Lyubitsa Berova MA/MSc Textiles
The concept of my work is shaped as a response to the consumer reality we find ourselves in nowadays. Overproduction, overconsumption, limited character, authenticity and uniqueness within the mainstream contemporary fast design are a few of the issues I would like to tackle. My desire is to emphasise the preciousness of textiles, garments, accessories vintage and modern, honour their past life and history by giving them new aesthetical and functional purpose. I think we need to learn to develop a deeper appreciation of things all over again. I want to honour the symbolism of Bulgarian craft and folklore, lean on the principles of the centuries - old Japanese philosophy Wabi-sabi (Kintsugi, symbolism of gold) and draw inspiration from the glamour of The Roaring 1920s, an era which ironically marks the early beginnings of the Western mass consumer society. Therefore, I upcycle textiles, accessories and garments into one-off fashion pieces with strong textiles identity by applying various hand and machine techniques, giving this fusion of old philosophies and inspirations a contemporary interpretation of colours and materials. I am reinventing Bulgarian folklore by using traditional hand-embroidered motifs in metallic threads, all the while connecting upcycled fabrics with these embroideries in order to create something new. I use the embroidery as a binding feature, in a sense just like the gold glues and holds the broken pieces in Kintsugi.
