Talent definitely runs in the Matoshi family—Lirika Matoshi’s strawberry dress went viral this summer. The pink tulle dress with puffy sleeves and covered in red sequin strawberries, has inspired memes, tweets, and DIY versions. But while Lirika’s dress has gotten a lot of hype on social media, her sister, Teuta, is equally as talented.
The sisters come from Kosovo, a small nation in the central Balkans. Teuta launched her line in September 2007, which specialized in high-quality coats. And in the same night the collection debuted, it sold out. Now, she creates whimsical, girly gowns and dresses that feature embroidery and embellishments. Along with her sister, she has an atelier in New York City where she sells her gowns.
Her work is instantly recognizable as it has custom boning, colorful combinations of lace, tulle, and embellishment, and elegant corsets. She works with unconventional color combinations like pink, green, and blue.
Teuta now has over one million Instagram followers, but her journey to being a designer wasn’t easy. She’s one of nine children and she grew up in poverty. At an early age, she taught herself to create clothing from old garments she had. Throughout middle school and high school, she continued making clothes for her friends and family before attending a fashion design university in Kosovo and earning a Fashion Design degree. After graduating, she worked her way up before building her luxury brand.
Thirteen years later, she works with international clients and celebrities including Elle King and Alia Bhatt. Throughout it all, she still works with her sister Lirika, and her work looks like stunning pieces of art.
