She's Got Style

I'm the kind of person who spends practically an hour picking out an outfit every morning. If my house were on fire, I must admit, some of the first things I'd grab would be my favorite dress and pair of shoes. So, when I scheduled an interview with Nirva Derbekyan, MassArt alum and Boston-area fashion designer, I was beyond excited.

I expected my conversation with Derbekyan to be wholly about clothes.  Gowns, blouses, skirts – that sort of thing. However, when I walked into Derbekyan's Lexington studio, the first thing I saw was a bulletin board covered in pictures from National Geographic Magazine. The photographs flashed with color and exuberance.

As it turns out, Derbekyan was recently pressuring her brother to throw out his collection of old National Geographic issues, when the visuals caught her eye. Having a love for color and pattern, Derbekyan realized she could find plenty of inspiration in nature and has started reading the magazine regularly.

Derbekyan talked at length about other intriguing influences. As a young child, she fell in love with shoes and designed her own patchwork boot. She also recalled that an elementary school art teacher encouraged her creativity. Derbekyan had not yet acquired much skill but "wanted to draw" and so motivated, continued to practice.

As she grew older, Derbekyan began to read Archie comic books which frequently offered design contests for characters' wardrobes. Derbekyan submitted ideas multiple times. She also fashioned her own "Vogue-like" magazine, complete with advertisements and a help column, "just for fun," when she was 12 years old.

Derbekyan also told me that after college, when she heard about London's exciting fashion scene, she packed up her bags and left for England with a few friends and no job. Once in England, she found a position with a small design company where she gained a lot of experience. "Because it was so small," she explained, "we had to do everything."

Derbekyan's family is Armenian but lived in Turkey and Canada before moving to Massachusetts. Wherever they moved, Derbekyan's mother, Sonia, sewed the children's clothing. Derbekyan says her mother has taught her everything she knows about fabrics. Her mother also works in the same building containing Derbekyan's studio, making it easy for the two to swap ideas.

Derbekyan sells her fashions at Stil, located in the Mall at Chestnut Hill, and also sees customers by appointment in Sonia's Boutique. To learn more about the artist, click here. 

Seek inspiration. For live music, head to Lexington Center's Nourish restaurant on Sundays, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and Thursdays, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; and Concerts in the Park by the Hastings Park Bandstand on Thursdays, 7:30 p.m.

Lexington Youth Theatre will perform "Grease" at Grace Chapel on Thursday, July 22, at 7 p.m., and Boston's Yamaha Music School will give ensemble performances in Cary Memorial Hall on Sunday, July 20, at 12:30 and 3 p.m.

Your Town Lexington will offer free Friday evening concerts on July 9, opening with the Summer Street Band and continuing every week through Aug. 27 with Ben Rudnick & Friends, Alter Ego, Porch Rockers, Hanscom Air Force Base's Afterburner ensemble, Backburner, the Benjamin Road Band and Jumpin' Juba.

Cary Memorial Library is showcasing the artwork of Alessandro Alessandrini, Roy Hughes, and Elizabeth Rozen through July 31. A pottery course for teens is being offered at the Lexington Arts & Crafts Society on July 8, 15 and 22, at 5 p.m.  Each session is $30. Call 781-862-9696 or 781-862-8205 for more information.