From street dance roots to balls, a vibrant world of fashion, and chosen families – what began on the pavement has grown into a celebration of culture, marked by trophies and Motherhood, and sustained through documenting its history and the creation of safe, supportive spaces for those in need. Meet Roza Coco Lanvin also known as Roza Ahmad. A performer, artist and Ballroom photographer – but most of all she is known as The Nordic Mother of the international House of Xclusive Lanvin.
Roza Coco Lanvin also known as Roza Ahmad, you are a performer, an artist and Ballroom photographer. But most of all, you are known as The Nordic Mother of the international House of Xclusive Lanvin. Can you take us back – how did you discover Ballroom culture?
I found ballroom in 2010 through my mutual friends in the dance scene, here in Helsinki. Some of my friends were taking voguing classes and everyone kept on saying that I should attend one. At the time, I was very invested in Hip-Hop and other street styles. Couple of months later I was asked to be a part of a group called IVogueU, led by my Ballroom Mother, the Trailblazer of the Finnish Scene, Virpi Kurkihovi. Everything ballroom related was mostly happening in the dance classes back then, and I was fortunate enough to take those classes – from there on to evolve and find the meaning of Voguing and Ballroom.
You have won multiple Grand Prizes. Tell us about your categories and what's happening in your head when you walk in front of the judges?
I first started as a dancer, and voguing was my first way of being a part of Ballroom. I practiced and travelled a lot to make sure I have as much knowledge as possible to do what I was doing in the beginning. My first introduction to ballroom was posing, runway, and New Way. I have walked All American and a short phase of vogue fem (that didn’t last long, LOL) until I found my true passion – Old Way and Face with Performance. It took me a long time to fully understand the essence of Old Way and how to bring my style into it. Later on, 2018 to be exact, is when I started walking fashion categories.
Walking a ball takes a lot of preparation and mental work – people think it’s easy to walk in front of icons and legends, but it takes a lot of courage and preparation to do that. I still find It hard to channel confidence sometimes. No matter how many times I have walked, I still get nervous; I still panic around and talk too much – to a point where people literally tell me to shut up, LOL. But when I'm on that stage, something clicks in my head, and I can switch that feeling and focus on what I’m here to do – which nowadays is selling what I have on – when walking fashion categories.
Your outfits are gorgeous. What kind of relationship do you have with clothes and style? Inspirations? What is your everyday go-to fit?
I’ve been into fashion since a very young age. I always dressed myself – I was very demanding and always knew what I wanted to wear. I feel sorry for my parents; they had to deal with me and my obsessions from such a young age. I made them buy me the craziest dresses and the fanciest shoes – which I’d then wear outside to play. Who does that?!
My biggest inspiration as an 80s baby is, and will forever be, the 90s and 2000s Rap and R’n’B era – the golden era of Hip Hop. Growing up with MTV and music videos, that’s where we drew our inspiration from. We literally wanted to look like the video vixens and artists from those videos. I feel like that will always be my reference point, no matter what look I’m creating – whether it’s a Ballroom look or how I dress outside of Ballroom.
Also, knowing that Ballroom actually influenced a lot of those looks back in the day, and still, to this day, has one of the biggest influences on how celebrities and models look, feels really special to me. The fact that the community is such a creative driving force, shaping how we see and consume fashion in our everyday lives, makes me proud.
I always say this – me in the Ballroom and me outside Ballroom are two different people.
In Ballroom, I feel like I can be creative and more daring – I can bring to life the looks I’ve been dreaming about and showcase them in front of the world. Me not being a sample-size girlie obviously makes things a bit more challenging, but I wouldn’t be here doing what I’m doing without my designer, Joona Huotari. He has basically single-handedly created almost every look I’ve ever worn, always finding a way to execute my wildest ideas and generously sharing his resources. I owe him everything.
I also have an amazing group of people who help me a lot in the process of creating and styling these looks — both in and outside of my House. To name a few: Juho Pihlaoja, my Overall Father Icon Meechie Lanvin, Icon Derrick Lanvin, my daughter Sasha Lanvin, Charvinette aka Charlotta Vilamo, and Meri Milash. These are the people who have pushed me to be more creative, to think outside the box, to find the craziest pieces, and to offer their help when I’ve needed it most.
Then, me outside of Ballroom is giving relaxed, baggy, and masculine. I feel like there’s a beautiful balance between these two worlds, and I feel comfortable portraying these different energies. At the moment, I’m very into Japanese high-fashion brands. I love vintage and secondhand high-fashion accessories and have been collecting vintage sunglasses since I was a teenager. I have a huge obsession with jackets and shoes – but recently I’ve had to calm down a bit, since I don’t have space anymore, and I’ve been trying to give things away or sell them.
Take us through the process of creating a grand prize outfit for a ball.
It all starts with the Ball and the theme that the category is calling for. Doing research is actually the most time-consuming part of the whole process for me. It takes me a long time to decide what I actually want to give and what works for my body type. During the process, I always consult with my team to get a second and third opinion – and from there, the hunt begins.
Sourcing fabrics, shoes, eyewear, bags, and other accessories is a whole other challenge. I’m very picky and detail-oriented – I want the best of the best and will sacrifice a lot during this process. I won’t step on that floor if even the smallest detail isn’t well thought through.
My mentality is to create the winning look. Every. Single. Time. I’m very competitive, and I don’t like losing.
Like I said before, this is always a team effort, and I wouldn’t be here without them. Sometimes I do get lost or make poor decisions, but I’m very privileged to have these amazing people in my corner to help me out.
What is on your craving list at the moment?
I’m always on the hunt for things I could wear at Balls – I think it’s a never-ending story with me. I’m constantly buying things, you know, for those “just in case” situations, and that’s why my storage is looking a little crazy at the moment. I’m always craving vintage bags, eyewear, and jewelry. Right now, I’m really trying to find Yves Saint Laurent vintage costume jewelry. I’m also always on the lookout for pieces from Issey Miyake, Comme des Garçons, and Margiela.
You have been documenting balls since 2016. What kind of evolving have you noticed through these years?
I started documenting the European Ballroom scene in 2016 in Amsterdam. I noticed that there weren’t any Ballroom people documenting or taking pictures at the Balls, so I decided to try it out. I was an amateur photographer – self-taught – and honestly, I was just doing it for fun at first. But I became quite obsessed with it, and at one point, I even enjoyed it more than walking or competing. I was living in Amsterdam in 2017 when it really took off, and I had the opportunity to travel more and truly invest in it.
It makes me really happy to see so many Ballroom photographers and videographers in the scene now. Everyone brings their own style and flavor to it. I also think it’s still very important that we have people in these positions who are known and trusted within the community. As a photographer, I had to build that trust across different scenes in Europe. You have to be mindful about which pictures you put out and which ones are not meant for the public eye. You need to understand your position and what it is you’re actually doing. I always say that these pictures are not only mine, but also belong to the people I photograph.
You are part of the International House of Xclusive Lanvin. What does it mean to you to belong to the house and to be a Mother?
We decided last year to transition to the Xclusive House of Lanvin. I was a Ninja for 12 years before that. Starting this new journey with this house has been very rewarding – I’ve received tremendous support from my house members. Being part of one of the top leading houses in Ballroom, of course, creates a good kind of pressure to be excellent in everything we do, both in and outside of Ballroom, and I love how we go about things #xclusive.
I’ve found like-minded people and my tribe. I couldn’t be happier.
Stepping into motherhood in Ballroom has been very rewarding, but at the same time, incredibly demanding. Most people don’t really see what happens behind closed doors – the late-night calls, the constant support, the emotional labor. Depending on the day, you’re a social worker, a psychiatrist, a mediator, a friend, and a mother – so mentally, you have to be in a place where you have the resources to give and to be there for your family.
Being who I am, I take my role very seriously – and sometimes I have to remind myself to slow down, to let certain things unfold on their own, and to remember that there are also other important parts of my life that need my attention.
You are a founder of Elements Ball and Elements Radio at IDA Radio. Why are ballrooms needed in Helsinki?
I started organizing Balls right after I came back home from Amsterdam in 2018. In 2019, I hosted the first Elements Ballat at Putte’s Bar and Pizza. The purpose was to give people a space to walk and try out new categories – and to come together, build a sense of belonging, and strengthen the feeling of togetherness that I really wanted for the scene back then.
We started doing the radio show literally when COVID hit – it became our monthly escape from home and from being stuck while the world was shutting down around us. It gave us the chance to come together, talk about Ballroom and Kiki culture, while DJ Esgrove played the dopest tracks. We had amazing and truly inspiring guests on the show. Big thanks to everyone involved: Saban, DJ Esgrove, Anneli, and Glen.
Dozens of Balls and radio shows later, I can see that the work was worth it. We now have a new generation in the scene – people who are organizing, teaching, and doing things their own way, responding to what the community needs right now. I have to say, I’m really proud of the Finnish scene at the moment, everyone is doing an incredible job.
Ballroom is needed – and always has been!
Is there something ballroom community can do better in Finland?
I feel like the Finnish Ballroom community is doing the best it can with the resources available at the moment. We have multiple open-to-all sessions during the week, weekly classes, mini Balls, Kiki Balls, and major Balls. With proper funding and better access to resources, we could definitely do even more and make things more accessible for the community. The lack of funding makes things a bit challenging, and most of us are organizing and creating purely for the love of the culture.
One thing I would really love to do is put together an exhibition or a video documenting the history of Finnish Ballroom – how it started and where we are now. I feel like creating a documentary about the scene could really help move things forward for us as a community.
Best things at the moment?
My husband, my cat, my family, and my upcoming vacation in Asia.
Styling by Sasha LawadchuLocation R4