Meet the Judges: Olya Krivova
Where Fashion Illustration Comes to Life
Where fashion illustration meets paper engineering, movement and storytelling, Olya Krivova brings an inventive and playful approach to contemporary image-making. Blending traditional drawing techniques with interactive paper constructions, photography and stop-motion animation, her work transforms runway silhouettes into imaginative objects that move beyond the page.
Inspired by the expressive linework of Picasso, Matisse and early Warhol, Olya draws equally from cinema, publishing and the rich history of paper theatres and craftsmanship. Her creative journey has taken her from watercolour illustration through digital commissions and back to physical materials, exploring new possibilities at the intersection of analogue and digital media.
Recently featured in PAP Magazine, Olya continues to experiment with three-dimensional paper objects, creating a distinctive visual language that brings fashion, illustration and storytelling together. Her practice celebrates curiosity, experimentation and the possibilities that emerge when different creative disciplines collide.
Joining the judging panel for the 12th FIDA Awards, Olya brings an appreciation for originality, artistic exploration and the unexpected. For her, outstanding fashion illustration is not simply about technical skill or visual beauty, but about capturing something distinctive and relevant to the world we live in.
“More than anything, I think I would like to be surprised. I will be looking for that element of surprise and the true pulse of our time.”
It is this openness to new ideas and unconventional approaches that makes Olya's perspective particularly exciting for this year's awards. As fashion illustration continues to evolve across traditional, digital and experimental media, her approach reminds us that the most compelling creative work often emerges when artists challenge familiar boundaries.
