ZAIDA_ADRIANA_GOVEO_BALMASEDA

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With a innovative use of fiber, and deeply rooted respect for traditional crafts I have a holistic approach to design. My values regarding sustainability are reflected in my responsible choices: from material sourcing through production and product transit, as well as my engagement with the community.-- CALAFURIA is a beach/natural reserve in Tuscany, Italy; where I discovered some incredible rocks called tafoni. I was inspired by the various colors of the rocks caused by weathering (a very important subject in my work) and the cementation process.-- The SMALL/irregular concave shapes in the IMMENSE rocks made me think about natural transformation over time, which happens also to us HUMANS. I played with natural and organic materials (which are in their “natural state”) and recycling what is created and soon-to be-wasted by MAN .-- Its about being resourceful, embracing the small, the slow and the organic, which represent the wisdom and evolution of nature.-- For this collection we hand-spun our own yarn from pre-consumer waste gathered from designer studios’ production floors and textile art centers around New York, and knit it into stunning richly textured garments which we called "cementation".-- Supporting the local textile industry, Organic Cotton (grown and woven in the USA) was dyed with natural ingredients, among them black beans, annatto seeds, turmeric, coffee, and lemon. This fabric is then free-motion quilted with recycled PET batting. The pieces created with this technique are called "tafoni".-- Lastly, our "alveolo" items employ dead- stock wool that is felted and then hand-embroidered and also naturally dyed.-- By embracing fair-trade handwork and promoting the use of artisanal techniques instead of chemically based processes, I'd like my work to be an inspiring hands-on manifesto regarding the symbiotic relationship that we could all potentially have with our clothing.--

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About the Designer

Zaida Adriana is based in New York, Puerto Rico. She studied at Fashion Institute of Technology/ Polimoda/ Politecnico di Milano and graduated in 2011. Her collections are produced in United States.

Born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico to Cuban and Puerto Rican parents, Zaida grew up in the countryside sorrounded by mango and avocado trees, chickens and horses. Her mother and grandmother: master crafswomen who believe that everything can be done at home. The house was full of ribbon, thread, fabric and sewing machines, and there was always a new project to be done. In this household full of creativity she developed an effervescent interest in the Arts.
Zaida graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology in 2011, after spending two years studying at POLIMODA in Florence, and the Politecnico di Milano, in Milan. She holds a BFA in International Fashion Design: Knitwear Specialization.
Committed to ethical/sustainable practices, throughout the design/production process, she has interned with Twinkle by Wenlan, Auralis' Studio and STUDY NY. She is a true believer in quality over quantity, interested in research, and exploring the realm between art and fashion. Her pieces emphasize the meaningful results we can obtain while using alternative methods to create unconventional clothes that are beautiful and fair to everyone. She feels that going the extra mile usually brings out surprising ideas and creative solutions to an industry that needs a new set of values.
Zaida’s work has been recently exhibited at the MMXIproject (Tribeca Grand Hotel, NYC), the Mittelmoda design Competition in Gorizia, Italy, and at the Ethical Fashion Show in Paris, France. She was one of the eight finalists for The Green Fashion Competiton, and showed her CALAFURIA collection during Amsterdam Fashion Week in late January 2012.