The Designer
Albina started sewing at the age of ten and never stopped. She has become a world-class designer by knowing and caring about every aspect of clothing from design concept through the final stitch. After years of perfecting her design and construction skills sewing for friends and family, Albina graduated from the prestigious Fashion Institute of Designs and Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles. At FIDM she was honored with the Los Angeles Times award for "Achievement in Design." She was then hired by Fifth Street Annex with stores in Eureka and Chico to be the lead designer for their chain of popular Northern California junior "ready to wear" stores.
Upon returning to Los Angeles, she began designing costumes for numerous bands, theatre and dance companies. Her career also expanded to include custom wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses, mens' suits and stage wear for various performers on the L.A. club and concert scene.
As her daughter's figure skating skills developed, Albina naturally became involved in designing skatewear. She has designed numerous one-of-a-kind showstopping competition costumes that have brought rave reviews from skaters, coaches, judges and fans. She has designed for USFSA Senior Nationals competitors and USFSA National Showcase gold medalists. She designed costumes for Nancy Kerrigan's nationally televised 2006 special, "Holiday On Ice: Under The Desert Sky."
A multitalented artist, Albina has also been a busy professional vocalist with over twenty years of experience on stage, as well as in films, TV and recordings. She is inspired by the individual skater as well as their program's music and choreography. Each piece of custom skatewear from Albina Designs is constructed with the special quality that comes only with a true love of the sport, a love reflected in Albina's costumes' strong presence on the ice.