Constanca Entrudo’s graduate collection is inspired by the whole idea of performance, circus and transgression. By embracing chaos during the creative process she aimed to generate fabrics that would challenge the usual processes of print making through the use of techniques such as dyeing, bondawebbing, melting different materials, pleating, folding and embossing.
In the first phase of her research she started by looking at Circus archives, London based performers and visited various vintage costume shops, such as Prangsta Costumiers, all over the UK in order to learn more about the materials and fittings that have been used in theatres and burlesque performances.
However, what particularly interested Constanca during her research process was the idea that led Melanie Wilson, the founder of Prangsta Costumiers, to open her first shop in 1998 to fight against the waste that was generated by the fashion industry by collecting discarded vintage garments and fabrics and recycling them into new collections.
The second phase of her research process was born from the entirely unconventional method of visiting factories and learning about the production process. Therefore, the main focus of Constanca’s collection became the idea of creating fabrics based upon theories of modern technology and engineering. She decided to explore different and innovative ways of using heat treatment system and manipulating synthetic fibres reinventing an original textile.
Sustainability turned out to be Constanca’s main concern on her final project too. Therefore, after being inspired by Melanie Wilson’s idea, she decided to ask factories and fashion designers in London and Portugal to send her their “waste” materials, in order to create something new.
