When I was in Europe and worked in Paris, I saw a lot of people around who were enjoying life, a lot of them on the streets: old men singing, lovers kissing, bartenders smiling. And this was a striking contrast to post-Soviet gloomy faces and clothes. Probably, subconsciously, I always wanted the streets of my beloved city to change. This is something that’s moved me all these years. My daughter is growing up. She is very positive and it would be great if she didn’t change this aspect. When she grows up, I hope she doesn’t feel uncomfortable neither on the streets of Kiev nor London.
When I worked on a project with Atelier 1 ten years ago, we were produced by David Foley, and I had to meet with the great guru Adrian Joffe. Somehow, during breakfast, he asked me, “Do you want to do something artisanal, small but truly yours, and not depend on the opinions of other people? Or vice versa?” Neither then nor now can I give an exact answer because, for my whole life, Joffe himself has been an example of the genius of marketing, collaborations, and the attraction of various cool people to commercially successful projects. I like it – to do what people are interested in.