So, for my last post (for now) on the BA grads from the Swiss school whose name knows no end, I present to you Miranda Kaloudis. My complete obsession with Miranda's work (as I have indeed developed an obsession over the last couple of days) was a slow progression. What first caught my eye was the first image posted in her lookbook on doingfashion.ch (above, top left), as it immediately brought to mind the aesthetic of a bARBARA Í gONGINI look and the runway makeup of Tsolmandakh Munkhuu's debut. Then, the beginning of the video of Miranda's graduate presentation made me pay closer attention, as it started with Sigur Rós' "Flugufrelsarinn". Then, Miranda's smiley piercing made me continue to watch the video out of curiosity and envy (as I never got the oral piercing I wanted out of respect for my parents' funding of my braces), even though the interview isn't in English. Then I actually began to notice the clothes, with all the glorious draped, layered, and waxed outerwear you could ever want. Then I looked more closely at those unpractical but completely fantastic shoes, which are ingenious and museum-worthy designs that call to mind guitar or saxophone stands, clearly stating that the models themselves are part of the presentation, entitled 'Symbiosis of Body, Clothes & Accessories'. And then, oh then, came Miranda's website.
What the website and its stop motion galleries show you, and what the lookbook and runway do not, is that Miranda's pieces are actually incredible convertible (and highly functional) garments that switch from accessories to outerwear in a few steps. Her website has given me multiple headaches in trying to get it to load, and, after using two browsers at different times throughout the last few days, I have only just been able to look at each piece to snag a photo to post here. So, this post has literally taken me hours to compile, but I think the result is worth it. Before you look on (and double click each photo for a close-up), let me remind you that this is an undergraduate collection, and not that of a seasoned designer. But you'll quickly forget that.
And so, you have a tunic whose collar suddenly cocoons the garment (and wearer) in a protective rainproof layer; a pair of gloves that blossom into a short polar fleece lined jacket; a wallet that becomes a short hooded cape; a backpack that has one pocket which turns into a shirt/dress, and another which turns into a a jacket; a bag that becomes a raincoat; a shirt that gives birth to a hooded rain poncho; et cetera, et cetera. There's even a couple pieces that sprout gloves out of pockets on the sleeves. Brilliant. I'm also a fan of Miranda's linen jersey 'overalls', which would be a great non-frumpy base layer (provided that you have something else warming your kidneys). If you have all the patience in the world (or at least a better Internet provider than I do), I suggest you try her website yourself if you want to see more (for you Mac users, Firefox works better than Safari). Or, if you have experience in web design, please contact Miranda and offer your services. I will thank you for it.
Miranda is a finalist in the 10th annual Arts of Fashion Competition, which is decided at the AoF Symposium in San Francisco (October 27th-November 1st). All the best, Miranda!
