Bio Nouveau by Amy Congdon

Biological Atelier AW 2082: Bio Nouveau Collection by Amy Congdon

Amy Congdon commissioned me to develop a dress for the photo shoot of her new collection ‘Bio Nouveau’, which she developed for the ‘Alive: New Design Frontiers’ Exhibition, at the Espace Fondation EDF, Paris

‘At some point in the not-too-distant future, biotechnology is going to give the designers the biggest set of complex new materials and tools they have ever had the opportunity to work with. As a critical design project, ‘Biological Atelier’ seeks to explore what these emerging living materials and tools will mean for design. What happens to textile skills such as embroidery, when working with tissue engineering?
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The project considers the changing and blurring roles of the designer, the craftsman and the scientist in the biotechnological future – through the imagined couture atelier of year 2080. The project envisions a world where materials are not made, they are grown – where new luxury materials are fashioned from cells, not fabrics. What new material hybrids can we expect? What if we could manipulate our body to grow seasonal jewellery? Cosmetic surgery is replaced by tissue-engineered disposable grafted skin embellished with precious stones. Present here is the 2082 Autumn/Winter ‘Bio Nouveau’ collection from Biological Atelier. Cosmetic surgery has been replaced by tissue-engineered techniques to graft living, disposable couture pieces.’ (Amy Congdon)

Credits:

Designer: Amy Congdon
Dress: Ann-Kristin Abel
Photography: Jesús Madriñán
Hair & Make Up: Kat Vogart