Melancholy of a circle
"Melancholy of a Circle" is a fashion collection inspired by the philosophy of the Japanese concept of Wabi-Sabi and the symbolism of the circle as a geometric form, both in Japanese culture and internationally.
Category
Fashion Collection
Season
AW24
Style
Wabisabi
The collection’s name combines the translation of the term "Sabi" (さび), which refers to the melancholy felt by the modern person when observing the traces left by the passage of time on objects and life in general, with the "circle" as an artistic element—a symbol of the unity between man and nature and the cyclicality that inevitably affects all existence, whether it be objects or living beings.
Based on these two concepts, I set out to create a fashion collection composed of seven outfits that exemplify my own vision of the melancholy of time, with an emphasis on the idea of upcycling and the importance of circular economy in fashion. This is a slow-fashion collection, with pieces predominantly handmade, where fabric as a raw material is used in various creative ways to highlight the beauty of imperfections.
The collection also blends multiple textile manipulation techniques with hand painting and traditional Japanese stitching (sashiko embroidery and shibori painting techniques). These elements come together to create unique yet imperfect pieces, where each "mark" accumulated over time contributes to the narrative conveyed by the garment. I found a deep source of inspiration in the Wabi-Sabi philosophy, which describes the object as having its own entity, almost as if it possesses a soul. Through repeated use, respect for the possessions we have, and repairing them instead of discarding and replacing them, objects acquire layers of memories—layers that accumulate over time and form the object’s personality.
In conclusion, with the "Melancholy of a Circle" collection, I aimed to create garments with stories, objects that proudly bear the imperfections accumulated over time, where "tears," "stains," and "fadings" are elevated to the status of decorative elements, extending the life of the garment instead of ending it.
Look 1
For the first outfit, I chose to use small patches of fabric, leftover scraps from cutting the other outfits, in an effort to produce as little waste as possible and to fully utilize the materials. These fabric scraps were placed over a structure made of thick, rigid tulle, over which I added a layer of black cloth, trapping the fabric scraps in the middle. I then sewed parallel lines along the entire length of the pieces, with a distance of 1 cm between each line. After sewing, I notched each line and frayed the material, leaving one unfrayed line for each extracted material line. This technique created a layered pattern, with the initial transparency of the tulle as a base, followed by small irregular shapes with varying transparencies and colors, held together by unfinished vertical lines. Finally, I added a fourth layer, consisting of sashiko embroidery in the shippo-tsunagi pattern, aiming to strengthen the textile and provide additional support for the fabric scraps trapped between the layers. I also decorated each intersection of the embroidery circles with small metallic sequins, hand-stitched using French knots, a technique used in traditional hand embroidery. Additionally, for the first outfit, I used the nui shibori painting technique by gathering the fabric, followed by the manual application of white paint with a brush.
Look 2
For the second outfit, I used the itajime shibori dyeing technique, in which the fabric is folded like an accordion, first lengthwise and then widthwise, and then secured between two rectangular pieces of cardboard with elastic bands. After securing, I submerged the fabric in a mixture of water and bleach for about half an hour, achieving a geometric brick-like effect. After washing and drying the fabric, I added hand-painted gold lines. For the second outfit, I also applied sashiko hand embroidery, followed by pieces of frayed black knit, which I hand-stitched to the fabric. Regarding the dress worn under the short jacket in the second outfit, I used rectangular scraps of organza, layering 2-3 pieces randomly, then sewing them onto the dress with gold metallic thread. As with the first outfit, I decorated the center of each rectangle with metallic sequins.
Look 3
For the third outfit, I combined pieces of fabric with transparent materials like organza and chiffon, then applied hand-stitched vertical rows on the chest and sleeve areas. I also added frayed knit details to this outfit, with a small area on the shoulder decorated using the nui shibori technique.
Look 4
For the fourth outfit, I used a single fabric, basic suit wool, to which I added chiffon details, sashiko stitching, and various textile manipulations inspired by origami folds. Additionally, I decorated the outfit by attaching small sand beads in various shapes and combinations of gray shades.
Look 5
For the fifth outfit, I used the same itajime shibori dyeing technique as in the second outfit, adding a layer of nui shibori with white dye. Additionally, for this outfit, I incorporated leftover fabric scraps, securing them with sashiko embroidery. I also created a textile by stitching two layers of gauze together—one white and the other dyed gray—using an embroidery foot. After stitching, I decorated this fabric with French knots, a technique used in traditional hand embroidery, and the same sand beads used in the fourth outfit. This specially created fabric was used as an appliqué detail.
Look 6
The next outfit, number 6, originated from a piece created earlier during a first-year semester project focused on the concept of contrast. Since I chose a contrast of textures, I felt it aligned with the theme of my dissertation and could be included in this collection. To tie it in with the other outfits, I replaced the original collar of the jacket with a kimono-style collar, decorated with nui shibori and sashiko techniques. I also paired this jacket with a white tulle dress that I dyed using the classic tie-dye technique in shades of gray.
Look 7
For the final outfit, number 7, I applied a layer of nui shibori across the entire surface of the fabric, followed by the random stitching of wire circles. Next, I cut out the fabric from inside the circles and replaced it with pieces of large-mesh netting and fabric scraps to create areas of transparency. For this outfit, I also layered fabric and white acetate lining, sewed them together, and then cut out shapes resembling the nui shibori design. The look is completed with a jumpsuit made from elastic tulle, dyed using tie-dye techniques in shades of pink and gray, the same technique used on the dress worn under outfit 5.
