Greek designer Maria Giannakopoulou is an experimental and conceptual textile designer who is exploring the visualization and materialization of sound, focusing on the contrast of silence and noise. The designer creates a multisensory experience, by capturing the movement, tension and vivacity of sound in her textile pieces. She is mainly driven by material exploration rather than visuals resulting into a collection of innovative textiles, celebrating the use of intricate craftsmanship.

 

Maria has launched her first menswear collection for S/S 2016, designed and produced in London. The collection titled “In The Blink Of An Ear” is a selection of bespoke garments including hand manipulation of various fabrics alongside with a combination of print techniques, hand and machine embroidery. Particular emphasis is given on the proportions of colors and textures of each garment. This collection includes customized long, oversized shirts and trousers, exploring luxury textiles. Maria  specializes in time consuming hand processes for cutting edge  exclusive fashion pieces. She created this collection to “push the boundaries of embroidery into a more experimental innovative way”.

 

The main inspiration for this collection started from her final project at London college of Fashion, when she was graduating from her BA in Fashion Textiles. She was investigating the visualization and of sound via textiles. Her initial interest derived when comparing sound recordings of the center of London and Athens formed a solid base for further investigation in the change of perception of imagery via the impact of sound. More ideas resulting from her interest in complex and contemporary sound art and performance.

 

She has used her embroidery skills to experiment not only with the deconstruction of linens and wools but also with their reconstruction and manipulation of their shapes via intricate machine embroidery, creating a complicated web of threads. The main interest of this young upcoming designer is on the interaction of the threads with the movement of the human body, adding a refreshing and original essence on the stereotypical way of placing embroidery onto a garment.  The collection has a playful yet sophisticated aesthetic, emphasizing the intricacy and movement of the textiles.