Fidan Novruzova’s ingenious square-toe boots and bow-laden garments make her a fashion standout

Fidan Novruzova has always been her own greatest champion. ‘I was 17 when I decided I no longer wanted to study business marketing and took a four-week course at the London College of Fashion. I sucked it. My parents knew I couldn’t draw or sew, so I think they almost expected me to give it up,” Novruzova says. “But because I wasn’t immediately good at it, that course made me want to work in fashion even more,” she says, standing in her showroom in the Parisian Le Marais district, surrounded by her AW24 line.

Her intuition has clearly steered her in the right direction. Today Novruzova is preparing to show her collection as one of the nominated designers for the prestigious LVMH Prize. She’s dressed in her brand: a tailored top, draped bow trousers, and a pair of her signature black pleated square-toe boots. Where was she when she found out she was nominated for the LVMH in 2024? ‘I was in the middle of a conversation with a psychic, and I screamed out loud as soon as I found out! That was not expected at all.’ But applying for the prize – which has previously been won by emerging designers such as Grace Wales Bonner, Simon Porte Jacquemus and Nensi Dojaka – felt like a ‘natural’ step for Novruzova, whose profile has become increasingly important since she debuted her graduate collection at Central Sint Maarten in 2019.

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“It is such an honor to be shortlisted and to represent my country for the first time in the history of the competition,” says the Moldovan designer with a grin. The award is transformative, not only because of the financial assistance, but also because of the mentorship it provides. ‘There is a special community among young designers. Nobody talks about how the wholesale business works or about profit margins.’ Chloë Sevigny and Bella Hadid are among the A-listers who saw Novruzova’s star power early on. She has seen not only the coolest fashion people flock to her brand, but her salespeople as well. Soho-based retailer Machine-A was among the first, followed by Ssense, both enamored with its ombre toe boots inspired by the Soviet period.

Novruzova grew up in Moldova and spent much of her time absorbing fashion through TV, watching her favorite models Natasha Poly and Abbey Lee Kershaw on the catwalks. “My love for fashion actually started early, but I suppressed those thoughts because I didn’t think I could make a career out of it.”

bella hadid walks through new york wearing fidan novruzova boots

Gotham

Novruzova applied and was accepted for a BA in Fashion Design and Marketing at Central Saint Martins, which she says helped her “build a brand identity.” Since her graduation collection, the brand has evolved, but has always revolved around the idea of a new way to make cocktail dressing. Bows play an integral role in the AW24 line, transforming gray pants, a miniskirt and a cami. And to complement the sophisticated clothes, there’s a buttery chocolate leather jacket that will be a hit come fall. “Everything produced in-house is handmade from deadstock materials,” she says. ‘We take risks when it comes to silhouettes, because we work with complicated patterns and constructions.’

Chloe Sevigny at a screening of Lypsinka's toxic femininity

Patrick McMullan

Seven collections later, will we see Novruzova’s clothes on the catwalk soon? ‘Certainly. The idea of a fashion show is more tangible now that I live in Paris. I already know where I want the first show to be and I’m manifesting it. It’s the right time,” she says. If Novruzova knows anything, it’s that trusting herself has always yielded results.

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