Wundertopia Collection

The concepts and creation of this collection, entitled Wundertopia, began during the first lockdown of 2020. When the external world is filled with turbulence, it can be instinctual to turn inwards to the imaginary worlds of the mind. For many of us, turning inwards can mean creating. The creation of textiles has historically been a way for citizens to express important messages. Throughout history, textiles have been used to document events and express allegiance to political movements. One example of this can be seen with the clothing from the French Revolution of 1789. Clothing was an important tool for advertising political loyalties. Revolutionary vests featured hand embroidered words and images that served as a record, telling the stories of the revolutionaries.

Today we live in a very different world. We simultaneously have access to seemingly infinite information, while trust in the media is at an all time low. Buried under layers of complex algorithms, many people today feel like there are no clear messages of what has been done and what needs to happen in the world to fix it. Every issue is multifaceted, and consequently there is rarely a clear way to represent them.

This collection takes place in a fictional world called Wundertopia. This place is part imagined future, part nostalgia for a time that never really existed. In this world everything is made by hand, objects are treasures, textiles can be used and reused and painted and then reused again. In Wundertopia consuming is replaced with creating and waste is repurposed as beauty. Fragmented messages and abstract patterns can be interpreted as a way that Wundertopians express their political allegiance and critical messages at the forefront of their minds. Wearable paper sculptures come together with real flowers to express joy and defiance. Bold, colourful and kind of kooky, the world of Wundertopia is in opposition to the apathy that is so prevalent in our world.

While escapism is an essential component of our contemporary existence, a fictional world used as a proxy to express the clear messages of change, may be the only way to make sense of it all. 

Each piece in this collection is created by hand using deadstock and found materials. Everything is 1 of 1. 

Photos by Austen Ambraska

Model Kris Lodu