Material : RECYCLED MATERIALS: Wool, Viscose, Silver, Human Hair, Pearls
Monika Surowiec is a Polish artist and circular fashion designer, focusing in particular on the impact of fashion on cultural, social, and ethical aspects. She is a pioneer of fashion upcycling in Poland. She specializes in material manipulation techniques using upcycling methods. Her mission is to change social perception toward textile waste and used clothes, and to showcase upcycling as a sustainable approach to fashion design, production, and consumption.
The "Black Iris" tailcoat is part of the "Circular Noir" collection. The project was inspired by the growth cycles of flowers from the designer's family garden. From the initial bloom, when irises burst with color, to the last, when they freeze into fragile black sculptural forms. It is crafted using upcycling methods, in accordance with the principles of circular fashion. The designer narrates sculptural tales of clothing using the language of architectural minimalism, relying on classic, pre-owned vintage men's tailcoats.
Through her project, Monika Surowiec not only deconstructs classic forms of clothing, pushing the boundaries and depriving them of features assigned to a specific gender, but also challenges the approach to leading fashion patterns. It returns to craftsmanship tradition, sewing techniques, quality, individuality, and respect for material and human work, contrasting them with mass, linear production.
Monika Surowiec is the founder and designer of the circular fashion brand Saint Warsaw, which is pioneering in the Polish market. The brand distinguishes itself with high-quality, unconventional upcycled designs of jackets and suits, crafted from textile waste and pre-existing items.
Monika Surowiec's projects have captured the attention of many prestigious magazines such as Vogue, Elle, and Forbes. The company's acceptance as a member of the United Nations Global Compact confirms its ecological and ethical values.