Asnate Smeltere’s story reveals fashion not as a superficial trend, but as a subtle language in which the body, environment, time, and personality intertwine. Her life journey - from being a model at the Riga Model House to creating the iconic “Salon A” - is closely connected with Riga’s aesthetic identity and the history of Latvian fashion.
Smeltere emphasizes that a genuine sense of fashion does not depend on education or background - it lives in details, movement, a sense of color, and the “antennas” people use to perceive the nuances of the world. For her, fashion has always been a living process and a dialogue between people and their environment.
In her view, body language is especially important. A model “carries” not only the garment, but also its idea and energy. It is precisely through movement, posture, and presence that an image capable of captivating the viewer and photographer is born. This feeling is vividly documented in Ilga Sūna’s photographs, which capture the backstage world of the Riga Model House - its living emotions, fatigue, humor, and creativity-filled atmosphere.
The conversation also sheds light on the contradictions of the Soviet era. Smeltere acknowledges that “grayness” did not exist in people or fashion, but rather in the environment and psychological atmosphere. In creative circles - at the Academy of Art, the Film Studio, and the Model House - there was a powerful creative restlessness and a longing for beauty, freedom, and self-expression.
“Salon A” became a continuation of this creative impulse in her life - a place where Latvian craft traditions, tailoring expertise, and contemporary fashion met in a single space. Smeltere particularly wanted to combine traditional motifs with a modern silhouette, creating an elegant and living identity for Latvian fashion.
In her view, fashion is one of the most nuanced languages, because clothing can reveal a person’s character, sense of life, and relationship with the world.
The exhibition “Asnate Smeltere. Continuity” can be viewed at the Ola Foundation art and cultural space until July 4.
Source: Arterritory.com
Read the full article here: “Fashion. Circulation”
