Who Is Nensi Dojaka, The Designer Everyone’s Talking About?

Nensi Dojaka was this year's winner of the prestigious LVMH Prize, a result not entirely surprising given that she's won over the red carpet and the fashion world with her barely-there designs that take spaghetti straps, sheer fabrics and strategic deconstruction to a whole new level of beauty. Rihanna has worn one of her very little black dresses, as has Hailey Bieber. And who did Law Roach, Zendaya's stylist, turn to when selecting a look for the actor to wear to the afterparty of the Dune premiere? Nensi, of course.

Other fans include Bella Hadid, Emma Corrin, Adwoa Aboah, Sophie Turner, Emily Ratajkowski and Camille Charrière. The asymmetric mini dress (like that seen on Bieber) even held its own with items from the much more established likes of Prada, Hermès and Gucci, making it onto the top 10 of The Lyst Index’s Hottest Women’s Products for Q1 in 2021.

‘Daring yet composed’ is how Dojaka describes her work. ‘It’s a juxtaposition of light, feminine fabrication against a more tailored look,’ she says. Indeed, Albanian-born, London-based designer Dojaka – who graduated from Central St Martins in 2019 and is part of the Fashion East line-up – has quickly established a signature look that thrives on contrast.

Sheer tops with skew-whiff straps, ruched dresses and lace-up tights exude soft power. They are strong, sensual and sexy in equal measure ('I want the women to feel confident and sexy,' she says. 'Having said that, I try to stay away from the clothes looking sexualised by deconstructing them a bit').

Now with proper back-in-the-wild freedom beckoning, Dojaka’s designs are set to feel even more relevant (what better time to take one of her LBDs for a spin?). ‘During lockdown, the need to go out and express yourself definitely grew,’ she says. ‘Looking and feeling good is essential to the confidence of a woman and, after the past year, they want that feeling again.’

nensidojaka.com