Kristina was born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Since the age of six, she attended the Children’s School of Art, where she studied many different forms of creative expression. Kristina loved creating clay hand puppets and dressing them in elaborate beaded and appliquéd costumes that she designed and made herself. The puppets became school stars, acting in different shows for the children and their parents. While at school, she also studied classical piano and composition for eight years and ballet and choreography for five, earning her diplomas in both areas.
She spent her high school years studying at one of the country’s most renowned educational academies, where she excelled in her courses. After graduation, Kristina entered Westminster International University, receiving a Bachelors degree in Business Administration. Kristina also spent time studying ancient art history while attending summer school at the University of Nicosia in Cyprus. During her undergraduate years, she not only devoted time to her studies, but was also involved in student and international organizations. Through hard work and good fortune, Kristina was given the opportunity to collaborate with the UN Development Program that provided opportunities for students to launch their own companies and supported them throughout the startup period.
Experiencing new cultures showed her the importance of color, texture and the never ending array of styles in expressing oneself in this visually driven world. She chose to complete her graduate studies at the Academy of Art in San Francisco, because of the school’s reputation for being a place that encourages free thinking students from around the world to be fearless as they explore and create their artistic visions.
Kristina felt right at home at the Academy, because her favorite professor, Ricardo Sison, told her: “Don’t be afraid to bring any idea to the table because it may have potential.” She learned how to analyze what people wanted, through studying what they wore, listening to what they talked about and seeing how they lived. This enabled Kristina to propose marketing and brand development campaigns which resonated with her target audience and were very much of the moment. She also was involved in running Beyond the Front Row, the University’s student fashion club and was a winner of the Find Inspiration Art U Instagram competition.
Kristina will be graduating with a Master of Fine Arts in Fashion Marketing and Brand Management in May 2020. She is planning to begin her career on the West Coast and is looking forward to working with a leading fashion company that supports sustainability. She sees herself as part of a fast-paste and creative marketing team, one where she can use all of her skills and abilities to contribute to the brands’ success. Kristina is looking forward to share her knowledge throughout her career.