Nominator: Dóri Tomcsányi

RE/COVER

The inspiration for the collection came from a tablecloth that was made in my family generations ago. The embroidered tablecloth is both special and close to my heart, so during the design process I aimed to create new patterns that reflect my own style while preserving the original embroidery. I explored how the pattern heritage within my family could be preserved and further developed. My own motifs were created based on the tools I most commonly used at university. Later, I reintegrated these designs into the original tablecloth’s motifs in various ways. When reimagining my family’s pattern heritage, I also wanted to combine traditional and modern technologies. I felt that this would perfectly symbolize how honoring tradition exists within me alongside a constant desire to create and learn something new. To express this idea, I transformed the pattern elements of the tablecloth into three-dimensional forms. I applied these patterns to the garments and also created 3D-printed clasps that reference the motifs of the tablecloth. When I think of the word “family,” warmth, softness, and unity come to mind, so I complemented the designs with puffy garments.

DON'T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SEE

My inspiration came from zero-waste principles and alternative cutting techniques. In this collection, I aim to draw attention to the lack of transparency and the systemic issues within the fashion industry by applying unconventional pattern-cutting methods. The pieces were inspired by the tale The Emperor’s New Clothes, which I reinterpreted in the context of the fashion industry throughout the semester. The designs take inspiration from the traditional suit, which I distorted in various ways. The final pieces were made from leather, featuring small cuts created with a plotter. Through these tiny perforations, the human body becomes visible in motion, reflecting both my conceptual inspiration and the theme of transparency. The garments were completed with 3D-printed, distorted buttons.

DNAI

The third project, titled DNAI, is the one I would like to present as part of my 2025 graduate collection. The concept of the collection is rooted in the research conducted for my thesis and explores the phenomenon of hyperpersonalization. My analysis centered on how online retail platforms—often in ethically questionable ways—leverage user data to generate increasingly precise and personalized recommendations. From a designer’s perspective, I found this phenomenon particularly intriguing, as it shapes both our consumption habits and our relationship with clothing, whether consciously or unconsciously. During the development of the collection, I took an experimental approach to explore how hyperpersonalization and the presence of artificial intelligence influence me, and how I can interact with these systems without losing my identity as a designer. The concept unfolds on multiple levels, offering a nuanced understanding of the complexity of the phenomenon. The collection includes 3D-printed accessories, garments and bags made from both natural and synthetic leather, handcrafted metal elements, as well as garments whose base materials were shaped using heat-press techniques.