A family law solicitor has turned away from her successful career to fulfil her fashion design dreams. Violetta Onishchenko, 34, (pictured above) studied textile design but, after a number of internships, took her father’s advice to study law.

She joined Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP as a paralegal. She was admitted to the roll in 2019 and worked with Anglo-Russian clients in family law. 

‘That was the part of law I liked, dealing with real people and going through matters that are most important to them, their finances, their homes, their children, and trying to help. That was what inspired me and moved me,’ she said.

After four years in law, starting a family, and the pandemic lockdowns, Onishchenko was ready for a new challenge. When she discovered macrame, a knotting design technique, she was inspired to try it herself and made her first macrame top in 2019.

‘The heart wants what it wants. I taught myself macrame on YouTube and started very slowly. I sold a couple of things and made a couple of things for colleagues too. I stopped after giving birth and became a full-time mum. It was only about a year ago that I started again.’

One of Onishchenko’s Instagram video showing her wearing one of her creations hit 16 million views. Her garments attracted the attention of others and led to a fashion show under VIITTA Fashion at London Fashion Week in 2022, a fashion show in Dubai for Emirates Fashion Week, and the opening of a pop-up store in Brick Lane, London.

‘What I do for work now, I used to do for leisure,' she said. 'There are lots of positives. I was this happy to go to work when I was a lawyer. I used to be so happy to get into work and meet my clients but this [fashion] has always been my dream.

‘Having the shop and being able to share and spread the word has been great. It is physically and emotionally exhausting, you’re on your feet all day in the shop and then you get home and there are mum duties but when you make a sale, it is amazing.’

 

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