These Romanian Designers Are Putting A Magical Twist On The Everyday

Chotronette is a brand from Romanian fashion designers Silvia Chiteala and Laura Cazacu. Based in the city of Iasi in the north-east of the country, the pair specialise in creating timeless, eye-catching dresses.

Their influences are eclectic and global, ranging from Frida Kahlo and The Great Gatsby, to Art Nouveau and Wes Anderson. This lively range of inspirations manifest themselves in bright, bold designs that marry lace, tulle and embroidery to create items that are truly unique. As they state on their bridal page, ‘If you want a traditional, long, ivory dress – close this page – you’re not gonna find it here.’

Not unsurprisingly, such theatrical pieces lend themselves to striking situational photography. Chiteala and Cazacu create fantastical sets that imbue their creations with a touch of magic. Often the designers will create a whole narrative around these photo shoots. Stories such as ‘Dreaming of Lana’ take place indoors, with a desired atmosphere of ‘Sophia Coppola fake movie stills featuring a stalker fan who dreams of becoming Lana del Rey’. Others such as ‘Adorama’ simply have ‘Everyday I’m a different character!’ – a more succinct narrative.

Regardless of the brief, the effect is always to create unique and striking images, evoking the kind of sartorial magic that famous fashion photographer Tim Walker would be proud of. It’s no surprise that their designs have been featured by the likes of British and Italian Vogue, as well as Playboy Romania. ‘We create these imaginary universes, because the world needs stories and we consider ourselves visual story tellers,’ they say.

You can discover more of their work, and shop their full collection of dresses here.

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