Ples je govorica telesa, ki lahko izraža čustva in ideje, pri čemer pa oblačila, v katerih plešemo, igrajo ključno vlogo v tem procesu.
V Sloveniji, na stičišču slogov in trendov, nastajajo blagovne znamke, ki ne ustvarjajo le plesnih oblačil, temveč celotno filozofijo, ki umetnikom omogoča, da se izražajo v vsakem gibu. Te znamke so sinteza ustvarjalnosti in funkcionalnosti, upoštevajoč potrebe plesalcev vseh ravni. Slovenske plesne blagovne znamke ponujajo različne kolekcije, ki so primerne tako za profesionalne nastope kot za prosti čas. Njihovi dizajni kažejo pozornost do detajlov, uporabo kakovostnih materialov in željo po udobju, kar omogoča plesalcem, da se osredotočijo na svojo umetnost.
V tem članku bova raziskala svet slovenskih plesnih blagovnih znamk, preučila njihove edinstvene ponudbe in ugotovila, kako plesalcem pomagajo, da se na plesišču počutijo samozavestne in hkrati izgledajo elegantno. Ko sva se prvič preselila v Slovenijo, sva kar nekaj časa iskala primerne šiviljske ateljeje, danes pa želiva z vami deliti svoje izkušnje in vtise.
Najino zgodbo začneva z morda prestižno blagovno znamko, imenovano Vakhner Design. Vakhner Design, ki jo je v Sloveniji ustanovila Alina Vakhner, je znamka, ki ponuja vrhunske plesne obleke, osredotočene na individualna naročila. Blagovna znamka je znana v številnih državah po svetu in pritegne pozornost plesalcev, ki želijo na turnirjih izstopati s svojo unikatnostjo. Te obleke so še posebej priljubljene med plesalci iz Rusije, ki cenijo edinstvenost in kakovost ter so za to pripravljeni plačati. Oblikovalci pri Vakhner Design tesno sodelujejo s strankami, preučijo vsak detajl in vsako linijo telesa. Ta proces jim omogoča ustvariti nekaj edinstvenega, kar postane podaljšek plesalca na odru.
Seveda ima Vakhner Design, tako kot vsaka blagovna znamka, tudi svoje posebnosti. Visoka cena, okoli 2000–3000 evrov, zaradi kakovostnih materialov in vrhunske izvedbe, je lahko ovira za mnoge, ki si to želijo. Vendar pa se cena vedno razlikuje glede na slog obleke in material s kamenjem. Poleg tega je dolgotrajen proces izdelave obleke lahko neučakan za tiste, ki se želijo hitro pripraviti na tekmovanja. Kljub tem vidikom Vakhner Design še naprej priteguje pozornost s svojo izvirnostjo in slogom. Za tiste, ki so pripravljeni investirati v edinstveno umetniško delo, blagovna znamka ponuja priložnost, da se na prestižnih turnirjih uveljavijo. Te obleke ne poudarjajo le individualnosti, temveč tudi dajejo nastopu poseben čar, ki ne ostane neopažen. Med rednimi strankami tega ateljeja velja omeniti Aleksandro Averkievo, ki je skupaj s svojim partnerjem Klemnom Prašnikarjem večkratna finalistka in zmagovalka različnih večjih turnirjev v Angliji ter svetovnih in evropskih prvenstev.
Torzo Design je znamka plesnih oblačil, ki jo je ustanovila znana osebnost v svetu standardnega plesa in avtorica knjige o tehniki – Nataša Ambrož. Nataša Ambrož, rojena v Ljubljani, je začela obiskovati ure standardnega plesa že v srednji šoli. Leta 1977 je skupaj s svojim plesnim partnerjem postala prvakinja nekdanje Jugoslavije v standardnih plesih. Kasneje sta se par preselila v profesionalno kategorijo, nato pa pridobila ustrezno licenco sodnikov in trenerjev v Londonu in Sloveniji. Pomembno je tudi poudariti, da je Nataša svoje veščine razvijala na mednarodnih kongresih in sodelovala s tujimi strokovnjaki. Poučevala je standardne in latinskoameriške plese na Akademiji za ples v Ljubljani in kot prva podpredsednica WDSF 12 let razvijala pravila in programe za organizacijo. Je tudi avtorica izobraževalnih gradiv o tehniki plesa WDSF.
Poleg poučevanja je Nataša strastna oblikovalka plesnih kostumov in vodi lastno podjetje za oblačila Torzo v Ljubljani. Izdelki Nataše Ambrož, Torzo, so nama zelo pri srcu, saj jih nosiva tudi sama. Ko sva se pripravljala na najin prvi turnir v Rimu marca letos, nama je Nataša Ambrož pomagala pri oblikovanju in šivanju kostumov. To je bil za naju zelo vznemirljiv čas, saj že dolgo nisva nastopala na turnirjih, za naju pa je bilo to prvo doživetje, kot plesni par. Za Nastjo je sešila elegantno rdečo obleko s prefinjenim motivom vrtnic in črne hlače z odprto mrežasto srajco za Denisa. Iz najine izkušnje lahko poveva, da naju je kakovost oblačil in hitrost šivanja navdušila. Vse se je izkazalo točno tako, kot je bilo načrtovano. Velika prednost Natašine blagovne znamke je njena dostopna cena. Sprva sva težko verjela, da sva za razmeroma nizko ceno, okoli 700 evrov za obleko in 350 evrov za hlače in srajco, prejela tako kakovostno turnirsko obleko v zelo kratkem času. Ne veva, kaj bi naredila, če ne bi bilo Torzo Designa, ki je vse izvedel na najboljši možen način v kratkem času. Če želite zašiti kakovostna turnirska in vadbena oblačila po dostopni ceni, je Torzo Design Nataše Ambrož prava izbira.
Če mislite, da Slovenija proizvaja le plesna in turnirska oblačila, se močno motite. Peta Dance je slovenska blagovna znamka plesnih čevljev, ki se že dolgo uveljavlja kot kakovostna. S to znamko nimava izkušenj, vendar je znano, da so zelo znani pari, kot sta Klemen Prašnikar in Aleksandra Averkijeva ter Damir in Anna Halužan, prej aktivno sodelovali s to blagovno znamko. Blagovna znamka ponuja precej široko izbiro čevljev in lahko z gotovostjo rečeva, da bo tu vsakdo, prav vsak, našel primeren model, ki bo udoben in praktičen. Poleg izdelave čevljev Peta Dance tudi obnavlja in popravlja čevlje drugih blagovnih znamk. Če potrebujete popravilo svojih vadbenih čevljev, vam bodo vedno pomagali v najkrajšem možnem času.
Plesna oblačilna blagovna znamka Zdenka Arko je simbol vintage stila v svetu plesa. Ustanovljena s strani slovenske oblikovalke, je prisotna tudi na trgu Združenega kraljestva in ponuja edinstven slog in značilne elemente. Vsaka obleka Zdenke Arko je ustvarjena s posebno pozornostjo do detajlov in kakovostnimi materiali. Oblikovalci te znamke se navdihujejo v klasičnih plesnih tradicijah, kar jim omogoča ustvariti kolekcije, ki harmonično združujejo vintage elemente. Obleke so primerne za različne plesne sloge – od standardnih do latinskoameriških – in postanejo del nastopov. Znamka ponuja tudi oblikovalska vadbena oblačila, katerih cena se giblje med 90 in 150 ameriškimi dolarji. Višja cena je posledica uporabe kakovostnih materialov in premišljenega kroja, ki omogoča slog in udobje med treningom. Zdenka Arko se osredotoča na individualnost svojih strank, kar omogoča, da vsak model prilagodijo posebnim željam. Blagovna znamka aktivno podpira kulturne in plesne dogodke, kar jo povezuje s plesno skupnostjo. V preteklih oglaševalskih kampanjah je Zdenka Arko sodelovala s priznanimi osebnostmi, kot sta Melinda Škufca in Tjaša Novak, hči plesalca Fredija Novaka, kar je blagovni znamki prineslo pozornost. Na Mednarodem plesnem festivalu je bil tudi razstavni prostor Zdenke Arko, kjer so udeleženci lahko pobliže spoznali kolekcije. Blagovna znamka ponuja čudovita in funkcionalna oblačila, ki zagotavljajo udobje med plesnimi nastopi in treningi. Vsaka nova kolekcija nadaljuje s predstavitvijo edinstvenega pristopa k plesni modi.
Tudi Saša Pust pritegne pozornost v svetu plesnega oblikovanja s svojim edinstvenim pristopom. Kritično ocenjuje preobremenjene in ekstravagantne dizajne, ki so v zadnjih letih postali pogosti na tekmovanjih. V primerjavi z evolucijo poudarja, da radikalne spremembe odpirajo priložnosti za nekaj novega. Zanjo je dober dizajn umetnost, ki poudarja individualnost plesalca in njegove gibe. Verjame, da se mora dizajn ujemati s karakterjem in slogom nastopa ter iskati nove načine za izpostavitev najboljših lastnosti plesa. To omogoča eksperimentiranje in učenje iz napak. V svojih kreacijah poudarja tudi pomen interakcije med plesalcem in oblikovalcem. Ko delata v harmoniji in zaupanju, ideje prosto tečejo, kar vodi v nastajanje novih trendov. Njene ideje navdihujejo k ponovnemu premisleku o sodobnih trendih in vračanju k osnovam, ki so vedno aktualne. Ta inovativna oblikovalka spodbuja k iskanju novih rešitev in raziskovanju novih smeri v svetu plesa. Sodelovala je z vrhunskimi amaterskimi in profesionalnimi pari iz Slovenije, Avstrije, Italije, Portugalske, Nemčije, Tajvana, Singapurja in nedavno tudi Japonske, pri čemer ima vse potrebne veščine, da zagotovi, da boste nastopali v stilu.
Na koncu lahko rečeva, da je res čudovito videti, kako Slovenija gosti plesne znamke, kot so Vakhner Design, Torzo in Peta Dance. Te znamke ne zadovoljujejo le potreb lokalnih plesalcev, temveč odražajo tudi globoko razumevanje umetnosti plesa, saj združujejo funkcionalnost s kreativnostjo. Ne glede na to, ali gre za eleganco turnirskih oblek ali praktičnost vadbenih čevljev, slovenski oblikovalci dokazujejo, da se lahko postavijo ob bok mednarodnim imenom.
Vendar pa, kljub odličnim možnostim, se mnogi plesalci še vedno obračajo na tuje blagovne znamke za nekatere ključne kose – bodisi zaradi specifičnih stilskih preferenc, širše izbire ali celo zvestobe blagovni znamki. To kaže, da se, čeprav domače znamke dosegajo pomembne korake, še vedno kaže prostor za rast in širitev na področju raznovrstnosti in dostopnosti. Plesna skupnost ima srečo, da ima dostop do takšne izdelave, toda kot plesalci si še naprej prizadevamo najti najboljše, tako doma kot v tujini, da bi lahko na plesnem parketu popolnoma izrazili svojo umetniško izraznost. Več kakovostnih lokalnih možnosti je zagotovo korak v pravo smer, zato se že veseliva, kaj prinaša prihodnost za slovensko plesno modo.
In English
Dance is body language that can convey emotions and ideas, and the clothes we dance in play a key role in this process. In Slovenia, at the intersection of styles and trends, brands are born that create not just dance clothes, but a whole philosophy that allows artists to express themselves in every movement. These brands are a synthesis of creativity and functionality, taking into account the needs of dancers of all levels. Slovenian dance brands offer a variety of collections that are suitable for both professional performances and free time activities. Their designs show attention to detail, the use of high-quality materials, as well as a desire for comfort, which allows dancers to focus on their art. In this article, we will dive into the world of Slovenian dance brands, consider their unique offerings and find out how they help dancers not only look stylish, but also feel confident on the dance floor. When we first moved to Slovenia, we spent quite a long time looking for suitable tailoring studios and today we want to share our experience and impressions with you.
Let’s start our story with perhaps the premium and high-class brand called Vakhner design. Vakhner Design, founded by Alina Vakhner in Slovenia, is a brand that offers high-class dance dresses focused on individual orders. Widely known in many countries around the world, it attracts the attention of dancers who want to stand out at tournaments with their uniqueness. These outfits are especially popular among dancers from Russia, who value uniqueness and quality and are willing to pay for it. Vakhner designers work closely with clients, studying every detail, every curve of the body. This process allows them to create something unique that will become an extension of the dancer on stage. However, like any brand, Vakhner Design has its own nuances. The high cost around 2000 – 3000 euro, due to high-quality materials and an ideal level of execution, can be an obstacle for many who want to. But of course, the prices always are different due to the dress style and material with stone. In addition, the lengthy process of creating an outfit can be inconvenient for those who want to quickly prepare for competitions. Despite these moments, Vakhner Design continues to attract attention with its originality and style. For those who are ready to invest in a unique piece of art, the brand offers the opportunity to make a name for themselves at the most prestigious tournaments. These dresses not only emphasize individuality, but also give the performance a special charm that does not go unnoticed. Among the regular clients of this studio, it is worth noting Aleksandra Averkieva, who, together with her partner Klemen Prašnikar, is a multiple finalist and winner of various major tournaments in England and world and European championships.
Torzo design is a dancewear brand founded by a well-known personality in the world of ballroom dancing, the author of a book on technique – Nataša Ambrož. Nataša Ambrož, born in Ljubljana, Slovenia, began her ballroom dancing classes when she was in high school. In 1977, together with her dance partner, she became the champion of the former Yugoslavia in standard dances. Later, the couple moved to the professional category, and then underwent appropriate training as judges and coaches, receiving the appropriate licenses in London and Slovenia. It is also important to note that Nataša has developed her skills at international congresses and collaborated with foreign experts. She taught standard and Latin American dances at the Dance Academy in Ljubljana and served as the first vice-president of WDSF for 12 years, developing rules and programs for the organization. She is also the author of educational materials on WDSF dance technique. In addition to teaching, Nataša is passionate about dance costume design, running her own clothing company Torzo in Ljubljana. Nataša Ambrož’s products, Torzo, are very close to our hearts, as we regularly use their services ourselves. When we were preparing for our first tournament in Rome this March, Natasha Ambrož helped us with the design and sewing of our costumes. It was a very exciting time for us, as we had not performed at tournaments for a long time, and for our couple it was the first experience. For Nastya we sewed an elegant red dress, a luxurious rose design, and black trousers with an open-mesh shirt for Denis. What we can say from our experience is that the quality of the clothes and the speed of sewing are impressive. Everything turned out exactly as planned. A huge advantage of Natasha’s brand is its affordable price. At first, it was hard for us to believe that for such a relatively small price around 700 euros per dress and 350 euros for pants and a shirt we received such high-quality tournament clothing and in a very short time. We don’t know what we would have done if it weren’t for Torzo design, which did everything in the best possible way in a short time. If you want to sew high-quality tournament and training clothing at an affordable price, Torzo design by Natasha Ambrož your choice.
If you thought that Slovenia only produces dance and tournament clothing, you are very much mistaken. Peta dance is a Slovenian brand of dance shoes that has established itself on the good side over a long period of time. We have no experience of working with this brand, but it is known that very famous couples such as Klemen Prasnikar and Sasha Averkieva and Damir and Anna Halužan have previously actively collaborated with this brand. This brand has a fairly wide range of shoes and we can say for sure that here everyone, absolutely everyone, will be able to choose a suitable model that will be comfortable and practical. In addition to producing shoes, Peta dance also restores and repairs them, even of another brand. If you need to fix your training shoes, they will always help you in the shortest possible time.
Dance dress brand Zdenka Arko is a symbol of vintage in the dance world. Founded by a Slovenian designer, it is presented in the UK market, offering a unique style and characteristic elements. Each Zdenka Arko dress is created with special attention to detail and high-quality materials. The brand’s designers draw inspiration from classical dance traditions, which allows them to create collections that harmoniously combine vintage elements. Dresses are suitable for various dance styles – from ballroom to Latin – and become part of performances. The brand also offers designer training clothes, the cost of which ranges from $ 90 to $ 150. The high price is due to high-quality materials and thoughtful cut, which allows for style and comfort during training. Zdenka Arko focuses on the individuality of its customers, allowing each model to be tailored to specific wishes. The brand actively supports cultural and dance events, which makes it part of the dance community. Zdenka Arko has previously featured famous personalities such as Melinda Škufca and the daughter of dancers Daniela Škofic Novak and Fredi Novak Tjaša Novak in its advertising campaigns, which has brought attention to the brand. At the International Dance Festival, there was also a Zdenka Arko clothing stand, giving participants the opportunity to get acquainted with the collections. The brand offers beautiful and functional clothing, ensuring comfort during dance performances and training. Each new collection continues to demonstrate a unique approach to dance fashion.
Saša Pust attracts attention in the world of dance design with her unique approach. She criticizes the overloaded and extravagant designs that have become commonplace in competitions in recent years. Comparing it to evolution, she emphasizes that radical changes open up opportunities for something new. For her, good design is an art that emphasizes the individuality of the dancer and their movements. She believes that design should match the character and style of performance, finding new ways to highlight the best features of the dance. This gives an opportunity to experiment and learn from mistakes. In her works, she also emphasizes the importance of interaction between the dancer and the designer. When they work in harmony and trust, ideas begin to flow freely, which leads to the emergence of new trends. Her ideas inspire to rethink modern trends and return to the basics, which are always relevant. This woman is an innovator who motivates to look for new solutions and explore new directions in the world of dance. Having worked with top amateur and professional couples from Slovenia, Austria, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Taiwan, Singapore and most recently Japan, she has all the skills necessary to ensure you perform in style.
In conclusion, it’s wonderful to see that Slovenia is home to dance brands like Vakhner Design, Torzo, and Peta Dance. These brands not only meet the needs of local dancers but also reflect a deep understanding of the art of dance, combining functionality with creativity. Whether it’s the elegance of competition dresses or the practicality of training shoes, Slovenian designers are proving they can stand alongside international names.
Yet, despite these great options, many dancers still turn to brands abroad for some of their most essential pieces—whether it’s due to specific style preferences, wider selections, or even brand loyalty. This shows that while local brands are making significant strides, there is still room for growth and expansion in terms of variety and availability. The dance community here is fortunate to have access to such craftsmanship, but as dancers, we continue to seek the best from both home and abroad to perfect our expression on the dance floor. Having more high-quality local options is certainly a step in the right direction, and we can look forward to what the future holds for Slovenian dance fashion.
