One of the most prominent events on the Romanian fashion scene is the graduation show of the Fashion design department of the University of Art and Design, Cluj-Napoca. This year’s show was sharp and spectacular, spreading new directions in fashion design.

Despite the uniqueness of each collection, we can notice: an intense research for new fabrics and textures (from hand-made prints to organic textures, from using of ready-mades to digital prints), original concepts built around definite fashion characters (from ghetto-superstars to the next generation teenager, from contemporary Lolitas or ethnic divas to the urban intellectual nomad), the poetic and emotional traces imbued in the fashion discourse.

I’ve made a personal selection, picking the most relevant images from various collections.

For Andreea Castrase, the experience of the journey becomes a narrative process of one’s identity. Luggage is converted into memory boxes, completing the image of her fashion character.

Anca Belbe‘s Insectarium collection attempts a visual connection with the world of the insects. Using Shibori and mixed technique to cover the surfaces, the collection shows the aparent fragility of the ephemeridae, using spectacular volumes, new sillhouettes and hand paint.

Inspired by American Ghettos and the Sape movement, Ancuta Sarca re-treats the concept of Ghetto Superstar, using texture overlays, plastic fabrics, spiced up with a nice styling.

The character introduced by Alina Morar portrays the teenager of  the third millenium, trying to imagine how a school uniform would look like in 2013. This project recalls the experience of the young generation in the years of the communism, when children grew up carrying their house key around their neck.

Catalin Valean presents his Ecce Homo collection, exploring contemporary fashion between spirituality and neo-punk. Through white fabrics, unfinished edges and embroidery, he attempts a subtle connection with the complicated process of spiritual growth.

Taking inspiration from Romanian classic art, Flavia Daroczi‘s collection delivers a personal replica of The girl with the red shawl by Nicolae Grigorescu. Folding the red square in creative ways, she managed to design a fresh look suitable for a contemporary wardrobe.

I would also like to mention:

Magdalena Butnariu for her Rituals collection, accessorized with teeth, branches and fake hair meshes

Ana-Maria Gal for her original approach on folk costume and multiculturalism

Orban Fruzsina for her Circus Obscure collection

Sandra Selescu for her siamese twins costumes

The Fashion Design Graduation class of 2013 was coordinated by Lecturer PhD Elena Basso Stanescu and tutored by Lucian Broscatean.

Photos by Daniel Robu