Introducing: Sara Roka – Behind The Brand

They say that travel expands the mind and can teach us new things about the world and ourselves. Indeed, many become so immersed in the cultures they experience that their outlook and lifestyle are forever changed. One such individual is Canadian designer Sara Roka.

Founder of the fashion house of the same name, Sara’s journey from chilly Vancouver to the sun-baked streets of Milan plays a key role in informing her signature style. Popular among staff and customers at Brenda Muir, join us as we explore and celebrate the incredible work of this talented designer.

Born in Canada…

Taking one look at the rugged beauty of North Shore, Vancouver, it likely won’t come as a surprise that many residents and visitors aren’t attracted to the area because of its burgeoning fashion scene.

Inspired towards fashion, less through the world around her, but at home – a young Sara’s eyes were glued to her mother’s sewing machine. When Sara was eventually permitted to try it for herself, she wasted no time in using it to create new looks for her toy dolls.

Despite this initial enthusiasm, a still-young Sara had no idea that fashion could be much more than a hobby, and was surprised when a classmate floated the idea of being a ‘fashion designer’ when prompted by a teacher.

From that moment onward, she was on a collision course with a career that would define the rest of her life.

Moving forward to her college years, her mother initially discouraged Roka from making the considerable jump from her hometown to New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT).

However, seeing the lack of hunger for fashion in her hometown, Sara knew that a change was needed. After completing a fashion course at a local college, she was eventually enrolled at FIT, further igniting her love for all things fashion.

… Made In Italy

After a successful tenure at FIT, Roka took the next step in her career by moving to one of the world’s pillars of fashion, Italy. Studying at Polimoda in Florence, it wasn’t long before she secured an internship with Valentino.

Following this initial internship, Roka hopped between Italy and the US, cutting her teeth producing garments for many of the world’s most renowned fashion houses, including Prada and Michael Kors.

As the years passed, it became clearer that Italy was where she was supposed to be, having become ensconced in the country’s cultural adoration for beauty, art, and aesthetics.

Founding Sara Roka

Having lived and breathed Italian fashion culture for over a decade, Sara was ready to make a personal statement to the fashion world.

She built a strong reputation as a men’s shirt designer using the many incredible fabrics available to her, and it only made sense for her first line to be a focused capsule collection of shirts.

Figure 1: Sara Roka

Not willing to be typecast or pigeonholed, however, Roka opted to expand her offering into a full collection following her initial success.

Instead of throwing out her reputation for men’s fashion altogether, she utilised a ‘borrowed’ aesthetic, creating dresses from the same men’s shirts upon which she had built recognition.

Crafted with the same quality and care, Sara Roka has been a mainstay of Milan Fashion Week since the collection’s debut in 2014.

The Looks

The context of Sara’s story plays an essential role in informing each of her pieces. Indeed, when looking at each of them, there is a sense of the designer’s identity that leaps from the fabric.

While there’s no mistaking what each piece is intended to be, as you might expect, one of the most alluring aspects of Sara Roka’s work is the push and pull between shapes that are traditionally masculine and traditionally feminine.

Crafted from luxury fabrics such as poplin and Oxford cotton, Roka’s ‘borrowed’ aesthetic is far from the only string to her bow.

With many of her pieces, the more traditional shapes of the shirts are married to incredibly bold colours and prints, perhaps as an ode to the natural diversity and beauty of her hometown of North Shore.

Figure 2: Sara Roka Dress In Blue Heron And White

This is best encapsulated in the above dress in Blue Heron and White – a beautiful piece that features all of the above, punctuated by a boldly contrasting cummerbund. Perfect for special occasions, from summer soirees to weddings of the utmost extravagance, it’s hard to picture a scenario in which this, or any of Sara Roka’s pieces, wouldn’t turn a head or two.

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about one of our favourite designers here at Brenda Muir.

If you’d like to try Sara Roka’s striking pieces for yourself, please don’t hesitate to visit us in-store.