Sylvia Hofer

Grey Sheep

Location

Salzburg / austria

University

polimoda fashion institute

Graduation year

2015

Contact

German, born 1993 in Salzburg (Austria).
I`ve been raised very cosmopolitan, from an early age on my parents took me on trips all around the globe.
Wherever I go, even today, visiting the local museums, galleries or cultural events is an ultimate highlight of my stay in a foreign city.
Since my childhood I am in love with history and getting to know other traditions and cultures. At a younger age, because those stories sounded like fairy-tales to me, today the fascination is even stronger since I now know and learned that this is an endless source of inspiration.

My passion for design and fashion was always present. To become a fashion designer was a dream I was at first not courage’s enough to pursue.
I attended a very strict Tourism High School, which not only ended with the important matriculation but also was combined with a tourism management education. This included the final diploma and a lot of valuable experiences for me personally; due to the annual mandatory internships abroad I matured and became independent.

After my graduation 2012 my wish to do fashion was still there and going strong.
I took the chance and after my design summer course in “Polimoda Institute for Fashion Design and Marketing” I got accepted for the undergraduate program.

During those 3 years I was able to develop a wide set of skills relevant for the fashion design industry. In the process of creating and executing my graduation collection "Between Nightmares and Daydreams" ,step by step by myself, I discovered the art of draping and textile manipulation for me. Gaining expertise in creating efficient technical drawings by hand and in Adobe Illustrator. Besides the technical skills, Polimoda taught me to work well and precisely even under high pressure.

I look forward to grow and learn even more on my future career path as a fashion designer.

Currently looking for a design internship.

Latest Collection

"Between nightmares and daydreams"

„As we got older the monsters crept from under our beds to inside our heads“

Living in the Alps means growing up alongside with several ancient traditions, which still take on an important role.
One significant rite is the „Krampus“ or „Percht“, he comes alongside with the holy Nikolaus to punish the bad children and to banish the bad winter spirits in December.
Normally kids are so scared by not only their devil-like looks, the huge horns and their breath-taking figures, but especially by their big cowbells on their belts composing a melody so chilling that you shiver even thinking about them. But I was always enchanted by this unique atmosphere those creatures bring along.
It takes you right out of reality and into a world where nightmares melt into a fascination.

This is the feeling I wanted to hold on to for this collection.

My research took me from the beginnings of the Percht in Austria and Germany on a trip through Europe finding similar ancient winter customs everywhere. Composing a beautiful basis for my researchbook.
In the process of recreating an old draping dress I fell in love with the old pleating technique of Madame Gres. Reminding me of some of the oldest pictures in my research, the fascinating effect of the over-iceing from shores and trees.

The wild, raw hardness and silhouettes of the Perchts and the feminine, fragile structures of the pleated ice layers merge and become a place somewhere “between nightmares and daydreams”.