Of her haute couture collection, 'Poetry of Dissection', Maria has said: “With this collection I explored my fascination with the form that all humans exist in till birth to death – a form that contributes to our identity and embodies the abstract. The visual focus was on certain parts of the body, in particular the ribcage. Exploring the ribcage's negative and positive space led me to create contemporary bespoke haute couture designs that push the boundaries of fashion, and become pieces of art instead of mere clothes.”