Materials I <3:

Natural fibers since they are easier to work with (for example, they don’t melt when being ironed) and feel better to the skin. The only exception to this rule was made for #EntrelazadoEnLaFábricaDeConcreto where dead-stock nylon (from the French army, to be used for parachutes) was used.

Silk it’s easy to work with it, I love the touch and it absorbs and reflects color from plants beautifully. I source dead-stock silk.

Dead-stock textiles sourced from a provider based in New Jersey that buys fabrics that luxury fashion design houses around the world want to get rid off. They source from the designers themselves and also from the mills. This allows lower minimums, reduced shipping things around the world, reduces the use of energy necessary to create new textiles. When I was a young fashion design student I felt fashion design houses were being irresponsible by not keeping their fabrics season after season. I now have a different opinion: if they don’t keep buying fabrics from the mills, then the mills’ business will suffer, people will lose jobs, etc.

Avocado seeds that different restaurants in NYC collect for the studio. When doing projects overseas, the #VenezuelanDiaspora helps, as well as whomever I’m working with. I save my own avocado seeds as well, but I don’t eat many avocados myself.

Water that different people around the world started sending me in 2018 for #RosaTerráqueo. I have become attached to them and use them slowly.

Onion Skins that I would collect from super-markets and that I have collected from farms in New York State and in Calabria (Italy). Avocados are an exploration of the self, onion skins are an exploration of community.