BANDE DE BITCHES

Klaudia Stavreva’s autobiographical ‘Bande de Bitches’ collection is characteristic of her highly personal and self-reflective design approach; seeking extremes in order to discover as much as possible, by herself and about herself. Collecting, mixing, sampling and editing, she plays with established elements to create new meaning. ‘Bande de Bitches’ takes inspiration from the documentary The Shutka, Book of Records. Shutka is the self-assured and self-ruled ‘unofficial’ Romani capital of Stavreva’s ancestral Macedonia, where everyone claims a champion title, nevermind what for. It is a unique celebration of the happy inhabitants, the proud misfits. Embracing individual identity, Stavreva’s process involves directly draping the garments on her own body or upon a personal plaster-cast. Pieces were molded step-by-step, layer upon layer, and put through ‘selfie’ fittings until the garment achieved its final form and desired emotional impact.

Extending this artisanal approach to exaggerated embellishments and prints incorporated as shape and finishing solutions, Stavreva combines and transforms body- and material language to create her own language. All garments are executed by her own hand.
 Stavreva’s work engages with notions of value, ripping apart and re-creating the social-political context in which fashion is presented. Injecting her work with unconventional and mainstream references alike, she seeks a New Couture Touch that reflects her personal experience and vision. The German-born designer counts education at the ArtEZ Master Fashion Design in Arnhem and working on the Artisanal line at Maison Margiela amongst her experience to date.

Bande de Bitches