The elegant road to success

During her inspirational trip around the world in 2008 and 2009, Bojana decided in Dubai to follow her dreams in fashion design, and in Peru she discovered an exceptionally high-quality fabric—alpaca. Today, the recognizable SENTALER coats combine refined elegance and luxurious fabric, and are conquering the world from her fashion salon in Toronto.

SAN: You studied at the Schulich School of Business, and you have built a career in fashion. How did it come to that, and who was the crucial influence?

Business and fashion go very well together. To make an entirely new, internationally recognizable fashion brand is probably only possible with a good combination of authentic fashion design and healthy business with, obviously, a lot of work and a bit of luck. From a very young age, I have cultivated a love for art and fashion, and drawing and design were always my hobby. I decided to study business since it went with my temperament and my need to work with people. After specializing in marketing and finance, I started working for one of the dominant international cosmetics companies. A desire for new experiences took me to Dubai in 2008, where I joined a girlfriend who was there working on the special editions of a British weekly publication about investment in the Middle East. That is where I met Karl Lagerfeld, the legendary fashion designer, whose work I greatly admire. That meeting and his advice gave me the courage to enter the world of fashion myself.

SAN: For SENTALER designs to be what they are today in Canadian and North American high fashion, it was necessary to develop an original style. Your search for inspiration took you to Europe, through Asia, all the way to South America where the vision for what is now your trademark was born. Why Peru, and why did the choice of fabric fall on alpaca?

After the world financial crisis hit Dubai, in 2009 I left for a trip through South America which ended in Lima, Peru. There I discovered alpaca, a refined lightweight fabric of luxurious shine and softness, which is durable and an excellent heat insulator. After researching that exceptional fabric, I designed some bright-coloured elegant coats for myself; the kind I had always dreamed of. I found excellent manufacturers, and I returned to Toronto from Peru with a collection of seven coats, which many friends and acquaintances immediately wanted to order for themselves. The story of SENTALER coats quickly spread, and that is how it all started.

The basis of my inspiration is femininity, which comes from the simple elegance characteristic of the ultimate examples of classic European design, and which can be seen on the streets of Europe. My travels through unusual and exclusive places in Asia, South and North America encouraged me to always add unique elements to my designs, which give my clients the feeling of exclusivity. Today, SENTALER is recognizable by its simple lines, luxurious details, and its sumptuously textured fabrics in a rich palette of colours. The ribbed sleeves and wrap coats with multifunctional hoods have become our trademark, as well as the luxurious, shiny, light and warm alpaca fabric.

SAN: Did the experience of working in marketing after graduation help you put your company on its feet in 2009, and help you head it successfully since then?

The experience that I got working in big companies helped me form a good basis for my business and develop all of its subsequent components, but the crucial factor was my openness to the world and to new ideas, the skill of recognizing opportunities that were opening up, and my sociability. Even though establishing a new brand meant countless sleepless nights, I followed my intuition, I was not scared of the unknown, and I never stopped believing in my vision.

SAN: So far, SENTALER designs have been exhibited to the Canadian public in magazines, television, as well as widely read newspapers such as The Globe and Mail. Recently, the “first lady” of Canada, Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau, has also been adding to that popularity. Who found whom—Did SENTALER reach out to her, or did Mrs. Trudeau find SENTALER?

We were connected by Jessica Mulroney, a friend of Mrs. Trudeau, who was well acquainted with our brand. In November 2015 while I was watching the inauguration ceremony of the new Canadian government, I was ecstatic to notice Sophie glowing in a white alpaca coat with the recognizable SENTALER ribbed sleeves. That event brought us a great deal of publicity in many media outlets, including The Huffington Post, The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, ET Canada, eTalk, Cityline, and many others, as well as the mention of the brand in Vogue and WWD (Women’s Wear Daily). Sophie Trudeau soon appeared in other SENTALER creations during her public appearances, including meeting the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

SAN: Your fashion salon SENTALER has been open for six years to those who enjoy shopping in a private and intimate setting. Who are your buyers and whom are SENTALER designs meant for? Are Serbian women among them?

SENTALER coats are meant for ladies who recognize quality and foster a love for elegant forms with luxurious details. The greatest reward and encouragement for what I do is the satisfaction on the faces of the buyers when they decide on their SENTALER coat in which I can see that they feel delighted and unique. SENTALER designs can be seen regularly at our public events, theatre performances, and concerts in Toronto. I am particularly honoured by the fact that our fellow Serbian-Torontonian women, who like elegant and modern dress, were among the first to love my brand, and the fact that I received great support from them at the beginning of my career. I am proud of the fact that today, my clients are women who live all over Canada, the U.S. and the whole world, thanks to online sales through our website.

SAN: Do you still personally create all your designs? Where does your inspiration come from, and is it difficult to put out a completely new and fresh collection every year?

Yes, with pleasure I create all my designs. I work with talented and experienced tailors in Peru, who transform my designs into quality products with final details done by hand. I look for and find inspiration on my travels, when I am relaxed and I see things in a different way. I follow fashion news, but I am not a fan of following trends at all costs. I strive for every design to have a reflection of femininity, and have in itself a nice combination of quality, comfort, class, elegance, and originality. Every season, I also strive to delight my clients with a fresh palette of colours.

SAN: You have already won over Canada. Are you working on winning over the world fashion scene?

Thank you. SENTALER designs have been on sale in Holt Renfrew locations across Canada for a few seasons already. This season, they will also be available at Hudson’s Bay in Toronto and Montreal, in Nordstrom in Vancouver, in Andrews stores in Toronto, and smaller boutiques around Canada. We are working on plans and strategies to expand to the American market, as well as in Europe, Asia, and Australia. For a few years already, our coats are being worn around the world thanks to online orders through our website.

SAN: What distinguishes the fall/winter 2016/2017 collection?

The new collection was inspired by nautical themes, so double-breasted coats with feminine silhouettes and accentuated waistlines. I used different shades of navy blue, since that sophisticated colour can replace everyday black. There are also tones of mulberry, olive green, denim, royal blue, and rose quartz, which is the main colour of 2016.

SAN: You were born in Belgrade, but you have lived in Toronto from an early age. What are your ties to the homeland? Do you think our women still dress with good taste and style like in the past?

I was born in Belgrade. We moved to Toronto when I was eight years old. Some beautiful memories connect me to Belgrade. It is a city I carry inside me and I will always return to. It makes me happy to see women on Belgrade streets dress elegantly and modern, and I respect that effort to look good in spite of the difficulties that people face there.

SAN: What do you do when you are not working? Where and with whom do you spend your free time, and what is your personal fashion style?

I spend every free moment with my husband and our three-year-old daughter, my favourite model, who wore some miniature versions of my designs from my collection with childlike grace. We love life in the city and its commotion. We spend time with friends and extended family. And there are always trips that serve as constant inspirations. This fall, we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of our second child. I strive to enjoy each unique phase in life, to find a balance between work and family, which is difficult but also boundlessly exciting.

My personal style can be described as “simply elegant.”