ILONA
*Always The Bride
written + interview HANNAH ROSE PRENDERGAST
"In some way, I always knew," ILONA says of her call to fashion. Born in Paris and raised in LA, the odds were set. In 2022, she made it official, launching her label on home soil.
Each piece is handmade with love, guided by self-taught haute couture techniques and the meticulous instinct of a Virgo. After all, psychological armor is heavy; the wearer must feel unbridled, deranged, and somewhat aggressive.
In this spirit, ILONA’s second collection, Psychosis, recounts her time as a teenager in a psychiatric hospital. Rather than relying on the darker, more literal tones often tied to mental illness, she stains warm off-whites and soft pastels for a more poignant touch.
The mood exists somewhere between frayed cotton, silk linings, weathered lambskin, distressed tulle—and lots of sparkle. Ask Esther. Here, ILONA emerges from under her rock, roaming the streets of Carroll Avenue in her own creation—a pink and gold lamé bridal gown with Calais lace.
ILONA seen by Miriam Marlène
ILONA seen by Miriam Marlène
ILONA seen by Miriam Marlène
Hannah Rose Prendergast
AS OF LATE
Ilona
I’ve been in LA planning some exciting future projects and taking a small break since the release of my latest collection.
LA EXPORTS
I brought back Betty Crocker fudge brownies and a sunny attitude, both lacking in Paris.
SHUTTER MEMORY
I got my first film camera when I was 16. It was a manual Nikon FM2, and I wanted to figure out how to use it. I had a photography teacher in high school who was really influential and taught me the ins and outs of the darkroom. It helps me today because I still shoot film occasionally and sometimes incorporate it into my work.
PLAY BY EAR
Music inspires me during the design process and keeps me going during the sometimes tedious sewing stages. I also always listen to music during my cigarette breaks and come up with new ideas.
BERLIN BRAIN
I moved to Berlin when I was 20 and knew only one person there. On a gloomy winter day, I decided to study neuropsychology. It was an enriching experience for which I’m grateful. I love Berlin and cherish my time there.
ILONA seen by Miriam Marlène
“After all, psychological armor is heavy; the wearer must feel unbridled, deranged, and somewhat aggressive.”
Ilona speaks with Hannah Rose Prendergast
for LE MILE Issue 38 / Ephemeral Edition SS25
NOBLE CAUSE
In the past, I struggled with the idea of working in fashion, thinking it was a selfish or superficial profession that didn’t contribute much to the world. As I’ve grown older, I’ve realized that the creative process of making garments makes me happy. Some people resonate with the clothes, and I’m okay with it being my calling.
CASTELLUCCI’S PARSIFAL
It inspires me to this day. The colors, costumes, and set design are insane. Castellucci creates a world like no other.
DEADSTOCK VALUE
I’ll continue using deadstock fabrics, as there is way too much waste in the world. I can also source unique couture fabrics I don't believe are made anymore. I like the individuality they bring to the garments.
NEVER THE BRIDESMAID
Most of all, I love the couture looks that take weeks to make. I included some more ready-to-wear elements for my second collection, which I hadn’t done in the first. I wanted some garments to be wearable every day. But I’ll always include a bride because I love to do it and think it really ties a collection together.
THE GOOD NURSE
I included quite a few nurses who were definitely my saviors during that time, as well as my friends who stuck with me through that traumatic period. I usually name my garments after my friends and people I love.
LAMB OF GOD
I sent Brodie Kaman pictures of all my stuffed animals, and we decided the lamb made the most sense. There’s a stuffed bunny that I've had since I was born, which I also included in some of the imagery for the collection.
LIGHTEN UP
Now, people think goth has more colors..
HAPPY IS
Iced coffee, puppies, cake, books, palm trees, my family, and my friends
NEXT LEVEL
I’m in a transitional phase of my life, figuring out where I might relocate as I plot my next collection.
LIFE ADVICE
Be delusional.
ILONA seen by Miriam Marlène