Renowned TV presenter, a lady with style and inspiration for many, Irena Spirovska in an exclusive interview for Fashionel.
We spoke to her about what success looks like through her eyes, what it means to stay true to yourself, and why a natural look is always the right choice for her. We paid special attention to her fashion choices and found out how her 20-year collaboration with the established fashion brand works. ELENA LUKA.
Read what a powerful message the lady who constantly promotes authenticity and feminine strength in her daily work has to send on the occasion of March 8th.
For several decades now, you have been one of the most recognizable TV personalities in Macedonia, radiating grace and positive energy. What is your recipe for success that allows you to constantly be relevant and interesting to the audience?
-First of all, thank you for the compliment. I believe that the recipe for success is, above all, to love what we do, to be dedicated to our work, and to have a professional approach and attitude towards the profession we have chosen.
You've worked on a variety of shows, from music and entertainment to morning and family. Which format do you find yourself most comfortable in and why?
-I would say that every show, project, event, television engagement has its own beauty and is a special challenge in itself, so from here I would conclude that I actually find myself in the profession itself, and not in a specific format.
You have been part of Alfa Television for many years. What is your greatest professional satisfaction in working there?
-Challenges have been present throughout the years...
If you had to name one project you are most proud of having completed, what would it be and why?
-Over the years, I have had the opportunity to participate in many projects, a large number of shows, music festivals and various events, but definitely the dearest and most significant project for me is the music show ONE KISS, which was dedicated to Macedonian entertainment evergreens. I hosted the show together with actor Igor Angelov, which was a different experience for me because the song introductions were actually a kind of actor's dialogues, and I believe that the entire format of the show and its production made a huge contribution to the return to the stage of the unjustly forgotten evergreen melodies from the sixties, seventies, eighties and nineties of the last century. The musical arrangements for the show were made by Blagoj Marotov, and the old songs were given a new shine in this music show by Nade Talevska, Andrijana Janevska, Sanja Levkova, Elena Petreska, Goran Naumovski, Joce Panov, Gjorgji Krstevski. Of course, all those behind the cameras, the director, and the editorial team that prepared the show were also of great importance.
You are also a host at numerous festivals throughout our country. What is it like preparing for such events, and what do you like most about this format of hosting?
-For me, music festivals represent a particularly beautiful and inspiring format for work for several reasons, primarily because of the solemnity of such musical events and the opportunity to be on a big stage, to speak in front of an audience that is present here in the hall… The festival stage is a place where a solemn and glamorous appearance of the hosts is mandatory, and among other things, that is why they are my favorite places to work. In addition to preparing the text and script, serious preparation for the stage performance and appearance is also required, which makes this entire work process exciting, starting from the preparations themselves and culminating with the live performance on the festival stage and the live television broadcast of the event. Each festival is a special experience… Folk Fest Valandovo, Ohrid Fest-Ohrid Troubadours, Folk Fest Rosa, Lesoch Folk Fest, Festival of Wind Orchestras Pehchevo, the former Cvetnitsi festival, Tetovo Festival, Folk Hit of the Year, etc.
You are known for your impeccable style. How did your collaboration with the fashion brand ELENA LUKA begin?
-I have been collaborating with the fashion brand ELENA LUKA for 20 years and I am very happy about this collaboration, which first began at several fashion shows where I had the privilege and pleasure of wearing models from ELENA LUKA, and later the collaboration continued for TV projects and festivals. ELENA LUKA has always been a harbinger of high fashion, glamour and elegance on the domestic fashion scene, and over the years it has grown and established itself as a leading regional fashion brand. For me as a TV personality, this collaboration is of exceptional importance because ELENA LUKA always knows how to best respond to the needs and aesthetic criteria of various projects. Apart from that, I would like to express special respect for Elena Pandeva as a person, above all because of her humanity and humanity that I have had the opportunity to see many times through the process of our cooperation and communication. On several occasions, I have witnessed her selfless and unreserved support for humanitarian projects, and among the most recent examples is the support she gave to the dancers from the EUREKA dance studio on the occasion of their participation in the Special Olympics in Dance, which is taking place this month in Turin, an occasion for which ELENA LUKA made special creations in which our representatives will perform at this important event, representing Macedonia.
What attracts you most about ELENA LUKA's creations and how do you feel wearing them?
-ELENA LUKA's creations captivate with the refinement of the materials, workmanship, design and perfectly emphasize the female figure. Every time I wear a creation with the signature of ELENA LUKA, I feel feminine, confident and attractive. The elegance and glamorous look of the models from the ELENA LUKA brand create a sense of uniqueness.
How much does fashion and stage appearance influence creating an impression of a host?
-It is clear that for the impression that TV hosts and presenters leave on viewers, in addition to beautiful speech, eloquence and diction, it is very important to maintain a certain aesthetics, but also a culture of behavior and dressing. There should be a balance between all these things for the impression to be complete. In that regard, of course, the choice of wardrobe for stage performances is also very important, but also the way in which we wear it.
Do you have a favorite ELENA LUKA creation that you've worn for a special occasion?
-Each creation by ELENA LUKA is a story in itself, it's really difficult to single out a favorite model because I'm in love with literally every creation I've worn from this fashion brand of ours.
How do you experience March 8th – as a day of celebration, a reminder of the state of women's rights in the society we live in, or something else?
-I experience the holiday as a reminder that women should be given attention and respect every day. We should be aware of the importance and role that women have in society, the home, the family and the wider environment... Every woman is special and unique in her own way, every woman deserves to be respected and loved, and only if we respect these values in women will we be able to improve society and the treatment of women.
What does it mean to you to be a successful and influential woman in Macedonian media?
-I have never experienced success as an imperative, nor have I burdened myself with it. For me, the most important thing is to remain true to myself and my beliefs, to give my best and to enjoy what I do. In terms of the influence we have as media personalities, I am happy that I can give the younger generations an example of natural aging, without Botox, silicones and aesthetic corrections. A balanced diet, regular physical activity, proper care of the body and mind are what we should be directing our younger generation towards...
Which women throughout history or in your environment have inspired you the most?
-I have always found inspiration in real characters from my immediate environment, women who are active, brave, creative, and who selflessly know how to share their skills with others. Feminine energy can be very powerful, especially if women help and support each other.
How is the role of women in the media changing today, in your opinion?
-I would say that women have always had the primacy in the media, most likely because of the feminine beauty they possess. Nowadays, in addition to the media, women are increasingly represented in various management positions in the media sphere, which is a confirmation of the managerial and leadership qualities of women. I believe that women are increasingly becoming aware of the role they have, of the potential they possess and that they can contribute a lot in every sphere of social life.
What advice would you give to young girls who want to build a career as a TV journalist or presenter?
-To be yourself, authentic, natural and spontaneous. To be diligent and persistent, the results will come by themselves...
What message would you send to all the women who struggle to balance family and career and who feel that they are still not an equal part of the society we live in?
-Every woman faces numerous challenges of various types throughout her life. Although we are the weaker sex, I believe that we women are exceptionally strong and persistent, we know how to deal with life's challenges, we have the power to hide sadness behind a smile and we know how to fight for those we love.
Women should believe in themselves, in their intuition, and always step bravely towards realizing their dreams.
Bojana Stevcheska
English 
Macedonian