Spotlight on our alumni - Sofia Sokoloff from LaSalle College |Montréal

Published by LCI Education, January 25th, 2018

We recently sat down with Sofia Sokoloff, LaSalle College Fashion Design alumni, to talk about her career path. This talented leader currently heads Sokoloff Lingerie, the company she founded.

« I studied in Fashion Design at LaSalle College and after finishing my schooling, I went to Paris for a trends internship with a style office. I came back to Montreal and started working as a fashion designer, then as a technical designer. I left to do some traveling and didn’t have any prospects yet. So, I decided to go back to school to study industrial management at École Supérieure de Mode de Montréal so that I could learn more about managing manufacturing.

Sokoloff Lingerie is a school project created as part of the industrial management program. I invented the company during my first semester. I ended up making all my school projects for Sokoloff Lingerie and did all the work for a full bachelor’s degree. I created the entire brand while I was a student. I even approached stores while I was studying in the bachelor’s program. I really believed in what I was doing. »

How did your Fashion Design studies at LaSalle College help you?

What advice would you give Fashion Design students?

« Do internships. I think they’re really important because they help you see what things are really like in the business. I think the more baggage and experience you acquire, the better. I believe you shouldn’t hesitate too much before starting a business. You learn so much about industry realities that the product can only get better. Sokoloff Lingerie has come so far from what it was when I designed it while in school! So, I don’t think you should wait to be perfect. In fact, I think the opposite: you should get started and improve as you go along. You’ll learn much better that way. »

How did you become interested in lingerie?

« I chose lingerie because I had experience in that sector. I love delicate products for niche markets. Developing products is quite difficult, but I love working on little details. I remember when I was making coats at LaSalle College. I had papers and fabrics all over my floors at home. Developing products is my hobby. Really, it’s something that I could do all day, every day. »

What does a regular day look like for you?

« They’re really never the same! I get in to the office around 8 a.m. I start by answering emails from clients, suppliers and journalists. Then, I go take a look at what’s happening in production and distribution to see how things are going. Finally, I will do some design work and spend time on the patterns and designs for the upcoming collections. I’m doing all this while still trying to do photoshoots and coordinate campaigns that will be launched. »

Local, ethical production is important to you, right?

« Since the beginning, Sokoloff Lingerie has made 100% of our collections in Montreal. It’s something we push really hard, like transporting merchandise by sailboat across the Atlantic to Paris. It’s super interesting and we really wanted to be part of that project because local, ethical production is one of our values. »

What sets you apart from other lingerie companies?

« How creative our campaigns are. They are really focused on a dream. We transport the client to another environment. We really work hard to distinguish ourselves from our competitors who do photoshoots focused on sexy girls. We put more emphasis on incredible surroundings, like for the Winter collection launch in Iceland where the model was a modern dancer. We use painters, singers and dancers…really, there are all kinds of artists who participate in our projects. »

Sofia on Social Medias