Clara Cipriano, an Italian designer working in Paris, presents sculptural draping that carries over the form of the spine itself. She describes her draping as a second skin born of the hand and the spine, and adds that what we carry is what holds us up. For her, clothing is not fabric that wraps the body but a frame that raises it.
On the SS26 Erin dress, a ridge of black leather, finely pleated and joined piece to piece, runs down the back from the nape to the hem. This pleated column, like vertebrae set down one by one, becomes the skeleton of the dress, and the rest of the leather collapses beneath it into pleats. The structure draws on the material nature of leather, which holds its own shape. On days when it is hard to hold your back straight, why shouldn't a dress hold you up instead?
On the SS26 Erin dress, a ridge of black leather, finely pleated and joined piece to piece, runs down the back from the nape to the hem. This pleated column, like vertebrae set down one by one, becomes the skeleton of the dress, and the rest of the leather collapses beneath it into pleats. The structure draws on the material nature of leather, which holds its own shape. On days when it is hard to hold your back straight, why shouldn't a dress hold you up instead?
FAQ
Who is Clara Cipriano?
Clara Cipriano is a Paris-based Italian designer gaining attention for sculptural draping that mimics the spine's form. She describes her draping as a second skin born from hands and spine, interpreting clothing as the skeleton that holds the body upright.
What are the features of Clara Cipriano's SS26 Erin dress?
The SS26 Erin dress features tightly pleated black leather ridges running from nape to hem, following the spine. These pleated columns become the garment's skeleton while the remaining leather collapses beneath, forming pleats through the material's self-supporting properties.
What does Clara Cipriano say about the role of clothing?
For Clara Cipriano, clothing isn't fabric that covers the body but the framework that holds it upright. She believes what we carry supports us, viewing clothes as playing a structural support role for the body.
