Royal College of Arts (RCA) womens wear graduate Oksana Anilionyte is turning heads with her new collection Fluid Sense, which features a material of her own creation.
At RCA’s final showcase for fashion graduates, Anilionyte’s collection took to the runway with all eyes watching. Her collection is titled ‘Fluid Sense’ and is based on the relationship between the body and materials.
Having previously been involved in MIT’s BioLogic textile project, Anilionyte worked with their Media Lab to conduct extensive research into liquid based materials. This resulted in her collection being made from polymer-based fluid prints. The aim of the collection was to “combine the organic print and make it move and interact with the wearer.”
“[Fluid sense is] the feeling of wearing liquid clothes, body temperature and natural perspiration stimulate polymer-based fluid prints that adapt to human body shapes and become a second skin.” – Anilionyte talking to Dezeen
Her creative process revolves around the two attributes of vision and reality. As well as taking part in the BioLogic project she has also been a finalist in the designer for tomorrow award, designed film costumes, won multiple awards for her illustrations and gained invaluable experience with celebrated designers such as Alexander McQueen, Giles Deacon, and Maison Margiela.
The contrast of muted blues and purples with the bright pop of orange highlights the liquid swirls and drip of the material. Combined with the shiny surface of the polymer, the fluid-like state of the material makes us think of famous surrealist painter Salvador Dali with his epic melting clocks from his work ‘The persistence of memory”. Not only does her collection react to a wearer’s body temperature but also their mood. During her research Anilionyte identified that a persons temperature and perspiration is linked to their mood and feelings. This gives a whole new meaning to intimate apparel in the fashion industry.
While Anilionyte enjoys working on her own collections she loves to collaborate with others. Speaking to Dezeen she explained “these discussions bring new questions and ideas that can be explored”. While talking of her future plans she mentioned possibly opening her own studio lab, which she would use as a meeting place for minds of different disciplines to come together. Let’s hope it comes to fruition.