The way to work itself is a reward, it doesn't always have to be a specific recognition title for your success, it will say about Free Press the fashion designer prof. Nikola Eftimov in our conversation on the occasion of his prestigious Award for Best Design at a competition in Como, Italy.

- When I got the opportunity to participate in the competition, I thought about how I would best present myself, but also our country, because the competition also allows for a design ranking of the countries where the designers come from according to the number of awards. At that moment I was working on the collection "The Verb" and I realized that it was the right choice of authentic story to introduce myself. Over the years I have learned that in competitions the right formula is always a balanced relationship of fashion as something currently related to the tradition of a people, it always works. It is a competition not only for fashion, but the competitors were from several fields with which design is connected - says Eftimov.

Fashion pieces with Glagolitic letters have attracted enormous attention even among non-Slavic peoples.

- I am happy that, unlike usual, you will be noticed outside first, and then at home, this time "Glagolitsa" did the opposite. The Balkans aroused the most interest. I thought that sportswear would best communicate with the powerful letters of the Glagolitic alphabet, and as time passes, it inspires me for other pieces, which I would not like to reveal now - he says.

Eftimov and I discussed the study of fashion, for which he points out that future generations must understand in time that fashion is not a toy.

- Many of the students choose to study fashion because it associates them with glamour, prestige, headlines, but they need to realize in time that it is not a simple job at all, that it is a complex and responsible profession on which someone's life may depend tomorrow, I'm talking for the profit, for the salaries of the employees. They should be aware that in addition to visually making someone happy with this profession, they also have the power to help someone communicate through those clothes. The story about fashion is layered - said our guest.

We spoke exclusively with Eftimov about the fact that Iskra Geshovska, the first Macedonian woman to receive the "Goethe Medal for 2024" at the award ceremony in Germany, will wear his creation, which the designer is currently working on.

Watch the entire conversation in the following video: