Stylist Viktorija Šaulytė-Mockė: After School, University Seemed Like a Foreign Country

Prominent stylist, actress, and social media influencer Viktorija Šaulytė-Mockė launched her career while still studying at the university. It was at Vytautas Magnus University (VMU), during her Creative Industries lectures, that she met her fellow student Joringis Šatas. Together, they founded the brand ŠaŠa and started developing their own creative projects. Viktorija says that the university became not just a source of knowledge but also a space where she could grow, expand her network, and try out various creative ideas.

No Plan B

Viktorija shares her experiences from school years, university studies, and how an unexpected twist can open doors to an entirely new stage of life.

“I was very active at school: I was a member of the organizing committee that arranged all school events. Also, I did ballroom dancing for 13 years. I always needed action, something to organize, something new”, Viktorija says. She had known since ninth grade that she wanted to become an actress and pursued this goal with determination. However, her application to acting studies after high school was not successful.

“There were a lot of tears when I saw that my name wasn’t on the list. It felt like my entire life had collapsed because I didn’t have a Plan B”, she recalls. In spite of the disappointment, Viktorija never stopped looking for other opportunities. She received an offer to study in Šiauliai, but decided to stay in Kaunas and take on a new challenge: study Creative Industries at VMU. “At that time, it was a new study programme, and I thought: I’ll try it out for a year, and if it doesn’t work out, I’ll apply for acting again next year”, she says.

However, once admitted, Viktorija completed her studies. “I listened to my heart: I had a feeling that VMU would bring something new. And it did. So many new people and opportunities emerged over those four years. Sometimes, one path not taken opens new paths, you just have to go and give it a try”, she notes, encouraging others not to be discouraged by setbacks. During that difficult time, her parents’ unconditional support was particularly helpful in allowing her to follow her heart.

A whole new world

When she entered the university, Viktorija felt as if she stepped into a whole new world: “After school, it seemed like a foreign country: so many people, so many opportunities to talk with professors and fellow students. It was a completely different world from the one I knew in school”.

While studying Creative Industries, Viktorija had the chance to attend various lectures on the event industry and engage in practical training that introduced her to real-life professional situations. Moreover, the programme also covered theatre and cinema industries, where students could make their own films, look for sponsors, and choose directors to guide them. “At first glance, it looked like there were a lot of fields, but everyone could pick the one they liked the most”, the stylist adds. These practical opportunities allowed her to meet many people and even get job and internship offers.

At the time, Viktorija and Joringis Šatas started working as stylists. “We had quite a few TV projects and personal consultations with clients, while photoshoots and filming became our daily routine”, she explains. Viktorija was noticed not only as a stylist, but also as an actress; this encouraged her to appear in a reality show, helping her gain visibility and launch her own projects.

Duet of Joringis Šatas and Viktorija Šaulytė-Mockė

Styling did not replace her old love for theatre. She attended theatre lectures of VMU teacher Goda Piktytė, participated in seminars and advanced courses. Today, Viktorija is an actress in a children’s theatre troupe and enjoys being able to balance different activities.

“Sometimes I wonder how my path would have turned out if I hadn’t enrolled at VMU. However, since theatre still found its way back, I believe that everything worked out as it was meant to”, she concludes.

As a student, Viktorija was also very active in university life. “I was a part of the Student Representative Council as the coordinator of the Culture Committee – this provided me with a lot of organizational experience and confidence, as well as experience in hosting events. I don’t know what would have happened if I had only attended lectures and had not taken on extracurricular activities. My enthusiasm allowed me to seize every opportunity”, VMU graduate points out.

Failure leads to new opportunities

Viktorija is certain that it is only through actively trying and exploring different fields can one truly understand what they really enjoy and where they want achieve self-fulfillment. “That’s just who I am: I need to act, discover, try out many new things, because I’m often bored and crave a new experience. And it’s not necessary for that thing to last a lifetime: maybe in ten years, I’ll want something completely different”, she says, sharing her most important advice: it’s crucial to listen to one’s heart and choose what feels right rather than what promises more money.

Viktorija’s life and work is full of colour

“Theatre may not be a highly paid profession, but if a well-paid job doesn’t fulfil your inner world, you won’t feel as free and you won’t be able to fully express yourself”, Viktorija notes, encouraging others to not be afraid of taking a different path if something is no longer enjoyable. “Naturally, if you don’t get into the programme you wanted, it’s normal to break down. At that moment, it feels like all doors are closing, almost like it’s the end of the world”, she admits, but also emphasizes that such setbacks can be beneficial: they allow one to take a breath, stand up, and seek new opportunities.

“Now, looking back, I think: God, I was only nineteen, a girl standing there who had no idea what awaited her”, she acknowledges, expressing pride in her courage and determination despite all the challenges. “It definitely wasn’t as though everyone welcomed me with open arms wherever I went. No, I was told “No” so many times”, Viktorija reveals, adding that the like-minded people she met in auditions and entrance exams inspired her and opened new opportunities.