BIOPIRACY - “Are we still the proprietors of our own bodies?” This question is at the heart of the Biopiracy collection. In society where boundaries between private and public are porous, questions surrounding the ownership of one’s own body have grown. In the recent past “biological patents” on our genes have been purchased that interfere with our fundamental property rights and with notions such as physical integrity, individuality, and autonomy.

The work of Belgian artist Lawrence Malstaf was central to the collection and to the show. Malstaf stages intimate and sensorial performance installations where figures are vacuum packed between two layers of transparent PVC. For Biopiracy, suspended bodies were floating above the catwalk, seemingly embryonic, at repose in their protective cocoons, with only their solitary breathing audible. Time slows down as the circulations within the body become the focus. 

Individuality and sumptuousness were embodied through intricate enmeshing of materials, sometimes embedded and partially hidden from view, imprisoned fire opal beads gleam through lacerated weaves. A translucent black halo dress made of hundreds of handblown glass balls radiated like a halo around the body and sculptural  molded boots in collaboration with United Nude accelerate and reconfigured the silhouette.

Materials: goat leather with ray fish print, black glass crystals, 3-D printed TPU 92A-1, synthetic opals, cheesecloth, silicone coating, cashmere, faux fur, tulle, Japanese changeant fabric, double weave of silk and nylon with water shine, handblown glass, tulle, cotton