EROSÃO: The Art of Sustainable Fashion and Environmental Consciousness

IN AN INCREASING TIGHTENING WORLD, WHERE WATER BECOMES AN UNPREDICTABLE PRECIOUS LIFE SOURCE, OUR
FOCUS IS SET ON CURRENT EVENTS AND HOW WE – AS INDIVIDUALS – CAN CONTRIBUTE TO A CHANGE. A LONG
AWAITED HALT AFTER THE CENTURY PANDEMIC DID NOT HAPPEN AFTER ALL, AND EVERYTHING CONTINUED IN A
FASTER PACE AS PRE PANDEMIC.
EVERY YEAR WE RECEIVE NEWS ON OUR DISPLAYS OF DEADLY HEATWAVES, SOIL THAT HAS DIED OF THIRST AND
DRIED OUT, HARVESTS ARE FAILING AND GROWING NEW SEEDS IS PROVING EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. ADDED TO THIS
ARE NATURAL DISASTERS SUCH AS TIDAL WAVES, EARTHQUAKES AND LANDSLIDES. FURTHERMORE CAME THE RIGHT
TIME TO HAVE VISITED THE EXHIBITION AT LONDON’S 180 STRAND “RICHARD MOSSE BROKEN SPECTRE EXHIBITION” IN
MARCH 2023 AND THE EXHIBITED PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAMION BERGER. SO IT WAS ONLY A COINCIDENCE THAT AT THE
SAME TIME I STUMBLED UPON A COMPLEX WORK BY THE BRAZILIAN COMPOSER HEITOR VILLA LOBOS, WHO HAD
DEALT WITH THE FORMATION OF THE AMAZON IN ONE OF HIS SYMPHONIC POEMS.
I’VE BEEN MORE INTERESTED IN THE DESTRUCTION RATHER THAN THE CONSONANCE, WHAT WAS ALREADY HERE:
BEAUTIFUL AND PURE. “AND THE FALLEN ANGEL IS OF COURSE MUCH MORE INTERESTING THAN THE ANGEL THAT
ALWAYS REMAINED AN ANGEL, BECAUSE IT DOESN’T EVEN MAKE A STORY,” AS HANNAH ARENDT PHRASES IT.

EROSÃO BRINGS THIS DISTINCTION INTO A CONTRASTING JUXTAPOSITION OF COLORS AND NON-COLORS, MOTION AND
OF STANDSTILL. THE MOVEMENT PLUGS AWAY FROM THE STANDSTILL OF THE PREVIOUS AUTUMN WINTER 2024
COLLECTION: ONLY THROUGH OUR ACTIVE LIFE CAN WE FIND REST AGAIN (VITA ACTIVA). THE MATERIALS ARE RICH
IN CONTRAST, FROM COATED DENIM TO TRANSLUCENT CRINOLINE, WHICH IS NOT LIGHT AND FRAGILE LIKE ORGANZA
BUT HARD AND DURABLE.

I SUGGEST SILHOUETTES AND SHAPES THAT ARE TAKING GLIMPSE AND NOTES FROM A CLASSIC MENS WARDROBE.
IN RECENT YEARS, I’VE BEEN DISSECTING THE MAKE AND BREAK OF A COAT AND A TAILORS JACKET, DRAFTING
LAPELS AND ARMHOLES TO COME UP WITH TECHNIQUES TO ALTER THE FIT. OVERSIZED JACKETS THAT HAVE A
SOFTER SHOULDER SHAPE ARE MIXED WITH HEAVILY OVERCUT SHOULDER PADS. I TRY TO LOOSEN UP AND SOFTEN
THE STRICT SHOULDER SHAPES THAT WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED SO OFTEN IN RECENT YEARS. AS A RESULT, MY LOVE
OF HORSEHAIR IS BECOMING LESS AND LESS IMPORTANT, ALTHOUGH I DO APPRECIATE THE CRAFTSMANSHIP THAT
GOES INTO A PERFECTLY FITTING EPAULETTE.
BLENDING GARMENTS THAT ARE WORN OVER AND UNDER EACH OTHER INTERPLAY WITH CRINOLINE OVER ROBUST
COATED DENIM, A TYPE OF DENIM I FIRST FELL IN LOVE WHILE STUDYING IN GERMANY AND DEVELOPED WITH OUR
DENIM PRODUCER IN TURKEY IN MATT AND SHINY, STRETCH AND NON STRETCH. LEATHER THAT IS NOT LEATHER AT
ALL, SILK THAT HAS LITTLE TO DO WITH A CATERPILLAR AND COLORS THAT ARE EVOCATIVE WITH 19TH CENTURY
PHOTOGRAPHS. THIS FITS VERY WELL WITH MY RITUAL OF TURNING UP THE MUSIC FROM THIS ERA IN FULL BLAST,
AT NIGHT, WHEN I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE COLLECTION IN MY STUDIO.
SOFT TOUCH JERSEY FROM A MANUFACTURER OUTSIDE FLORENCE, MADE OF 100 PERCENT COTTON, THAT TRAVELS
AROUND THE BODY IS GATHERED TIGHTLY TOGETHER AT THE SIDES OR SHOULDERS. SLITS UP THE THIGHS, PLEATED
SHOULDERS AND WAISTS, WITH CROSS OVER VENTS IN SKIRTS, COATS AND JACKETS, REMINISCENT TO THOSE I’VE
SEEN ALL MY LIFE IN THE CHURCHES I’VE VISITED.

“HE NEEDS A BOOT” WAS A SHOUT DURING ONE OF OUR FITTINGS, SO WE PROPOSED LEG WARMERS THAT ARE
COVERING THE SHOE UP TO THE KNEE IN ALL OUTERWEAR MATERIALS.
THERE ARE NOW TWO POSSIBILITIES TO CREATE A MAN WHO EITHER APPEARS TOUGH AND HEROIC, A TOTAL BUTCHER
TO JUDGE AND ACT LIKE THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD (I WAS BORN ON ST MICHAELS DAY), OR A VULNERABLE ANGELIC
FIGURE. I WILL ANALYSE AND EXPLORE THIS CYCLE IN MORE DETAIL. KEEPING ALL EMOTIONS AT LAST, WHATEVER
TIME MAY BRING, OF COURSE.