Creating art from everyday objects and garments, Azul explores themes of identity, cultural struggle, and the beauty of transformation. Drawing from personal experiences of cultural opposition and tension, Azul’s work reflects the complexities of navigating identity and societal expectations. Inspired by the fluidity of movement and growth, Azul’s sculptures and fashion pieces embody change and evolution, inviting viewers to contemplate self-discovery through wear. Through upcycling and repurposing materials, Azul challenges traditional notions of luxury and sustainability, sparking conversations about our relationship with the environment.
collection introduction
project statement
clean moodboard
dirty moldboard
fabrics included
surface manipulation research
line up and color story
garment development - looks 1&2
garment development looks 3&4
garment development look 5
Clean Is Dirty|Dirty Is Clean
What is clean in terms of look, is dirty in terms of literal dirt. What is dirty to the eye is clean to the earth. As an artist and designer, opposition is a common theme in my work, where perfection is always the goal, but never truly gained. The same can be spoken for in a literal sense within this collection.
Pure white as an idea of cleanliness is an illusion, for something to be pure white, it has to come from the dirtiest of materials.
This defines the interplay between the visual aesthetics associated with the two words, clean and dirty. Juxtaposition between fabric and silhouette act as a guide to a larger conversation about textile waste, sustainability and longevity. The idea of cleanliness and newness is what we’ve been conditioned to see in the fashion community. Drawing inspiration from the innate beauty found in both man-made and natural elements, each garment serves as a visual dialogue between synthetic sleekness and organic ruggedness. Rust dye and mud painting techniques are employed to infuse natural fabrics with rich, earthy hues, symbolizing the beauty found in decay and imperfection.
Additionally, this collection incorporates shirts upcycled from abandoned dry cleaning and repurposed white plastic draperies , transforming them into new, avant-garde pieces that challenge traditional notions of luxury and value. By breathing new life into discarded textiles, through this collection I explore and challenge the concept of sustainability and longevity in fashion, highlighting the potential for beauty in what is often overlooked or discarded while fostering a deeper conversation about sustainability and our relationship with the environment.