Melitta Baumeister / FW22 Collection

Who cares what I thought about when designing this collection. What and how can we talk about design in a world that turned so rapidly.

The collection has been created in an atmosphere of positivity and hope in mind as the pandemic seemed to slowly step back. It was about getting in contact again, about communicating with each other.

The pastels of mindfulness and healing of last season step aside and make space for bold colors. Like being hit by the sun after leaving the studio after an overnighter. An overwhelming feeling of accomplishment and overcoming.

The shapes want to take up more space than the body needs, they want to reach out, to catch attention to communicate without the need to say anything more than, we are back and happy to see you again.

It was created to be a celebration of shape, color and a new elegance. It represents our hopeful view of a positive future that we wish to contribute to.

In terms of aesthetics, I was fascinated with ceramics and the process of making vessels.

For a long time I used to be all about a hyperreal, not man made appearance of garments, dreaming of having them industrially made to a perfection like car parts. Which was an exciting idea for that time, but disconnected from the human touch.This approach has been softening over the seasons, moving closer to the human, inviting drapes and free forms.

In ceramics I found a middle ground, where a natural material can be shaped by hand, with use of very simple tools and skill into seemingly perfect shapes. I also love the need to respect the material and its limitations that co-design the outcome.

I’m not sure how a professional ceramicist experiences it, but for me it feels like a conversation or negotiation with the material. This process feels very similar to the work with the materials in the studio. Working with the plissé fabric for example requires a certain respect and acceptance from us to then end up with forms that areunexpected while feeling right. You can find these moments throughout the collection in different materials and details.

In the face of the current situation the garments play no role. As much as I would want them to contribute, they are only garments. Still they are made with idealism, focus and love for design at heart. Produced locally and ethically, with attention to quality, reducing waste and overproduction.

PHOTO CREDIT:
Michal Plata