This project is a combination of design testing, experimentation and art.

After interviewing numerous textiles and fashion designers, all of whom had the level of technical skill needed for working with such a unique material, ultimately nine had the ideal mix of skillset, innovation, interest in sustainable materials and the curiosity needed for the project.

The brief was to create something unique and exciting using the treated kelp as the main ingredient, and while other eco-friendly materials were allowed, the designers were encouraged to feature the kelp as much as possible.

Each designer was kept in a bubble, aware of the others participating in the project but not given any idea of the direction of their designs, so as to intentionally push them towards risk taking and intuitive design – something the studio strongly encourages.

The idea was that their creations would not be influenced by each other, nor the current trends or seasonal styles, but rather to allow them to make a more personal reflection of their own creative tastes and styles.

The result was beyond anything we could have imagined and completely exceed our expectations. Each designer created something unique while ensuring the material was the main focus, working with the unique textures and colours of the seaweed as a main feature.

The project served as a fascinating experiment to see not only what was possible using kelp as a material, but also to discover how each designer approached such a technically challenging project. Techniques for the connections, binding and structure of the garments were very varied, with layering, linking, weaving and even laser etching applied to the garments.

Each outfit stared in a fashion shoot that took place across Iceland, featuring a range of landscapes and textures such as lava, moss, colourful rocks, fauna and geothermal sites, as well as seaweed harvesting sites by the ocean. The outfits will feature in an upcoming exhibition giving people a chance to see the pieces up close and to appreciate both the beauty of the kelp and also the outstanding craftmanship of the designs.

Photography: Charlie Strand
Photography assistance and retouching: Magnus Andersen
Model: Kristýna Tulachová
Hair and Make-up: Roksana Kruszewska