Interview about Zalea Artwear Handcrafted Jacket, winner of the A' Fashion, Apparel and Garment Design Award 2025
The Zalea jacket stands as a unique wearable art piece, crafted from upcycled fabric scarves and discarded textiles. Each fabric scrap is carefully chosen and hand-sewn, forming layered textures that embody sustainable creativity. With its oversized silhouette and cascading fabric strips, the jacket adopts a sculptural quality that merges fashion with environmental consciousness. Designed to challenge mass production, the Zalea jacket invites wearers to embrace individuality and craftsmanship while honoring the beauty of reused materials.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsThe Zalea Artwear Handcrafted Jacket emerged from a slow and mindful process of collecting fabric remnants over four years, materials I saved from various projects, collaborations, and productions. Each fragment carried a memory and a story, and bringing them together became a way to honor the passage of time and my journey as a designer. What began as an act of preservation evolved into a design statement: that beauty can arise from what is often dismissed or overlooked. Through the process, I found a balance between intuition and structure, creating a piece that celebrates craftsmanship, individuality, and emotional connection.
My multicultural background has shaped me in many ways. From my Lebanese side came my love and appreciation for textiles and fabrics. That part of my family once owned a store where they sold various goods, including fine textiles. My mother used to tell me stories about it and kept some of those fabrics, which became small treasures in our home. From my father’s Asian heritage, I inherited a sense of discipline and a deep respect for art and nature. Growing up in Caracas, a city filled with light, color, and warmth, created a beautiful contrast to these influences. The vibrant environment and generous spirit of its people taught me to see beauty in simple things and to value cultural diversity and craftsmanship. All these layers converge in my work, where textures, movement, and form become reflections of this rich blend of influences.
The Zalea Artwear Handcrafted Jacket was sewn almost entirely by hand, especially the smallest scraps and long hanging pieces of fabric. The process was intentionally slow, allowing me to reconnect with the joy and mindfulness of hand sewing. During the pandemic, this practice became a way to find calm and purpose amid uncertainty. Many of the fabrics were discarded remnants, often so small and delicate that stitching them required great patience and care. I created this piece as something unique and special, not intended for large-scale reproduction. While similar textures could be imitated by machine, they would never carry the same presence or sensitivity. For me, the jacket represents a second life for all these little fragments, each one holding memories, experiences, and traces of where it once belonged.
When creating The Zalea Artwear Handcrafted Jacket, I was inspired by the idea of movement, light, and the natural flow of materials. I wanted to create depth through subtle shades and a soft degradation of color, allowing the eye to travel gently across the surface. The cascading fabric strips were designed to evoke fluidity, almost like water or wind in motion. By layering and overlapping remnants, the piece gained an organic rhythm that changed with every angle and movement of the body. This approach enabled me to merge structure and emotion, transforming discarded fabrics into a sculptural yet living form that celebrates transformation and the beauty of imperfection.
When I sew by hand, especially in personal projects like The Zalea Artwear Handcrafted Jacket, I focus entirely on the process. It helps me disconnect from everything else and find calm through each stitch. Initially, I began joining the fabric pieces without a clear plan, simply enjoying the act of sewing. Little by little, I decided to transform it into a large jacket and began shaping it like a collage, section by section: the sleeves, the front, and the back. I took my time and let the process guide me. Sewing this piece became a peaceful and grounding experience, helping me find comfort and purpose in creating something by hand.
The name Zalea came to me first because I liked how it sounded, soft and graceful. Later, I thought about the azalea flower and felt a connection with its delicate yet strong nature. I wanted the jacket to carry that same feeling. The layered fabrics and flowing shapes evoke the image of petals, while the oversized form conveys a sense of comfort and protection. For me, the piece represents both fragility and resilience, a balance I find very beautiful.
I first started experimenting with this collage-like texture on a smaller scale, such as the front panel of a dress or the back of a vest. I found this approach very interesting because each piece of fabric brought a different character to the composition. When creating The Zalea Artwear Handcrafted Jacket, I became more aware of how weight affects movement and comfort. I wanted the textures to be rich but not heavy, so I was careful with placement and layering. This experience taught me how to balance visual depth with wearability, a skill I will continue to explore in future pieces, combining texture, lightness, and craftsmanship.
Receiving the A' Design Award for The Zalea Artwear Handcrafted Jacket has been very meaningful for my career. It motivates me to keep exploring new techniques and to contribute more to the dialogue between textile art and fashion. It also allows me to share a voice that comes from Latin America, where reusing materials is deeply part of our culture and everyday life. From our grandmothers, we learn to give objects and fabrics a second chance, not only out of necessity but out of creativity and respect for craftsmanship. This recognition feels like a bridge between that inherited tradition and contemporary design, showing that sustainability is not only a concept but a way of living and creating that carries our history forward.
To be honest, I did not expect the jacket to be as heavy as it turned out. Even though most of the fabrics were light materials, such as cotton and silk, the layering and the amount of small pieces added more weight than I had imagined. As I was assembling it, I became more aware of how density and repetition can transform the feel of a garment. Still, I liked that it carried a certain presence, almost like wearing a piece of protection or memory. This experience taught me to be more mindful of balance and weight in future pieces, while maintaining the expressive and tactile qualities that define my work.
The Zalea Artwear Handcrafted Jacket marked an important moment for me, showing how upcycling can go beyond sustainability and become a creative language on its own. It encouraged me to continue developing my brand with a focus on individuality, craftsmanship, and emotional connection to materials. I realized that using what already exists is not a limitation but an opportunity to create something meaningful and authentic. For the future, I want my work to keep evolving toward pieces that tell stories through textures and recovered fabrics. I also hope it inspires other designers to see upcycling as a way to innovate and to bring more awareness and intention to the fashion industry.
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