MANIFESTO_of creativemoulding+criticalweathering on MUUSE. Photoshoot w. Michael Butterfin + Mallory Matoush

Pictures of our latest photo-shoot are here!!!

Have you heard about MUUSE?

MUUSE is a really cool new platform for emerging designers. "It exists in order to bring better design to the world and help young fashion entrepreneurs launch collections, through bringing a new and more sustainable business model to the fashion industry." 

They sell limited edition pieces and it is all made to order. A very sustainable concept!

I've been trying to work with them since last fall, but timing just was not right... UNTIL NOW!

HOWEVER... I am super excited to announce that some pieces from my thesis collection "MANIFESTO_of_creativemoulding+criticalweathering" 

will be up for sale through MUUSE starting MARCH 7th (hopefully)!!!

My thesis collection is the one I showed at the 19th edition of MITTELMODA, in Italy last July.

Although I had some nice images from the runway + from a shoot with friend/amazing photographer Jordan Cortese... I did not have detailed images of each garment.

In a bit of a rush I was able to organize a photo shoot (with the help of Model Mayhem) and was super lucky to find a wonderful photographer and model. We planned everything in 3 days and had the shoot at my uncle's apartment in Brooklyn Heights.

Thanks:

-MODEL: Mallory Matoush

 for understanding our concept and being such a trooper. you are a true beauty!

-PHOTOGRAPHER: Michael Butterfin

for helping me organize this in such a short time, and being so passionate about everything you do!

-Hair/Makeup: HELP Ileana Goveo Balmaseda

hope you like the pictures as much as we do +
catch me on MUUSE on MARCH 7th!
xox

Mallory Matoush is wearing the "moss_formations_cutout_tunic"
made w. recycled cotton yarn (from T-shirt production waste ) hand-dyed w. vegetable (coffee +curry) and non-toxic dyes. embellished w. hand-embroidered French knots

Mallory Matoush is wearing the "moss_formations_dress"
made w. organic/recycled yarns, hand-dyed w. vegetable + non-toxic dyes

 

  

Mallory Matoush is wearing the"mossformations_HWskirt" made w. museling-free wool, 

hand-dyed w. low-impact/non-toxic GREENER Dyes® + vegetable dyes. 

embellished with hand-embroidered french knots. 

AND the "root-ed_2wayshrug"  made w. crocheted + felted 100% organic + recycled wool (from de-knitted sweaters).

Mallory Matoush is wearing the  "root-ed_2wayshrug" 

  made w. crocheted + felted 100% organic + recycled wool (from de-knitted sweaters).

 

Mallory Matoush is wearing the "root-ed_transformableshrug" made w. crocheted+felted 100% organic + recycled wool (from de-knitted sweaters).

Mallory Matoush is wearing the "birch-en_cuffedleggings" 

made from 100% recycled cotton (from T-shirt production waste). 

Mallory Matoush is wearing the "onesleeve_croptop" made w. 100% organic cotton and hand dyed w. low-impact/non-toxic GREENER Dyes®.

            

Mallory Matoush is wearing the "root-ed_dress" outer part made w. crocheted organic+recycled yarns (from de-knitted sweaters) base textile is an irregular rib knitted from dead-stock yarn.

 

new chapter + UPDATES!

Returning to New York has been -as always- a bit strange. 

In the past few years I've been spending some time in Europe, and the more time I spend there, the more It becomes a 3rd home (Puerto Rico my first, NYC my second, and Europe-mostly Italy- my third).

It is always bittersweet, as many of the great opportunities I've been given as an emerging designer have come from initiatives happening in the OLD CONTINENT:

Last year Mittelmoda in Italy, and The Ethical Fashion Show in Paris, and this year The Green Fashion Competition during Amsterdam Fashion Week. Not to mention our latest feature on Mellina+Co's spring look-book which we shot in Florence last month.

I have this never-ending argument with myself, as after graduation I didn't imagine myself being here in NY. I was/am relentlessly searching for opportunities abroad... and every time I go, I want to stay; but this time it was very, very different. 

I realized that although the European mindset is one that I appreciate, and that I admire their respect they have for a lot of things  (like arts+crafts/ personal+family time/quality of life/social programs)... it will take me twice as long to get things done there, to promote my in-the-works brand, and to excel. The fastness of this city is both what I love and hate, its what makes me want to be here and what makes me want to run away.

HOWEVER...Now that I've started building my company,  I think will be here for a bit longer and take advantage of the wonderfully supportive design community I'm part of, the endless and accessible resources and the flexible/versatile/varied- yet intense lifestyle you can have here. If I get tired a few months/years down the line I can always run to my other/adoptive homes in Europe or Puerto Rico for a bit (or a while)...

Anyway, following will be a set of blogposts updating you about the articles where my work has been mentioned, what I've been concocting lately and the very-exciting collaborations we've been a part of.  

Hope you enjoy reading:

xo 

zaida adriana

• The Knitwear Accessories I created with/for Auralis which were at MINTfair in Amsterdam and at CAPSULE NYC during their respective FashionWeeks
•  Zaida Adriana Goveo Balmaseda featured in Mellina+Co's Spring '12 lookbook
• My MANIFESTO_of creativemoulding+criticalweathering collection shot by Michael Butterfin + model Mallory Matoush for MUUSE
•  The KNITTING PARTY at Rosa Ng's (from Quality Control)
•  The photoshoot we just had for VNB Magazine's April issue where our clothes will be featured!!!
• The launch of my collection on MUUSE.com on March 7th!

The Green Fashion Competition: RUNWAY

Marijn, Mirte, Sagal runway ready! photo x Marco Turini

I am so excited to finally share with you the FINISHED product of what I've been working so hard on for the past 3+months!

 As you may know, I was chosen as one of 4 finalists for category 2 (young designers) of The Green Fashion Competition. There were 3 rounds of the competition and I am still so honored to have gotten all the way to the last one... and to have the amazing opportunity to show my collection [3looks] at the Grand Finale which took place this past Friday, Jan 27th, during Amsterdam Fashion Week!

TGFC has really been one of the greatest learning experiences. Although I did not win [the €15,000]:

• I had the chance to meet wonderful people [other young designers (like Carrie Parry, Narelle Dore, and OhMyBag), visionary makeup/hair artists, the incredibly helpful and encouraging AFW/TGFC staff (Martin van der Werff and Holly Syrett), the amazing choreographer Max Hitipeu, super fun video wizards Cezanne Noordhoek and Bas, my fantastic models who cared for the show just as much as I did (Marijn, Mirte and Sagal), and catching up with the wonderful Irene from EcoBloggerNL (who has been supporting us since the beginning of the competition)]
• Entering and being chosen for this competition gave me a lot of confidence. It allowed me to focus on taking my work/art to the next level, to think about how I can really have an impact on the things I care about by being more just an artist/designer...and being a young entrepreneur. I had to write a business plan, which forced me to really think about where I am right now,  where I want to go, and what I want to do with my work... It was a real challenge, and to be honest, I did not think I was ready for it/or good enough; BUT, this opportunity knocked on my door 3 times (first I was just surfing the web and bumped into it, then Sass Brown suggested I checked it out, and lastly- Holly Syrett, the project manager- saw my garments at the Ethical Fashion Show in Paris and reached out to me encouraging me to consider it), and I JUST felt it was RIGHT to take it!
• After the show, I was able to relax and catch up a bit with myself! I've received wonderful feedback and am so blown away by everyones support. Not to mention a the great honor of a beautifully written Eco Fashion Designer Overview on Sass Brown's website Eco Fashion Talk which was reposted by the Ethical Fashion Forum, another feature on Abigail Doan's Ecco*Eco ! and there are some other little projects sprouting like tomorrow's photoshoot collaboration with FIT in Florence friend Mellina+Co

I just have no words to express how grateful and happy I am right now... so I will just stop talking, and let you enjoy!

I would LOVE to have your comments/feedback!

p.s.: Photo credits to Peter Steigter

THE SHOW IS ON!

MARIJN opens the show!!! wearing the ALVEOLO_tunic/top (as top) [from deadstock wool.felted and embroidered, dyed with annatto, curry and turmeric] and TAFONI_cape/skirt (as skirt)[organic cotton  sateen(grown and woven in USA) naturally dyed and free-motion quilted with recycled PET batting+ COMPLETELY REVERSIBLE]

 

ALVEOLO_tunic/top closeup

TAFONI_cape/skirt detail + handspun scraps yarn as bracelet

MIRTE goes 2nd!... wearing our TAFONI_pants+TAFONI_jacket[organic cotton  sateen (grown and woven in USA) naturally dyed and free-motion quilted with recycled PET batting+COMPLETELY REVERSIBLE] and CEMENTATION_top[handknit from hand-spun recycled textile scraps from NYC, and LB®Undyed Organic Cotton Yarn. this top can be work upside down too!]

 TAFONI_jacket+CEMENTATION_top closeup

 TAFONI_pants closeup

SAGAL wears our 3rd and last look!...  our CEMENTATION_"dress"[handknit from hand-spun recycled textile scraps from NYC, and LB®Undyed Organic Cotton Yarn] I say "dress" because this one is transformable and can be worn a million ways! Here she is wearing THE WHOLE THING... This showpiece was knit from ~5.5lbs of fabric scraps. Good thing they did not end up in a landfill!

CEMENTATION_"dress" closeup!

 CEMENTATION_"dress" EVEN CLOSER

SURPRISE! MIRTE/SAGAL rocking it... transformation on the way!

CEMENTATION_"dress" turned into a sexy little number with a HOOD! SAGAL looked so HOT!

SAGAL, MIRTE +MARIJN walking their wonders!

SAGAL + CEMENTATION_dress closeup!

MIRTE takes TAFONI_jacket off + shows us it is reversible... PLUS we see how sexy the CEMENTATION_top can be! oooh the "cutouts"!

and... MARIN wears the bottom panel of CEMENTATION_dress that SAGAL was wearing AS A SCARF!

ALL IN FRONT of +150 people including Princess Maxima of the Neatherlands!

LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!

THANKS TO everyone that made this adventure ECO_FABULOUS!

mama.mimi.abuelo.ileana.omar.don.tiojorge.dorian.alida.brandon.jessica.daniela.leonardo.

wendy.sohee.mannyrico.auralis.tara.daniel.sassbrown.abigaildoan.owyn+textileartscenter.alina.pabloshablo.

hannaeke.borreakkersdijk.marcoturini.mariannagiustino.chunweiliau.samuelmoore.cristinalopez.peoplefromNHEC+++

andeveryoneELSEwhohasbeentherewithmesinceday1!

none of this would be possible without you