UNWEARABLES : Bea Szenfeld

The work of Bea Szenfeld highlights the conceptual and symbolic importance of Fashion Design. For the series of posts on UNWEARABLES, I researched Bea's process to better understand the statement she is making with her designs. You can see a compilation of some of this research below.

"Everything You Can Imagine is Real” exhibition by Bea. Szenfeld revolved around her collection “Haute Papier” 

About Bea Szenfeld:

'Swedish artist and fashion designer Bea Szenfeld is renowned for her critical observations of fashion from a consumerism perspective. In her artworks she replaces the textiles commonly used in haute couture with contrasting materials such as paper. Szenfeld draws her inspiration from the Italian art movement Arte Povera from the 1960s, during which artists and followers used everyday materials like earth, glass and wood for their artworks.' - Bikini Berlin

For Bea Szenfeld, working with paper is particularly fascinating as it can be moulded through numerous techniques, each of them specific to a precise cultural context and location. Different types of paper and production and folding techniques can, in a sense, be viewed as a cultural and temporal statement, adding a further dimension for the wearer. The Blogger Zine

Vouge says: 'How to place Szenfeld’s work on the art-fashion continuum? The artist says she’s not thinking about selling her garments as she makes them. Still, she’s cognizant of the fashion system and she finds alternative (i.e., off the catwalk) ways to present her “collections,” which have been bought by collectors and worn on the red carpet—by Björk, of course!—and in music videos. (Check out Lady Gaga’s “Guy.”) Recent projects include work for the Royal Swedish Ballet, and for the Eurovision Song Contest.'

'Pushing fashion to its most sculptural extremes, these utterly impractical yet visually gorgeous costumes seem to have popped out of some avant-garde fashion fantasy. With Szenfeld’s creations being truly at the forefront of contemporary fashion...' - Yatzer.com

Bea Szenfeld (via Scandiastyle)

Skandia Style  asks : Do you think it’s important for fashion to keep evolving? 

“It’s incredibly important that fashion evolves and renews itself. From finding new ways to wear clothes to discovering environmentally conscious materials, it’s something that can be used to develop and improve the self. It’s also important to consider the evolvement of fashion beyond economic terms. The fashion industry needs to shape up and get more involved in the manufacturing process. Humans, animals and the environment pay the high price for the cheap clothes in store. With that said there is also a great responsibility on us consumers buying the clothes. Our choice in the store greatly affects manufacturers.” - Beau Szenfield  ( full article here)

On Paper clothes: 

' The notion that paper can be turned into fashion, however, is nothing new. The process has been around for centuries and we have all certainly seen paper creations disguised as clothes. The novelty of Szenfeld’s creations lies in revealing the structure of the material rather than trying to make it into something it’s not.' - The Blogger Zine

'According to the designer, the texts she reads instigate a feeling which she then tries to mimic through her creations, awakening the mind to see shapes in unorthodox ways, inspiring, in turn, innovative creations and lines. While the inspirational process is somewhat guided by a gut feeling, the actual designing is particularly long and intricate. She keeps a silent dialogue with her material of choice – the paper speaks its own language and guides a process of interpretation and creation.' The Blogger Zine

Bea Szenfeld (via Scandiastyle)