German fashion designer Melitta Baumeister believes in pushing the boundaries of traditional fashion design by challenging the very process of textile construction with a line of silicone molded garments.
For her 2013 Parsons graduation collection, Baumeister merged the worlds of fashion, sculpture and installation art into a science fiction film complete with futuristic spacesuit material. No longer exclusive to industrial and domestic products, Baumeister cast sewn pieces in one continuous layer of silicone, creating a rubberized, pliable fabric with bounce and structure. Rather than relying on patterns and cuts, shapes are predetermined by the molds into which they are cast.
Much like neoprene, the fabric’s thick and moldable nature naturally lends itself to the collection’s structured, oversized forms. The giant rubber overcoats and long white column dress are beautifully modern and simple, while remaining supple and wearable.
Photography by Paul Jung
For more information, visit www.melittabaumeister.com
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