All Things deWar With Sayana Warkoffsca

Argentinian designer Sayana Warkoffska carries on her family’s international fashion design legacy through deWar. The brand’s collections make women around the world feel chic, stylish, confident, and overall amazing without compromising comfort, timelessness, and versatility. Past and present deWar share the same goal and spirit, but today we see the contemporary version of the brand through Sayana’s eyes. Discover how Sayana has blended her Azerbaijan origins, Parisian heritage, Argentinian culture, and Indian influences to branch out with her own version of the historic fashion house, today known as deWar.

Sayana, tell us a little about yourself. What has been your relationship with fashion?

I have a very “fairytale type” of relationship with fashion. When I was little, my grandmother was very present in my life. She would take me out of school and take me to the atelier. Of course my mom would come after school and start screaming at us. It was really…you know when you’re little and you see the models and the fabric everywhere…it was just like such a nice kind of exciting environment. I consider myself very lucky because I think a lot of people miss the direction and are a little bit confused about what they want to do when they’re older. For me it was always so clear. I had this one goal in mind since I was little: it was always to continue this.

I was ok in school, but the only reason I wanted to get good grades was because I wanted to go to Parsons. I had to get good grades to go to Parsons. Then I got in and when I finished that I also did a Masters in luxury marketing and business. After that, I ended up in India because I think that in fashion education what really is lacking is an education in production. Production is something that is not really seen in normal education. I knew that was something I needed for the future and that is how I ended up going to india. The idea was to go for a couple of years and gain experience before launching, but I saw an opportunity, and said “ok let’s go, let's do this now.” It was very certain: there hasn’t been any doubt. This is what I want to do.

I grew up around fashion. My grandmother used to take me to her atelier from an early age; my first memories of fashion as an industry are very fairy-tale like. I consider myself very lucky to have found my passion very early on. It has given me sense, purpose, and goals.

Let’s talk about deWar–which certainly has a very interesting history. What is the brand all about and how did it come to be?

My grandmother was a little bit eccentric (apparently so was my great-grandmother), but my grandmother did not like to talk about the past at all. For her, the only interesting thing was the future, younger generations, models, and fabrics. If you took her out of these topics, she would not have much interest; so she didn’t really talk about the past a lot.

During Covid, I was contacted by a journalist and we ended up discovering a whole new layer of this story that I wasn't fully aware of. deWar was the brainchild of my great-grandmother, Lyska Kostio de Warkoffska. In 1935, she founded the fashion house Kostio de War in Paris, specialising in high-quality knitwear and crochet. She enjoyed great success and had multiple locations in Paris. It was a family business and her daughter (my grandmother), Vanina Kostio Bustos became the director of deWar at just 17. Maison deWar was part of the selected fashion houses allowed to operate during World War II and whose goal was to guard the interests of Parisian Couture. Right after the war and in need of a change, Vanina takes the first boat to Argentina with her father. Travelling with a selection of her creations she quickly gained attention and hosted her first fashion show at the Plaza in 1947. Maison deWAR was opened shortly after in Buenos Aires: the store I spent so much time at as a child, the store I dream of one day getting back.

deWar’s story continues with me, as I continue to work tirelessly to build upon my legacy.

Is there a story behind the name?

Yes. My great grandmother, Lyska Kostio de Warkoffska, born April 20,  1896 in Baku (Russian Empire) adopted Kostio deWar as the final version of her name in 1935. Keep in mind she changed her name three times. She was an actress. Apparently she used to run around Paris with dolls. We actually have newspaper cuttings of her with her collection of dolls, so you know she was a very extravagant character. Her last name, the name that she ended up choosing, was Kostio deWar and my grandmother’s name is Vanina, so we stayed at deWar. It is the last bit of her name.

What is the inspiration behind deWar’s collections?

We always find a different story to tell throughout our collections. This really varies from season to season. The way I am taught and the way I like to build a collection is that I always like to build it in phases and make a character or, for instance, this past collection is “From Sunrise to Sunset.” The collection is structured in different themes varying from sunrise to sunset and also from sunset to sunrise. We really try to keep this interesting, mainly for me also, but it’s always some story or the other. I’ve had inspiration from books, sometimes a particular fabric can lead the story, but there always has to be a common thread…a commonality.



"Intuition and how you are feeling play a huge kind of role because we are a contemporary brand."

I don’t think you can get away from getting inspired by the environment you’re in. Intuition and how you are feeling play a huge kind of role because we are a contemporary brand. You kind of soak in all of these emotions you’re having.

This collection was by far our sexiest yet and I think it’s post-Covid, right? You just kind of feel like short skirts! Give me something loud, you know. Give me some red vinyl pants! I need to be out there… I need to scream a little after all that monotony. I feel like anybody who is in this type of creative field has that sensitivity. You have to pick up and be in touch with what is happening around you.

How do you merge your heritage within the designs of the brand?

Sayana branches out with today's deWar having the common goal and spirit as the past's deWar, but in her own contemporary style.

To be honest, in terms of clothing per se, we don’t really follow much of the aesthetic that we had before. Mainly because deWar used to be specialised in knitwear with different types of filaments. There's this one dress, for instance, in the Victoria and Albert Museum. It is crocheted out of metal. It is a very different type of work. In that specific sense, we are a modern brand.

However, there is a heritage. I am in chase of that feeling that I had as a child when I was in my grandma’s atelier. Growing up, it represented a “fairytale-like” fantasy world and a happy environment for me. This is what in terms of heritage I want to translate and also what I learned from them: that you need to have a happy team and a happy journey. I make sure we tell stories with our collections and we keep a positive environment with my team; who by the way I am obsessed with! I am the captain of the ship, but none of this happens without them.

Not to sound too cheesy, but it’s always about positive vibes. This is what you’re stuck doing for the rest of your life or what I’m going to be stuck doing for the rest of my life hopefully, so kind of just enjoy the journey.

Is Parisian couture still involved in today’s deWar? Do you include any Azerbaijan influences?

Not Azerbaijan influences for sure. In terms of Parisian couture, I did learn my trade in Paris. I was lucky enough to graduate from Parsons the New School (in Paris) and I worked a little bit. I had a couple of internships with Ellie Saab and Balmain, so I know how to make things the Parisian way. My education has allowed me to construct exquisite garments and pass that knowledge to my team. However, couture operates by a very different set of rules. In order to be a couture brand, there are many types of requirements. We do not go by all those, but hopefully one day! We would love to offer that service. Couture is like magic; it’s something different. We try to translate that magic on a different scale.

My team is based in India. We all go through training as it’s a different trade. We do a lot of tailoring, definitely a different type of work and I’d say it’s not your typical kind of tailoring. There are a lot of hidden layers inside our garments and that’s something we do take from French construction.

Three words you would use to describe deWar.

Three words are hard.

I want to say a edgy, chic, comfortable, and also masculine-inspired.

Tell us a little about the materials you work with and how you select them?

We are recognisable by our use of texture; a major point for us, which we play with constantly. When selecting materials this is one of the main features we look at.

All the materials we use are of exceptional quality and have been sourced from all over the world. Right now one of our best-selling pieces has Italian fabric and buttons, Korean embroidery material, and French interior material. For this specific piece, we’re looking at three different countries we’re sourcing from.

We focus on high-quality materials and try as much as we can to source fabrics that have a low environmental impact, so we work with recycled yarns a lot.

We look for easy care fabrics. Since our clients travel a lot, we like to offer a range in our collections that is easy to unpack and wear! Sometimes you just need something you’re going to pack in your bag, be relaxed over it, wear it, and it’s going to be ok. It’s no-fuss attire and you’re still going to look very chic. That is very important.

Legacy vs trends. What has been the brand’s relationship with these two concepts? How do you balance them?

This is a hard question. I think legacy for us is to make sure everything is done perfectly. There is no other secret. We don’t really carry any extra legacy pressure other than perfection in making sure everything is completely flawless. Everything nice: all details, buttons, button holes, seams, French seams, avoid the overlocker at all costs. This is very big in French design: do not use the overlock machine if you can avoid it.

When we have a new tailor, one of the things we teach and make them do for a couple of days is to French seam round things and everything with scraps. They do go through a little bit of a training process just to make sure that things are done a little bit differently and for them to understand that we have particular values.

Sayana Warkoffska's deWar naturally flows and evolves with the times.

In terms of trends, I obviously don’t look at what is trending at the moment. There’s always a bigger scope on why a trend is a trend and as a designer or any kind of creative person, you kind of catch on that sensibility and you have that intuition of “ok, sexy is back,” for example. Because of that feeling and because that’s how we want to portray ourselves, we’ll be very happy to adopt the trends. Everything is valid, but we are the type of brand that will Google “what are the colours for next season.” It’s just by intuition really or by the theme of what is inspiring us at that point in life. We always have our power suits, easy sets, and our sexy pieces; but within that we do adapt to trends. I think everybody does, except certain specific basic-specialised brands; but we are not like those.

Intuition plays a big role in how we structure our collections; it’s that gut feeling that decides. After all, we are a contemporary brand and contemporary fashion is about that: about being in sync with what is happening around you and being in sync with the relevant cultural and social climate. I think that’s very important.

How would you describe your journey into reestablishing deWar? What have been the biggest challenges?

Hard, filled with ups and downs and sleepless nights, and above all, a tale of persistence. I did not know that I would’ve had to be as persistent as I am. I feel so much pressure to really perform. I wasn’t prepared for that choice to have to, time after time when things go wrong, pick myself up and say “You know what? It’s ok, let's go again. Let’s try again. It didn’t work this time; it’s going to work next time.” and the repetition of that will power. I didn’t think that was going to have such a big role; it caught me by surprise. I knew it was going to be hard, but I didn’t know it required such persistence. The pressure makes me question everything to seek improvement.

It is very emotional. You have to be passionate. Otherwise I would have given up years ago…this is too hard.

My biggest challenges are never there for long, though. They are ever changing, and I always try to keep that in mind.

Who is the deWar woman? Can you describe her?

She is youthful, strong, and independent. She’s cool in terms of not being too hassled. She’s just trying to find something that’s going to make a statement, something that is easy to wear and will make her look fantastic. We do a lot of really punchy stuff, so I think that she’s quite confident in her skin and also does not want to compromise on comfort. In order to be chic, you don’t need to be uncomfortable. I have worn other clothes at some point thinking “Ugh, why am I uncomfortable? Why is it so tight? Why can’t I breathe? Let me breathe; look great and breathe at the same time!”

The deWar woman loves statement pieces and has fun dressing things up or down. I often imagine she is an outstanding woman doing really well in a male dominated field. Because of this and her lifestyle are the reasons we provide so many chic suits. We strive to make deWar the go-to brand for women's suit sets with an edge.

How should a customer make deWar’s unique designs a part of their everyday life? Any styling tips?

Always pick an outfit that makes you feel confident, be comfortable, make it yours, and never let the clothes wear you.

It’s quite simple. We all have that one outfit in our closet that makes us feel fantastic. When you find something that makes you feel really well, self-assured, and that when you look at yourself you go “YEAH!” and you have that spark…I really recommend you make a mental note of that. Think about the silhouette, “Does it have exaggerated shoulders? Is it high-waisted? Is it low-waisted?” for example, colour scheme, analyse that outfit, and keep it in mind. Use it as a reference for future purchases.

I am a big believer that if you find something that makes you feel great, buy as many different versions of the same thing as possible because this is your signature.

I recommend all of this to my clients. Sometimes they message me telling me “OMG I love this outfit, it made me feel really good, it gave me a lot of compliments, etc.” We keep these things in mind because for the next seasons and future collections, we want to make sure they have another option in their closet that they can purchase from us that is going to give them that same feeling.

"Always pick an outfit that makes you feel confident, be comfortable, make it yours, and never let the clothes wear you."



I think it’s an exercise for everybody. This is going to save you so much time in the future. You have to know the silhouettes and colour schemes that suit you. If you know that, it is so much easier for you to shop.

Go to your closet, see the outfit that makes you feel amazing, analyse it, and keep it present.

What, according to you, is the future of fashion?

I think the future of fashion will be shaped by the rise of sustainable fashion, digital fashion, an increase in personalisation, diversity and inclusivity, and what I am most excited for: a sharp innovation in materials. We need more sustainable, durable, and versatile materials besides traditional fabrics available today.

What do you think of the AiSPi concept?

A dream, honestly I think it’s so great! What a wonderful idea and fantastic way of creating a platform for hidden gems from across the world! The level of the brands that you guys work with is very important. The quality of these really matches big names and you’re not compromising on that. There are so many designers out there of exceptional quality that deserve to be competing with top of the line fashion houses. I think it’s so nice that there’s someone out there willing to give a voice to the lesser known brands that really deserve it. I am so jealous of your founder’s job! Very cool.

In our journey for more diversity and inclusivity I think AiSPi is pioneering in its field.





Written by Hannah Gabriella Armstrong Méndez.

All images are courtesy of Sayana Warkoffsca and deWar.

Explore more AiSPied designer boutiques through our Designer page. Visit our Instagram to know more about the latest European trends.