Instruction:
Design facilitator: Maya Arazi, Technical facilitator: Shlomi Antebi

The clothes we wear act as a bridge between ourselves and the outside world. They give us a sense of security we might’ve not known we needed and mental peace that we carry ourselves with, like a warm hug or a second skin.

In the past year, we were prevented from hugging one another and felt a great lack of physical contact. Studies have found that hugging even inanimate objects, such as a tree, creates a response in our brains similar to obtaining a hug from a loved one.

Therefore, what is more natural than receiving a hug from the clothes that embrace us every day?

I chose to incorporate these ideas into my project for self-empowerment. I chose to use elements of layering and wrapping fabric around the body to enhance the intimacy and embrace we get from clothes. These techniques will visually portray the inanimate hug, with emphasis on elements of tree trunks that will adorn the clothes in different ways throughout the collection.

The collection consists of silk fabrics, wool, cashmere, knitwear, linen, and manual knitting techniques. All of these fabrics are used to enhance the feelings I described in the wearer. 

My project is a collection focusing on women’s ready-to-wear clothing with an emphasis on soft, warm, and soothing colors.

Photo: Ido Lavie, Adi Segal