Veronika Mlinar

When you rediscovered the poems you had written between 1995 and 2000, what surprised you most about the person and creative voice you encountered in those pages?

I rediscovered approximately 150 poems that I had written between 1995 and 2000, when I was between 12 and 17 years old. It was a very special experience because I was suddenly reconnecting with a part of myself that had been quiet for almost 26 years.

My first poem, titled Love, was written when I was just 12. In the beginning, most of my poems were about love. As I grew older, especially after the age of 15, my writing began to explore much broader themes: life, the world, human existence and God.

What surprised me most was how deeply I had already been thinking and feeling at such a young age. When I read those poems today, it feels almost as if I am observing a young girl growing up, discovering the world and searching for answers to questions that are still meaningful to me.

I have worked in healthcare since I was 15 years old. In recent years, I have been working as an occupational therapist. Through my work, I have met many different people and encountered many different life stories. I have witnessed great joy, progress and small victories, but also suffering, loss and difficult life experiences.

Working with people has taught me how precious life is and how important it is to see every person as a whole. Perhaps this is also why my creative work places so much emphasis on women, their emotions, strength, dreams and individuality.

Rediscovering my poems reminded me that creativity had always been part of who I was. It was not something new that appeared in my life; it was something I had carried within me all along.

My creative journey has also recently received a special recognition. I was selected to be featured in the art book 100 European Women in Art 2027, where I will represent Slovenia. This recognition means a great deal to me because it came during a period in which I rediscovered my creativity and began developing NikiArtStories. It is an important encouragement to continue my artistic journey.

Veronika Mlinar | Blue Rose

Can you take us through the journey of one poem or drawing becoming a fashion concept? What changes as it moves from the page into something wearable?

My creative process can begin in two different ways.

One example is the collection The Girl in Bloom. It began with an original drawing. I developed the artwork, transferred its motif onto a handbag, and the handbag then became the inspiration for an entire fashion collection. The original illustration was the starting point, but the collection allowed the idea to grow into a much larger visual story.

Another path begins with a handbag. I create my own graphic artwork using Canva and develop it into a real handbag product through Contrado. The colours, motifs and overall character of the handbag then inspire me to imagine a complete fashion collection.

When I develop a collection, I usually see the entire image in my mind: the garments, silhouettes, accessories, colour harmony, surroundings and atmosphere. I can almost feel the atmosphere of the scene.

I use AI-assisted visualisation to explore individual garments and bring these ideas into a visual form. However, the original concepts, artistic direction, motifs, colours and creative decisions come from me. I give very precise instructions and often refine the visualisations several times until they reflect what I have imagined. Sometimes a single design takes six attempts.

In August, I developed approximately twelve fashion collections because so many ideas were coming to me that I could not draw all of them by hand at that time.

The Last Kiss is another example. It was inspired by a poem connected to a handbag motif. From that connection, I developed an entire fashion collection, which then inspired me to create new hand-drawn illustrations using coloured pencils.

For me, this process is a continuous exchange between poetry, artwork, handbags and fashion.

One idea often gives birth to another.

Veronika Mlinar | Gold Mint

What can you express through poetry that you cannot express visually, and where do images take over from words?

Through poetry, I was able to express my deepest emotions and thoughts about the world, myself, life and God. Words allowed me to explore feelings and questions that were sometimes difficult to communicate in any other way.

Drawing gives me a different kind of freedom. Through colours, shapes and images, I can express emotions such as love, passion, longing and dreams. Strong colours are particularly important in my work because they allow me to communicate feelings visually, without needing words.

As a child, I often wondered which form of creativity suited me best. Was I better at writing poetry, creating stories or drawing? Sometimes I wished I could be truly excellent at just one of these things rather than having my creativity spread across several different forms.

Through NikiArtStories, I finally found a way to bring them all together. Poetry, drawing, graphic design and fashion are no longer separate parts of my creativity. They have become one whole, allowing me to express everything I carry within me. I am a positive person with a great deal of love, and I want that energy to be reflected in my work. Fashion gives me another space in which to express myself freely.

I do not create drawings only to transfer them onto clothing or handbags. I draw because the creative process itself brings me genuine joy and fulfilment.

After approximately 26 years, I have rediscovered a sense of freedom through drawing that I once knew. Today, I find myself looking forward to the weekend simply because I know I will have time to pick up my coloured pencils and draw.

For me, creating is something deeply personal. It gives me the freedom to express my emotions, imagination and ideas. It is not only about the finished product, but also about the joy of the creative process itself.

All of this inspired me even further, and by September I had already started creating my fashion collections by hand again. I now also develop collections through traditional drawing and painting, which I keep in my portfolio folder. In this way, digital creativity has led me back to traditional artistic expression.

Today, my creativity finds expression through different mediums, but its essence remains the same: the freedom to create and the joy of making art.

Why did you choose handbags as a medium for your artwork? What kind of relationship do you think people develop with objects they carry every day?

I wanted to find a way to bring my artwork beyond the traditional boundaries of a drawing or painting and into everyday life.

Handbags became a natural choice because they are objects that women carry with them every day. They are practical, but they are also personal. A handbag can reflect someone’s personality, taste, memories and individuality.

Through platforms such as Contrado, I discovered that I could transfer my original artwork and graphic motifs onto real products. This opened up a new way of presenting art.

I like to think of my handbags as small, travelling galleries. Art does not always have to hang on a wall. It can accompany someone through everyday life, become part of their personal style and express something about who they are.

For me, a handbag is more than an accessory. It is a meeting point between art, design and personal expression.

Veronika Mlinar | Orange Green

In your imaginative dress concepts, how do you think about the relationship between the garment, the body and movement?

For me, all elements of a design must work together: the garment, the female body, the silhouette, colours, lines, accessories and movement.

I am particularly drawn to feminine and timeless silhouettes. I often imagine A-line skirts, defined waists and shapes that gently emphasise the hips. I want garments to celebrate the female figure rather than restrict it.

I do not want to follow every fashion trend because trends are temporary, while timeless fashion can remain beautiful for many years. I am interested in designs that retain their character and emotional value beyond a particular season.

Movement is also important. A garment should not only look beautiful in a photograph; it should come alive when a woman walks, moves or dances. The relationship between the fabric, silhouette and body should feel natural and harmonious.

At present, many of my fashion collections exist as creative concepts and visualisations. My hope is that one day they will also be physically realised in collaboration with professional designers and makers.

Veronika Mlinar | The Last Kiss; A Dream Within

Your work speaks to women across generations. How do you approach femininity across different ages, experiences and personalities?

I believe that a woman is beautiful at every stage of her life. Beauty is not defined by age, race, skin colour or body shape.

I want my work to speak to women of different generations and backgrounds. Fashion should not be reserved only for young or very slim women. Every woman deserves to feel beautiful, confident and special, regardless of her age or body size.

This is why I also want to show different and realistic female body types in my fashion visualisations. I believe that women should be able to recognise themselves in fashion, rather than feeling that they must fit into one narrow ideal.

I also think about mothers. While caring for their children and families, women sometimes lose sight of themselves and their own femininity. But motherhood is only one part of a woman’s identity. She is still a woman with dreams, desires, talents, individuality and a need to feel beautiful.

I want my designs to remind women that they deserve attention too. They should not forget themselves or give up on their dreams.

My message is that fashion should celebrate what makes every woman special. I want to encourage women to express themselves, embrace their individuality and have the courage to follow their passions.

My motto is “Life is for the brave.” For me, it is not simply a beautiful phrase accompanying my brand. It has a very personal meaning.

Through my work in healthcare, I have also learned how unpredictable life can be. This year, the loss of my brother affected me particularly deeply. An experience like this makes you even more aware of how short and fragile life is.

That is why I do not want to wait for a perfect moment, for some distant day when all the conditions are finally right to pursue my dreams. I do not want to keep postponing life.

This motto reminds me that I must live now. Fully, and in the present. I must allow myself to dream, to hope and to love. I must have the courage to try, create, explore and follow what I feel inside.

I believe it is never too late to begin again or to allow ourselves to become who we truly are. Life is too precious to spend waiting for the perfect moment.

Veronika Mlinar | Yellow Dress

How do you balance the artistic story behind a design with practical considerations such as comfort, function and construction?

I believe that beautiful fashion should also be practical, comfortable and functional. A design should not exist only to look impressive in a photograph. It should also make sense in real life.

I pay attention to materials, quality and craftsmanship. I know how much care goes into washing, hanging, ironing and folding clothes, and I understand the importance of choosing materials that are comfortable and easy to care for.

For me, a beautiful evening dress should not only look elegant. A woman should also be able to wear it for six hours, move comfortably and enjoy an evening or dance without feeling restricted.

There is nothing worse than wearing something beautiful that makes you uncomfortable.

I also believe that quality garments should last. Well-made clothing can retain its beauty and value for much longer than something designed only for a short-lived trend.

My work is not only about creating motifs for handbags or clothing. Drawing itself has become an important part of my life again. After approximately 26 years, I have rediscovered the joy and freedom of creating by hand. The process is just as meaningful to me as the finished artwork.

At the same time, I hope that my fashion concepts will one day move beyond the computer screen. I would love to collaborate with professional designers, fashion houses and skilled makers, and to see these collections physically realised and perhaps presented on a runway.

For me, NikiArtStories is an ongoing creative journey. It brings together my poetry, artwork, graphic design and fashion, with the hope of creating something meaningful that women can connect with.