FEBRUARY 2022 | 34 | FRONTDOORS MEDIA

A rizona’s unique aesthetic inspires creatives daily. Couture designer Galina Mihaleva, associate professor at Arizona State University, couples unconventional fabrics with traditional tailoring. A graduate of the National Academy of Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria, she has been creating custom-designed dresses since 2007. Her philosophy is to focus on slow fashion, a bespoke garment for each customer. “I like mixing traditional and innovative techniques,” Mihaleva said. “I create unique outfits that perfectly fit the body and its movements.” Local connoisseurs, including Billie Jo Herberger, Vicki Vaughn and Jordan Rose, acknowledge her talent by wearing Galina Couture gowns at galas and balls. While Mihaleva uses traditional and artistic apparel techniques to perfection, the future also offers a great source of inspiration for her designs. In 2011, the designer enhanced her knowledge in smart and innovative textiles by returning to the National Academy of Arts in Sofia to pursue a doctoral thesis. Today, her designs reflect her ongoing experimentation of versatile shape- shifting techniques on different materials and fabrics. Advances in technology allow the use of thermoplastics with origami and heat-setting Japanese Shibori techniques, hand-painted DuPont Tyvek fabric, 3D-printed textiles and felt laser cutting. In addition to “ I create unique outfits that perfectly fit the body and its movements.” FRONTDOORS MEDIA | 35 | FEBRUARY 2022 FRONTDOORS MEDIA | 35 | FEBRUARY 2022