Inside the Outside | Marvielab
Mariavittoria Sargentini prepares her presentation, appending the new in’es’terno (translated: in’ex’terior) articles to the foundation of her collections with calculated precision. The offerings solemnly suspended in a series of flowing wave paths along the spine of an abstracted iron sculpture, which Sargentini had designed herself. It is an austere presentation that embodies the spirit of the designer and her work.
The exhibition unveiled her latest evolvement of the advancing research systems produced under the MarvieLab umbrella. Wherein the individual projects are a conscious departure from the systemic order of the fashion industry with a focus on manifesting her study of interaction between one’s own body shape and the articles themselves. Her goal is to create a personal habitat within the negative space proffered by the garments. The result of this process is a streamlined silhouette with a minimalist aesthetic.
With the introduction of in’es’terno, we see fully reversible jackets, offered in closed seam construction of distinct fabric and color combinations that grant the end user a vast array of unique representations. The fabrics range from substantial to airy. My personal favorite of the fabrics being a beautifully textured weighty wool/linen shell that molds to the body like clay. Here we see Mariavittoria’s very different philosophy expressed. Case in point: the new slim version of the S pants and jacket, which imprint the shape of the wearer’s body and capture wrinkles in the joint areas upon disrobing. The garment’s design is approached with careful consideration of the human form, which allows it to acquiesce to the individual’s anatomical realities and bend to the will of the wearer. The pieces effectively conform to the many facets of the wearer, such that it is no longer exclusive in identity, but subordinated to the nature of self that is the individual.
The concept of a contained environment is clearly seen in its practical application, when approaching the patterns of the J2 project from a 2 dimensional perspective. Here we see rectangular shapes of varying dimensions, conceived as containers for the human body. This idea of a garment perceived as a natural habitat for the body has been explored with great efficacy in the S+M+L system. Where volume is varied within the various components, allowing for ample options of indexed silhouettes within a rigidly regimented set of parameters that are dictated by the concept. Where again, the clothing is to be approached with the perspective of a flat form, which she refers to as “shapematerial”. This is in opposition to the common perception of clothing as a covering that merely frames the body. Her work is an exhaustive study of the interaction between the 2 and 3 dimensional perspectives: between “shape material” and anatomy. The body finds its mode of dressing and ultimately allows the articles to find its own personality, thus raising the garments relationship with the wearer to a new level.
Sargentini is one who is bringing design to a level that is truly ahead of her time. She challenges the status quo to analyze what fashion is and what it can be. Playfully expounding upon interplay between cohesive modular systems. Pioneering the notion of transseasonal collections and unrelenting in her pursuit to realize a concept many would deem over-thought, in a world that may find her refined work over-simplified. She is a designer of intellect who seeks to elevate clothing conceptually and in her pursuit to that end, has effectively managed to devise and develop her own canon of proportion. It is a rigorous undertaking with one simple goal in mind for the end user. Comfort.
See more pictures of the collection on the scoute.blog.
Written by David Choi
Photos courtesy of Karios and Marvielab