We’re looking forward to introducing you to Olga Saretsky. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Olga, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Without a doubt, integrity. It has been the foundation of everything I’ve built.
In the early years of my career, when I was really struggling to pay my bills, I was constantly approached by people asking me to replicate other designers’ costumes. Some of the offers were very tempting—big budgets, quick turnarounds—but I always said no. Not just because I wouldn’t want someone to do that to me, but because I believe time is too precious to spend copying someone else’s vision. I wanted to find my own voice, even if it meant taking the harder path.
Looking back, I’m proud I stayed true to myself. Today, when people recognize my work, I can stand tall knowing that every creation came from my own imagination. None of my pieces are replicas—each one is unique, and they don’t even resemble each other. That’s the beauty of staying true to your artistic soul: your work becomes unmistakably yours.
Trends come and go, but integrity lasts forever.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! My name is Olga Saretsky, and I’m the founder of Kikimora Studio Living art shows and Kikimora fashion brand, a little dream factory based in sunny Miami. What do we do? Well—it’s hard to describe in just a few words, but imagine walking into a wedding, gala, or art event and suddenly seeing a glowing rose come to life, or a golden swan that moves with grace like a living statue. That’s Living Art, and it’s what we’re known for. I design couture costumes and choreograph performances that feel like a moment out of a dream.
Kikimora Fashion online brand provides custom costumes (jumpsuits/leotards) for dancers globally.
I began as a dancer, traveling the world, performing, and sewing costumes late at night with my own two hands. Over time, I realized that costume-making wasn’t just a skill—it was my sacred language. I believe my art is my prayer. When I create, I forget myself and allow something greater to move through me. Each piece is a small rebirth, a chance to become someone new, to bring something unseen into the world. One of my favorie quotes by Robert Bresson “Make visible what, without you, might perhaps never have been seen”
At Kikimora Studio, nothing is copied, and no two creations are alike. Every design has a soul. I strive for my work to feel honest, pure, and full of spirit. That integrity is what helped my brand grow—slowly, but in the right direction.
Right now, I’m working on a new collection of couture characters that feel like they’ve stepped out of another dimension—part goddess, part alien, all beauty and mystery. I’m also growing a licensing program so other artists can bring our Living Roses© to events across the world, with grace and purpose.
I feel grateful every day to do what I love and to serve something higher through beauty and wonder. It’s not just a job—it’s a calling.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
As a child—and honestly, even as a young adult—I believed that all the good and interesting ideas lived outside of me. I thought I had to go out into the big world to find them. I believed I needed to travel far, meet fascinating people, study hard, and stress constantly if I wanted to “become someone.”
And yes—traveling did open my heart. Meeting creative, like-minded people helped too. But with time, I discovered something much more important:
The thing I was chasing was never out there… it was always inside me.
I have it.
I’ve always had it.
My own dreamland. My own creative language. My own quiet, powerful voice.
Now, I don’t run after inspiration. I stay still and listen. I don’t compare myself to others at loud parties or get swept away by what other talented people are doing. I simply stay quiet and watch the mysteries unfold.
The creative process isn’t stressful anymore. It’s not about “trying hard” or proving anything. It’s about breathing… and allowing the universe to create through my heart, my hands, and my imagination. When I become one with that process, everything falls into place—more beautifully than I ever could have planned.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
My early childhood was very difficult. I went through physical and emotional abuse at the hands of my father—a man who, I later understood, was deeply wounded himself. He was also an artist. And in some strange way, that contrast—the beauty he could create and the pain he caused—shaped the way I see the world.
It took me many years to understand what happened. I searched for answers, dove deep into self-healing, and spent time in professional therapy. And through that process, I reached a place of peace.
I don’t try to forget, and I don’t try to forgive in the traditional sense. I’ve simply accepted that everything just is. I don’t carry anger. I don’t blame. I don’t live in the past. The pain is part of me, but it doesn’t define me.
In fact, I’m grateful.
I know that might sound strange, but I truly am. Those early experiences taught me to see the world differently—to feel more deeply, to understand others with compassion, and to seek beauty with urgency and honesty. The depth of my pain carved out a space inside me that now holds so much joy.
If I hadn’t gone through what I did, I wouldn’t be the artist I am today. I wouldn’t feel things the way I do. And I wouldn’t be able to connect with others through my work in such a raw and meaningful way.
So yes, those wounds were defining. But so was the healing. And I continue to walk that path every day—with grace, gratitude, and love.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
I protect women’s rights—especially the freedom for women to express themselves fully, in any way they choose.
Throughout my dance career, I was often labeled as “the cute girl who can dance.” It sounded like a compliment, but it always felt small. Narrow. Diminishing to my spirit.
Because I’m not just my body.
I’m not my face.
I’m not the costume I wear.
I’m not even the work I create.
I am freedom—the freedom to change, to grow, to speak, to stay quiet, to be strong, soft, wild, or still. I believe every woman—and every man—deserves that same freedom. No boxes. No labels. Just truth in motion.
In both art and life, I try to break the old stereotypes and create space for something more honest, more human, and more free. That’s a value I protect with my whole heart.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
Freedom from attachments and excitement for new discoveries.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kikimorastudio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kikimorastudioart/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kikimorainc?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kikimorastudio/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@KikimoraOlgaSaretsky
Image Credits
Dmitry Zhitov
Natasha Kertes
Ricardo Cornejo
