Interview with Stephania Vuckovic

Margie Meng: Today on the set of Margie's Gorean Corner, we have the owner and designer of Ania's Arsenal, Lady Stephania Vuckovic. Thank you for joining us this morning, it is an honor to have you here.
Stephania Vuckovic smiles: a pleasure

Margie Meng: Do you remember how you discovered sl and why you decided to stay?
Stephania Vuckovic nods: a RL friend of mine got me started, her Brother had been playing a while and one of the big named Land Barons... well I came in to check it out and they're still in SL and I keep coming back for some odd reason still unknown to me...

Margie Meng chuckles "How long have you been involved in the sl Gorean community? Also please give us a bit of background on your sl Gor experience and story"
Stephania Vuckovic: well my very first SL partner was a Gorean Scribe from Tampica SIM... he's the one that got me started in reading the books while we were SL dating, he took me around traveling as a free dancing girl, he would talk to some of the tavern keepers to see if I could dance in the taverns for coins... some SIMs were all for it while others were totally against it, after 3 months of this traveling and experiencing, I think 20 Gorean sims, we companioned... 2 weeks after that he passed in RL and I guess I see SL Gor as part of my connection to his memory for it was something he and I enjoyed doing together.
Stephania Vuckovic: so that will be 3 years come March
Margie Meng: I am very sorry for your loss, I too lost someone dear to me in the Gorean community, and their loss definately played a factor in me staying. I think a lot of my readers can relate to this on some level. It being sl does not make the loss any less.

Margie Meng looks to her notes for the next question "What got you interested in fashion in sl?"
Stephania Vuckovic: honestly... when I was doing the traveling around with him it was hard to find something that I liked to wear in Gor... the only things I had to pick from than was the victorian gowns with the veil or this short camisk that showed all my goods.... Sandor wanted me as a Free Woman but not a high caste, so the first thing I ever made was a sleeveless dress that the skirt came to my knees... and with each role I involved in I made my own outfit for... til one day Jeanie Ashby and I started talking she had some land from her brother and than we just opened a store.... and it's grown sense then

Margie Meng: What is the main inspiration for the collect? Is there a certain time period or region on Earth or Gor that you draw on? Is there a certain caste you tend to lean to?



Stephania Vuckovic: Low Caste, is who I love to design from... the time frame depends on what region of Gor I'm in Ar was the mix of muslim and roman.... torvaldsland came from the vikings, well the romanticized vikings sense Norman wrote some had horns on their helms *laughs* ok I have a scribe that will kiss me when she reads this... Torvaldslanders are not the same as vikings... Torvaldslanders had horns on their helms and True Vikings didn't..... I love nomads of Gor I was corrupted dearly by a Tuchuk... who has been the little devil on my shoulder at times when it comes to design ideas... throwing me book quotes or found something on the web sending me a photo of and asking "can you do something like this?"

Margie Meng laughs as she looks again at her notepad "Which is your favorite outfit and why?"
Stephania Vuckovic: My favorate of all of them?... I have a hard time picking between Planswoman a very classic Mongal Designed Leather Dress shortened to keep from getting dirty with baggy trouses tucked into boots again to keep from getting dirty or snagging... And Peasant woman... I love the shorter skirting, sacked dress... it just makes me feel like I'm poor and common
Margie Meng: Planswoman is definately my favorite, you can see it in the back up on the wall. I loved the detail, and the use of color and light.

Margie Meng: What goes into making one of these outfits?
Stephania Vuckovic: hmmmm depends... sometimes I can make an oufit within an hour or it could take me a month to make one.... it depends on insparation and or if I have extra help from my toddlers

Margie Meng laughs "You were the first to my knowlege to take advantage of the scuptie technology and create the very first realistic robe of concealment. To this day it is my absolute favorite robe of concealment. What caused you to push ahead and create this dress?"
Stephania Vuckovic: Honestly... the robes of concealment insparation came from anger... I was RPing around as a peddler girl with a basket jams and other goods going around trying to sell these out of my basket... I had one man tell me because I was barefooted and my skirt was to my calf that I was begging for a collar and was unrespectable.... his free companion comes up to me and OOCly starts getting into my IM's about I needed to dress Gorean... this was a woman with a victorian gown, sheer top that her boobs could be seen and sheer veil..... I was sooo pissed after that RP that I locked myself on my platform for 2 days and looking up muslim robes and outfits.... and had it in my head I would put out something beautiful and show this witch up.... and you know what even though I was angry with her.... I have to thank her for being a complete jerk in my IM's or else I wouldn't have came up with the inspiration
Margie Meng grins "Even though I'm not happy that woman was rude to you (and a bit ignorant if you ask me), I am glad that it inspired you. I believe that you did a wonderful job"
Stephania Vuckovic: to be honest... it will always happen... people are going to form their own view on what is Gorean and what is not... and we all read the same passage and more likely we'll all see something different from that.

Margie Meng: What should we be looking for in the future?
Stephania Vuckovic: I'm working on the Boot like Sandles discribed that many of the men and some of the free women wear.... I've been doing research on roman foot wear to get a better view and idea at what was ment by boot-like sandals. And of course more low caste wear... from poor poor to middle class Gor
Stephania Vuckovic: I think the Market has been flooded with the rich upper caste clothing... I think I would like to make a move to bring more of the common Gorean unto the light.
Margie Meng: I most definitely will encourage you in this endeavor, because I have no problem finding clothes, but many of my lower caste friends do have a difficult time.

Margie Meng: What is the most difficult part of your job?
Stephania Vuckovic smiles and shakes her head: honestly is being a perfectionist.... I have about 100 or more outfits I have never released over the years due to I just thought I could do better, go back to them later and never have because my inventory is so disorganized and I forget what I have

Margie Meng nods "What is your favorite part of your job?"
Stephania Vuckovic: I love it when I see someone wearing one of my designs and she or he looks just fantastic and with a low rendering costMargie Meng: Oh that is definitely one of my favorite parts of you designs they are very affordable.


Margie Meng smiles "Well it seems you have made it through your first interview. Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions, and thank you for your contribution to the sl Gorean fashion Commmunity!"
Stephania Vuckovic smiles: thank you kindly... I'm truly honored for you taking time and notice of my little shop

After Thought:
What I enjoy most about Lady Ania is her ability to recognize the intricate caste system of Gor. She gives women who dare to play the roles that many of us shy away, authentic costumes. Even though she specializes in Lower caste FW outfits, she has made my all time favorite upper caste robe of concealment. Lady Ania's talents are vast and diverse ranging from upper and lower caste women's outfits to shoes to furniture to FMs clothes. She is the first person I IM when I am thinking of an outfit from the books and wondering if she has any ideas on the construction...most likely she already has made it, and just wasn't happy with it so it hasn't been released yet. She is an all around designer that I respect a great deal.

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