njenih 5 godina, a kada je napunila 13, roditelji su je željeli udati za čovjeka iz dobrostojeće obitelji s kojim je imala dogovoreni brak. Pobjegla je u London, ali tu nije bio kraj njezinim borbama. Žena koja je danas uspješni model, veleposlanica UN-a, s obitelji i toliko proživljenih trauma u životu, da jedna knjiga nije ni dovoljna. Ona je dokaz da se sve može preživjeti i da nas sve prepreke koje nam dođu u životu, mogu samo ojačati za dalje. Sve je samo u glavi, kojim putem ćeš krenuti nakon što padneš. Nažalost, još uvijek toliko malo ljudi zna za nju. I treća, Ellen Degeneres, ne treba puno reći o njoj. Žena se proslavila ulogom komičara, usrećivala je ljude i na kraju tu slavu danas upotrebljava kako bi pomagala drugima. Prva javna ličnost koja je tek 90 i neke javno istupila i deklarirala se kao gay. Hrabra, divna, osjećajna, snažna žena.

Što za tebe znači biti žena?

Uh, nisam mislila da će mi ovo pitanje zahtijevati toliko razmišljanja. Biti žena znači biti neovisna, samostalna, izgraditi sama svoj život, postaviti karijeru na noge, osigurati se, ne dopustiti da ju pokolebaju kritike i komentari primitivnog društva, biti žena znači biti jaka, ne mora čak biti niti sigurna, malo nas je sigurnih u sebe, ali žena je ona koja je dovoljno veliki borac da preživi sve što joj se nađe na putu. Biti brižna, biti erotična, uživati u sebi i svom tijelu, raditi na sebi, raditi na tome da se osjeća dobro u svojoj koži, biti svoja, biti žena znači istupiti iz svoje komforne zone i izboriti se za sebe, dići glas, jer ipak, uvijek ćemo se osjećati bolje ako napravimo nešto same za sebe, sposobne smo za to. Sposobne smo za sve.

Savjet koji bi dala 16-godišnjoj sebi?

Sad, kad se vratim tih 8 godina unatrag, rekla bih si ono što sam čak i tada, duboko u sebi znala, zapravo, ne bih ništa mijenjala. Možda bih si rekla, da sve prođe, nemoj žaliti ni za čim, nemoj izgarati od želje da promijeniš barem nešto, samo da ona ostane tu, upravo zato što ti je mama sad umrla, izgradit ćeš se u snažnu ženu koja će moći preživjeti sve. I kada se osjećaš najgore na svijetu, kada si u najdubljoj crnoj rupi, i tamo nešto naučiš, sve ispadne baš onako kako treba, sve se događa s razlogom. Koliko god da te sada kida na tisuću komadića sve što se događa, smirit će se, nijedan tornado ne traje vječno i tako je uvijek, i uvijek će biti. Rekla bih si i da nemam razloga biti nesigurna, da budem bitna sama sebi, da volim sebe, da nemam razloga hvatati se za slamke koje mi se nude, jer, zaslužujem više od toga. Zaslužujem upravo sve ono što i mogu dati.

Kako uz malo para stvoriti savršen stil?

Uh, napokon lakše pitanje. :)

Hm, u principu nemam neki poseban trik. Svako malo nađem u ormaru nešto na što sam zaboravila, bilo u maminom, tatinom ili u svom. Buvljaci, second hand shopovi, rasprodaje, a napokon sam počela shvaćati i da mi se više isplati uložiti u neki dobar basic komad pa ga imati duže i nadograđivati ga detaljima. Dobar trik su basic komadi, a uz njih, boje za tkaninu i škare. Čovjek bi se iznenadio koliko dobre stvari može dobiti uz pomoć DIY projekata, sva sreća, Internet je rudnik takvih projekata pa to danas nije problem.

Kod mene su definitivno zaštitni znak šeširi i kape, to vjerujem da digne baš svaki styling. Bitno je da znamo prepoznati ono što nam stoji, u čemu se osjećamo ugodno i to je to. Ja sam zaista prošla svakakvih faza i stilova, i trenutno ga isto ne bi mogla dugoročno definirati, ali rekla bi da odjeća koju ja nosim, na svoj način, barem sada, zna ispričati moju priču.

photo: Tea Teuta Dalić

model: Lana Biželj

interview, stylist, location scout: Iva Hanzen

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Who is Lana Biželj and what does it mean to be a woman?

Who is Lana Biželj?

I would respond easier to anything other than this. Lana is independent young woman who looks very confident and strong, but in fact is quite uncertain and very sensitive. Lana is outspoken fighter against injustice with great ambitions for her life. She is a journalist, a student, a passionate fan of fashion and hot discussions about life.

Top 3 women that will inspire you for the rest of your life?

First of all, no matter how pathetic it may sound, I sincerely mean it - my mom. A woman who has gone through so many storms in her life, no matter what mood she was in, she was always full of love and care for all. The woman who gave others love with open arms, she was my best friend, person to talk to and a shoulder to cry on. She taught me to give love 200%, though later I would suffere, at least I'll experience it the right way. Second, Waris Dirie, she is a Somali model and ambassador of the UN againsts female genital mutilation. She wrote a beautiful, emotional and terrifying biography 'Desert Flower', she was mutilated at the age of 5, and when she was 13, her parents had wanted to marry her for a man from a wealthy family with whom she had an arranged marriage. She fled to London, but it did not end her struggles. A woman who is now a successful model, an Ambassador of the United Nations, with family and with so much trauma behind her that one book is not enough. She is a proof that you can survive everythig, and that all the obstacles can only strengthen us. It's all in your head, which way are you going to go after you fall. Unfortunately, still so few people know about her. And third, Ellen Degeneres, about whom I don't need much to say. The woman made her name as a comedian, made people happy and at the end used her fame to help others. Also the first public figure who declared herself as gay in the 90s. A brave, beautiful, sensitive, strong woman.

What does it mean to be a woman for you?

Uh, I didn't think that this question will require so much thinking. Being a woman means to be independent, autonomous, build your life by yourself, set up your career, secure yourself, do not let criticism and comments of primitive society to discourage you, being a woman means to be strong, not necessarily confident, not many of us are confident, but a woman is the one who is enough fighter to survive everything that gets in her way. To be loving, to be erotic, to enjoy yourself and your body means to be a woman, work on it, work on it to make yourself feel good about yourself, be yourself, being a woman means to step out of your comfort zone and fight for yourself, raise your voice, because, we will always feel better if we do something for ourselves, we are capable to do so. We are capable of everything.

The advice you would give to your 16-year-old self?

Now, when I return myself to that period 8 years ago, I would say to myself what I knew even then deep down, actually, I would not have changed anything. Maybe I would say to myself that everything goes away, that I shouldn't complain about anything, that I shouldn't burn with desire to change at least a little, only important thing is to remain the desire there, just because your mother is dead now, you will develop into a strong woman who will be able to survive everything. And when you feel the worst in the world, when you are in the deepest black hole, even there you can learn something, everything turns out exactly as it should be, everything happens for a reason. No matter how much everything that happens breaks you in a thousand pieces, it will calm you down, no tornado lasts forever and so it is, and always will be. I'd say to myself that I have no reason to be insecure, that I should be important to myself, I should love myself, I shouldn't grab for the straws that are offered to me, because, I deserve more than that. I deserve exactly everything I can give.

How do you create the perfect style with a little money?

Uh, finally an easier question. Well, I don't really have a special trick. Every now and then I find something I've forgotten in my closet, my mom's, my dad's, or my own. Flea markets, second hand shops, sales are the answer and I finally began to realize that it is more profitable to invest in some good basic piece, to have it for a long time and upgrade it with details. A good trick are basic pieces, and with them, fabric colors and scissors. You'd be surprised how many good things you can get with the help of DIY projects, luckily, the Internet is full of projects like that so today that really isn't a problem. My trademark are definitely hats and caps, they make every styling better. It is important that we recognize what we look good in, what we feel comfortable in and that's it. I really went through all kinds of stages and styles, and now I also wouldn't be able to define my style in the long term, but I'd say the clothes that I wear, in their own way, at least for now, tell my story.