Katya Leonovich first rose to prominence in 1997 when Ellio Fiorucci created her first fashion show in Milan. Praised for her inventive concepts and silhouettes, Fiorucci strongly encouraged the designer to enter the Smirnoff Competition, where she was declared winner. Soon after, Leonovich was also presented with the Mittelmoda Fashion Award for ‘Best Designer.’
Throughout the mid 90’s, Leonovich created the famous, provocative“Alive Dress” for Madonna along with various exclusive one-of-a-kind pieces during her tenure in the Gattinoni fashion house in Rome.
In 1999, Katya Leonovich’s couture collection debuted during Paris Fashion Week. Katya then began exploring and creating constructive methods of using fur in her new collections, and was awarded her diploma from the Saga Furs International Design Centre for intricate techniques and product development specialties. In 2000, Katya was awarded the “fashion designer of the year” award in Russia.
Leonovich has since shown four consecutive shows in Paris, and a total of seven collections
at Lincoln Center during New York Fashion Week.
In September of 2015, Katya Leonovich returned with the debut of her Spring/Summer 2016 collection “Bisected Beauty” which showcased a new direction for the designer, where she would begin to incorporate her extraordinary artistic capabilities into her fashion collections.
As an art influencer and world-influenced creative, Leonovich’s training and primary influence developed during her time in Rome, Italy where she trained professionally with restorers of Guardi and Conoletto. Leonovich showed her first presentation in Rome, and later in Cannes at the International Contemporary exhibition. Shortly after, she collaborated with Italian architect Paulo Raeli for the project “Roman Piazzas.”
In 1995 she displayed at the Line Art in Belgium at the International Art Fair where she received major recognition for her ‘out of the box’ techniques.
In 2008 Leonovich received distinct accolades and appreciation for her ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ exhibit with the Monkdogz Gallery.
In 2015, Katya Leonovich exhibited exclusively through the Emmanuel Fremin Gallery, known as one of the most influential in New York City displaying the works of top celebrities including Julian Lennon and Moby.
In June 2016 artist exhibited in the air fair Art Hamptons and in September in Affordable Art Fair NYC.
Leonovich describes her artwork as being “the antidote of the casualty of existence.” Her ideals for her acrylic on canvas creations are to break society’s expectations and divert from traditional expressions. Leonovich’s new concept for combining the works of art and fashion relates to her concept of creating what she refers to as “moving art”, which to Leonovich refers to complete freedom and expression. “I want to develop another type of beauty, one that allows the wearer to not only bring concepts to life, but also deliver a strong message to the world”.
Katya Leonovich currently resides in New York City, where she spends much of her time painting and designing, always looking ahead for the next wild inspiration that moves her to create and manipulate the majority’s point of view.