Transforming a garment from an object of contemplation to a wearable piece seems to be the principal concern of emerging designer Mega Mikaela.

The knitting and crocheting practice offers great inventive possibilities by interpreting the material as a raw matter to be shaped. The realisation of a final piece does not aim to appear static. Still, it intends to show the apparel as vibrant and alive by revealing the creative process inherent in the crafting itself without hiding its phases. A blend of various influences and temporalities is also the basis of the fashion designer's inspiration, who desires to activate in the observer a moment of recognition by proposing a reference already rooted in our vision without renouncing imagination and freshness. The clothes seem to convey emotional energy through their slow surfacing and moulding. Expressing and making tangible an attentive care appear as a needed aspiration, as to emphasise that each piece incorporates and exudes the human touch bringing it to existence.

Would you like to introduce yourself and tell us about your first intuition towards fashion creation?

I have recently graduated from the Swedish School of Textiles, and my exam collection was about the handicraft in knitting and crochet. It satisfies me to work with slow fashion and my passion is to continue with that. Currently, I'm in the process of making a more wearable interpretation of my degree collection.

What is the project or collection that most embodies the essence of your self-identity? Is there a specific piece that uniquely represents you more than others?

What I'm doing right now represents my identity in the present. What I’m showing here are sneak peek of the pieces I’m currently working on, in the beginning of November the whole collection should be finished.

The collection is about me using what I have learned in school about method and materials. But in school there is such a big focus on academic writing and innovation that you don't end up thinking about how and who will actually wear garments in real life. This is something I'm getting more and more aware at the moment.

How did you land on the idea of crochet, and how do you interpret the meticulous practice of knitting?

I like the possibilities inherent in knitting and crochet since I start so early in the cycle of the garment, with it is just yarn and not fabric yet. I like the idea of making the material almost from scratch, giving myself full control of the outcome.

What influences your vision most in the design of your garments? Is there any indispensable benchmark for you?

The material at hand and the time spent using my hands.

In your work, the interference of diverse temporal associations appears tangible, for example, your inspiration from the renaissance spirit. Would you like to share more about this inclination?

I like this quote a lot because it explains why it's so successful to look back at past fashion trends to shape new fashion perspectives: ”The audience wants to see something that they haven't seen before, but they want to recognize it when they see it ” (Burrows 2010). To take old established references and interpreting them with a modern way of wearing clothing lets me create a dialogue between past and present which engenders a new set of narratives.

Where your research is currently unfolding? And what sentiment would you care to unleash both in the wearer or the observer through your upcoming apparel?

My focus right now is not on new research but building on old ones from my degree work. I want the wearer to feel comfortable and sexy. I want both the observer and the wearer to see and become aware of the time and labour put into the garment creation. I feel like people think that clothes are made by no one and just appear in the store.