Like the elusive designer at the helm of Maison Martin Margiela, Tanja Kari of tadesign has a clear desire to stay out of the spotlight. “I never want to be noticed and I don’t like to talk,” she explains, admiring designers like Martin Margiela who shy away from public appearances so that their creations can speak for themselves. This goes some way to explaining the slightly awkward and irregular themes embraced by the German-based designer.

 

 

 

 

“Daswischen”, meaning in-between, is tadesign’s graduate collection. Desirable and wearable, but with some pieces admittedly a touch impractical for everyday; the knitted pieces recall the exaggerated silhouette and fantastical aesthetic of Viktor & Rolf. To temper this, sleek leather pieces inject a dose of sophistication into the collection that would be favoured by Celine enthusiasts. It is this sharp contrast, giving “Daswischen” its substance and an intriguing twist, which the designer has so evidently played upon.

 

“I am between two mentalities: I was born as a German in the Soviet Union but I’m regarded as a Russian living in Germany. However, I am neither.” Drawing upon her past, Kari used shades of red and a stiff form of knitting to make concrete the idea of the past being irreversible and static. The softer knitting represents the future and its malleability, whilst the open-edged leather symbolises the unknown. “We live between birth and death, past and future. Between other people and our own mentalities, but it’s regarding how we live in-between these which allows us to perceive things differently.” The strong, decisive perceptions behind tadesign create a depth within “Daswischen” that certainly counteracts the first playful impression you get from the attractive collection.

 

 

 

 

 

Not a dark tone in sight, Kari has achieved a lot with her designs. Though exploring quite an ominous notion of displacement, by drawing upon her own experiences, the designer has been able to breathe fresh life into each garment, using her skills to achieve an alter ego for her reserved character. Kari has created a collection with a deeply thoughtful concept that enables the pieces to truly stand alone.

 

 

You can vote for tadesign to win the EVOQUE Public Choice Award at www.lookk.com/evoque. Hurry voting closes on October 2nd!

 

If you want an immediate tadesign shopping fix then don’t despair, these trousers are available now for pre-order.

 

Tags: Evoque Style Awards, Tadesign