Daria: Doina, tell us how was your first fashion month this year?

Doina: It was beautiful, but of course, as you know yourself, it's a bit tiring. I'm skipping New York this year. I'm trying to prepare for the new Fashion Weeks - spending a lot of time at home, eating green vegetables. I want to be healthy.

Daria: Yes, it's a good decision. What projects are waiting for you in London, Paris and Milan? How many shows are you going to attend?

Daria: To be honest, I'm trying to plan fewer shows this time around. Although you know there are so many good shows every day in Paris, it's going to be difficult. I just feel like I've reached a point in my career where I only want to go to shows of brands that I work with or have connections with. I don't want to go everywhere just to make a mark.

Daria: How do you prepare for fashion season? Share your fashion insider secrets.

Doina: I think the most important thing is to prepare your body. Especially at this time of year. You'd be surprised, but you can actually get very sick during the season. After all, you are outside from seven in the morning to the middle of the night, you are constantly socializing with people and you are always exposed to different viruses, bacteria and so on. It's usually very difficult to follow a proper diet, and sometimes you drink alcohol. Of course, my main advice is to prepare your immune system. Before the season I always try to take probiotics, sometimes I even eat garlic, although I don't like it very much. I take vitamins, drink a lot of water and try to monitor my health.

Daria: How many suitcases do you take with you?

Doina: I live in London so I don't have to worry about suitcases here, I'm only going to Milan and Paris. I usually travel business class and their 32kg luggage allowance is a lifesaver. I usually carry two suitcases. Of course, don't forget that when you go to Fashion Week - many brands provide you with their stuff, so I don't need to bring too many clothes. I usually bring just a base with me for three weeks.

Daria: What's one thing you don't love about Fashion Weeks? Is there anything that Fashion Week would be better without?

Doina: I think Fashion Week in general is a pretty heavy event. It's about the same as going to the red carpet of the Academy Awards or the Cannes Film Festival - the most beautiful women, successful men. You're constantly among very high level people and you often wonder, "Am I good enough to be here among them?" It's always a challenge for me. You have to keep reminding yourself - I'm here because I deserve it, I've worked hard for it, someone thinks I'm worthy of it. You definitely have to be prepared mentally. Other than that, I think Fashion Week is only getting more exciting - so many different brands are doing shows, inviting stars or models of age to walk the runway, finally designers are realizing how diverse beauty can be, it makes the shows much more interesting.

Daria: It's very exciting, I agree with you. But at the same time it's so tiring to get up early all the time, get little sleep and still stay on top of things and look good. Sometimes it takes a lot of time and energy.

I remember you from about 10 years ago, because we started around the same time. What do you think has changed in fashion in that time?

Doina: Fashion has become much more meaningful. As I said, Fashion Weeks have become much more diverse in terms of age, ethnicity, race and so on. Things have changed in relation to the digital world as well. When I started, brands didn't understand what it was at all. You could have millions of readers, but for a brand, your blog had to be real, printed. Now everything has changed so much! Many well-known magazines are only going digital. It's a really amazing time to be working in fashion. The industry is trying to keep up with technology and implement it. It's changing everything every day.

Daria: Yes, the digital revolution is probably the biggest revolution we could see in our lifetime. What can you say about the future of the industry over the next 5-10 years?

Doina: That's a good question, but it's a very difficult one to answer. Technology is changing very quickly, just like the world at large - on a social and political level. I definitely believe that in the coming years we will see a blossoming of ethical fashion, more brands will abandon fur and start using recycled materials. We will also definitely see a lot of technology in fashion - interesting programs to buy, measure, try things, cosmetics and so on. I also think designers will be moving away from the traditional show format. After all, now it's a huge mess - shows are held in different locations, at different times - some designers prefer to show collections during couture week, others - during men's week. Fashion weeks definitely need to change, but it's still unclear to me exactly how.

Daria: Do you think designers still need shows? Or would it be better if screenings were only done by big brands that can call up a lot of stars, and small brands should stay on social media? I remember ten years ago we couldn't even imagine a designer without a show, but now everything has changed.

Doina: Yes, I was just recently interviewed on this topic. If you think logically and take into account the economic situation, shows are not the best solution, especially for small brands, because they take a huge budget and they are not always effective. Nevertheless, I believe that today a show is more of a marketing event than a fashion event. 20 years ago, journalists went to shows to write about things and visitors went to shows to buy them. That's far from the case now - reporters know in advance what they're going to see on the runway. Now it's more about who the brand will invite, who it will dress, how much press will be at the event. In fact, often the sales of a collection are directly related to the kind of people who attended the show.

Daria: Do you remember the moment you decided to become a digital influencer?

Doina: No, to be honest. I don't think I ever had that moment at all. I was so far away from fashion and digital when I started. It was just a hobby to connect with the people around me and the world. It was only later that things started to evolve and grow, and now I'm more inspired by it than ever. I try to be more than just a fashion-influencer. To be honest, I don't like the word "Influencer" at all. I think everyone online is an Influencer to some extent - even if you have 5 subscribers, you're still influencing their lives in one way or another. I try to touch on social topics, psychology, write more about learning, because I think it's easy to get the younger generation interested in technology, something trendy, cool, cool, but at the same time you still need to learn and improve yourself all the time - that's what I try to explain in my blog. I still talk about fashion and beauty, but now I try to cover other topics as well.

Daria: Do you feel an even greater responsibility to your audience as it grows?

Doina: Yes, of course.

Daria: So you think about the fact that you have 300,000 subscribers and choose which topics to cover accordingly?

Doina: Yes, exactly. I especially think about it when I come back to Moldova. It's the smallest country in Europe after all - people know each other, they know who I am. There I am often invited on TV and asked what is going on in my career, about me personally and so on. At some point, I just realized that I had access to a huge platform like television, and along with saying where else I went and what I had for breakfast, I could deliver something really important.

Daria: Let's talk a little bit more about fashion. How do you put together your closet? Name 10 of your must-have items.

Doina: A basic white shirt. My favorite is from Asos. I bought it in a size too big for me, but I love the fit. I wear it all the time: both to the beach and under a suit. I think that a loose white shirt is always stylish and fashionable, moreover it can be combined with anything. Try to invest in black and white, jackets, black jeans - all things that you can then wear in completely different situations.

Daria: Yeah, I totally agree with you. And from the base, it's a white shirt, jeans, what else?

Doina: Classic jeans - say, light blue, preferably not too tight and not too loose, which will never go out of fashion. I definitely recommend having a pair of black loafers, because you can always wear them for an evening out or meeting. Also some comfortable pair of shoes, a well-fitted blazer - preferably a little longer than usual so that it can also be worn as a dress, and black pants - I think they can look very sexy with some silk shirt for the evening.

It's very simple, and I think everybody has these things, because you can combine them with everything.

Daria: Yes, that's true. Especially a white shirt - it should be in every girl's closet without exception.

Tell us about your favorite places in London? Where should a girl visiting London for the first time go?

Doina: A very good question that is still very difficult for me to answer. Even though London is very big, you still end up going to the same places. I would recommend visiting Soho, Notting Hill, Mayfair, Westminster - these are the kind of neighborhoods where you can always take beautiful photos and enjoy London. There are a huge number of unique restaurants in this city, like Sketch for example - it has a very beautiful interior. Don't forget to book it in advance, because one time I didn't, I went there for dinner and was told they had a reservation for a week in advance. Shoreditch is another lovely neighborhood. It's in the east of London and there are lots of interesting restaurants there. I always try to choose small and not chain. London is overflowing with places like that. Just walk more and you'll find the most amazing parts of the city.

Daria: Yes, it's true, London is very inspiring. And San Francisco, by the way, is also very diverse. It reminds me of London in some ways. There are so many different museums and restaurants! Once you get here, I'll show you around.

You probably spend a lot of time on the phone talking to your audience. How much time do you spend on it per day approximately?

Doina: I think about a minute every hour. That's if I'm not on the move or flying. Over the last year I've been trying to communicate more with my audience, respond to messages and comments. I want to know what my subscribers are doing, what they think about me and my work, so yes, I spend a lot of time online.

Daria: Do you think that time will increase?

Doina: Right now I'm trying to find a balance for myself, because I definitely shouldn't be spending so much time online. I think it's easier to structure my work and communicate with subscribers on a specific topic of interest under each post than it is to respond to individual comments, none of which are related to the other. Sure wish I had more time to devote to my real life.

Daria: Yes, given that real life is still offline whether we want it to be or not. What do you think your biggest accomplishments have been in the last 8-10 years?

Doina: I hate, to be honest, talking about myself and my accomplishments. It's a very difficult thing to do. I would say I'm proud to be from a country that is not really talked about or known much. At first, it was very difficult for me to convince PR agencies and brands to even talk to me, even though my audience has always been very international. Breaking that barrier and getting to the level I am at now is quite an achievement for me.

Daria: Yeah, I think it's really important to talk about that, because we're really from smaller or just lesser known countries in Europe and America. But we're here to change that.

You work with a lot of young designers, why do you feel it's your duty to support smaller brands?

Doina: I really think it's important. I often spend hours on Instagram to find brands I don't know, especially from Eastern Europe, because I really love their aesthetic. To be honest, I don't care at all if it's a big luxury brand or a small designer with 100 followers on Instagram. If I like what he does - I'm always happy to support.

Daria: Let's get to the topic of beauty. I've watched a few live shows where you've talked about it, and I was really interested. Tell me about your beauty routine and the main products you use.

Doina: I have a lot of them. I love La Mer serums and also Liz Earle products. The latter are from the natural care category, they don't use a lot of fancy ingredients - they're simple creams that really work. I really like to use traditional methods of care - in the morning I massage my face with ice cubes, because it refreshes my face, removes swelling and, as far as I know, fights wrinkle prevention, and if I have a pimple, I'll put a little toothpaste on it. All in all, very traditional methods. I like masks made of ordinary honey and eggs, coffee scrub. I think skincare is more about finding products that are right for you specifically, because we all have different skin.

Daria: Do you do your makeup every day?

Doina: No. I usually try not to use foundation, letting my skin breathe. I may put something on my eyes, but I don't touch my skin. Of course, if I realize that I'm going to be photographed, I can't go anywhere without foundation, all the camera flashes emphasize all the flaws, but still I use concealer more often. I think it's very unhealthy to wear full makeup, especially since I'm only 23 and I don't want to look older in the future and spoil my skin.

Daria: Exactly! I mean, you're only 23. To think what you've accomplished at such a young age.

Doina: Yeah, because I started when I was only 16. Sometimes it seems like so much time has passed.

Daria: Yeah, I know what you mean. However, I'm very glad I started early too, because now, at our age, we know exactly what we like and what we don't like.

Tell us how you spend your time outside of Fashion Weeks: how often do you travel, what do you do?

Doina: 80% of the time I am away from home. I've had it happen that I come home, drop one unpacked suitcase, pack another and leave. People often forget that fashion moves all the time. When Fashion Weeks are over, showrooms start, then different trips and festivals like Coachella. All the time there are different presentations happening all over the world, shoots, film festivals and so on. So once again I will say that taking care of your health is the most important thing in this profession.

Daria: I'm sure you have a very healthy diet. Tell us about your nutrition for the day.

Doina: I try, although sometimes I have the occasional burger. But right now, I'm really trying. I recently ordered some healthy powders on Amazon that have different seeds, herbs, and so on. I try to make drinks with them every morning, because they contain chlorella, spirulina - it's such a green boost if you don't eat a lot of green vegetables during the day. I really like protein foods - I eat a lot of eggs, meat and fish. I don't really like fatty meats like pork, so I don't eat it ever. When I was 16 I didn't eat meat at all - I didn't want it, my body just didn't accept it. Now I want it very much. I think it's very important to listen to your body. By the way, I really like to cook at home. In a restaurant, it's very difficult to keep track of how much salt goes into your plate, how much sugar, but at home I always control it.

Daria: So you cook at home a lot?

Doina: Yes, often, but usually it's something quite simple - baked vegetables, meat, salads, soups and so on.

Daria: Tell me what advice you can give to girls who want to work in fashion but haven't decided what they want to do yet.

Doina: I have many friends in Moldova who want to be models. I tell them, I'll tell you too, that it's very important to start Instagram. It's the most influential platform now, there you can meet scouts and other models who can help in the future. You never know what will happen. A friend of mine from Romania got into a L'Oréal commercial because she was found on Instagram. If you're a designer - write to people, exhibit your work, give it away, spread the word. You are your own best PR for yourself.

Daria: There are so many Influencers out there right now. How do you find your own style?

Doina: This is a very important question. Everyone has the same photos now - you end up not even realizing whose they are. I think first you have to look at what's already out there in the industry. There are a lot of accounts that only show fashion, but you show fashion architecture, for example. Do something unusual. I only subscribe to accounts that are different.

Daria: You recently relaunched your Youtube channel. How important is it for you to develop the channel?

Doina: It's one of the priorities for me right now. I hardly blog anymore, I became not interested in just writing texts. It's not for me, it's not for my character. I like to communicate with people through video. I think you can do so much more on Youtube - show the world in a different way. Photos can't convey the same feelings.

Daria: Yes, the language of video is much more important now. The younger generation is more interested in watching rather than reading. Moreover, you can be much more creative in video. Tell me, do you carry a camera with you? Do you take pictures of what happens to you throughout the day?

Doina: Yes, but the iPhone has such good quality now that I shoot everything on my phone. Interestingly enough, on my last channel I used to specifically shoot on camera, I bought a Go Pro, all the equipment, but I never had time to process it all afterwards. Now I've decided that I'm not going to look for and create any more reasons not to put up videos. I shoot everything on my phone and just use iMovie to process it - that's it live video. It takes an hour of time and there's no reason not to do it.

Daria: Yeah, it's amazing because 10 years ago I had 3 other people traveling with me with a huge camera to shoot interviews and now we do everything through our phone. Tell me, do you have any other projects in development?

Doina: There are a few business ideas, but they're not even in the pipeline yet. I'm at a point in my career now where I have a sense of where I'm going, but I want to give myself some time to grow up so I can do something bigger later.

Daria: Yeah, I understand, so I'm also giving myself time now to change my perception here in San Francisco. Need to take a little break from fashion. Although I think this season I will go to Paris for a couple of days to see how our showroom is doing.

Doina: Yeah, that's why my latest Instagram stories aren't really about fashion. Sometimes you just want to switch things up.

Daria: And how do you separate what to post to stories and what to feed?

Doina: Right now I'm clear on what I want to see both there and there. I try to keep my feed clean - only editorials, creative shoots, everything is very clear and well stylized. My Insta-stories, on the contrary, are absolutely natural - no filters, everything is very vivid. I often post articles about politics, technology, psychology, social topics and so on. I communicate with my audience there. I try to share these channels and I'm very grateful to Instagram for giving me this opportunity

Daria: Yes, because you still want to show the real you. My friend and I were just discussing this recently. How appropriate is it to show your real life on Instagram? You know, some parties, what you're doing at 4 in the morning if you're awake. Is that appropriate?

Doina: I think there's absolutely no problem with that. The thing is, I'm a very private person myself - I don't usually share my personal life. But if I wanted to, I don't think I would ever worry about whether it would be appropriate on social media. Insta-stories don't have a filter, they're real, and that's what people like.