Materia Bruta

is a Limited collection of garments from new and old biomaterials

Bacterial-dyed buryat modernised dress

Presenting a year-long collaboration with Anastasia Pistofidou (FabTextiles and FabLabBCN) and Jessica Dias (BioBabes) that was supported by Worth Partnership project. This garment was made from Bacterial-dyed linen using Shibori tie-dye technique. The design is inspired by our Buryat traditional costume «Degel». It directly relates to and nourish my explorations within the Traditional Futures brand. This brand is about modernisation of traditional costumes, and making them continue living, being worn and not end up behind the glass in museums. It is exciting to see how old things meet new things in harmony, I think its a right way to live. 

Algae-based vest Charcoal-dyed and reinforced with wool fibers.

I love the alien look of this material that asked for this specific design the moment I touched it. Very often I get inspiration from the material, the moment I feel it - I can see the ready garment. 
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Another piece that was produced during this project is Amadou fungi hat made by one of the last artisans in Transylvania. The design of this hat is inspired by Buryat traditional hat, I am very happy to be able to work with traditions that meet to create something new and let's hope it will help to prolong life of both disappearing traditions. This collaboration happened thanks to Anastasia Pistofidou's consultation when I was looking for a biomaterial for a hat. 
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It was a great year of work with Anastasia Pistofidou from @fabtextiles and Jessica Dias from @formalisedcuriosities that were developing all the materials in the lab of @fablabbcn. 

mycelium leather

Buryat Traditional costume modernised into a jacket from innovative Mycelium (micro-organisms) material made by Fungus Sapiens and short sleeves from Chinese Silk.

Model: Valeria Gelardi

Photography: Surzhana Radnaeva

Agar-agar-based bio sequins

Evening top from biodegradable sequins from Agar-Agar and Mica powder for the shine. It could be an alternative to plastic world of evening/night party garments.

Had an inspiring collaboration with Carolyn Raff who works on bio alternative of sequins.

Model: Valeria Gelardi

Photography: Surzhana Radnaeva

paper

Paper made from reclaimed linen sheets. Following the traditional technique of making paper from textile, it makes breakage-resistant material.

Fashion designer: Surzhana Radnaeva

Paper manufacturing: Moulin du Verger

Photography: Surzhana Radnaeva

Model: Valeria Gelardi