M. NATASHA ROBERT

Mientras Duermes is a provocative collection which encapsulates the exploitation of freedom in southern spain. Hand-stitched embroideries, paint and fringing are a prominent design details throughout the collection conveying messages about the ignorance in the millienial society in southern spain. This collection infuses military silhouettes with a contemporary aesthetic by mixing a range of fabrics and detail applications. the combination of audacity and freedom of expression allows costumers to break out of the norm and defy conformity.

The Inspiration ... The collection is inspired by the change of cultures apparent in generations in Southern Spain from 1939 to 2016. Influenced by the severity of the country’s laws during the reign of Francisco Franco, how much societies reformed over the past 40 years without Franco’s dictatorship and how youth cultures attitudes reshaped during that period. The subject matter is inspired by my grandparents who lived in their youth in Spain during the time Franco came into Dictatorship and the incarceration of my great grandparents.
During the late 40s to 50s my grandmothers parents were denounced by neighbours. My great grandfather was a civil servant to the government and was a-political. A neighbour who was with Franco’s political party, denounced both my great grandparents for not being members of the faction. The unfortunate events led them to not be present during the upbringing of their 4 children, one of them being my grandmother. Meanwhile in San Sebastian, Northern Spain my grandfathers father was in the republican party. He had participated with the republican regime and had been imprisoned for being apart of the republican political party. He was incarcerated at Monte Igueldo, San Sebastian. He had managed to save his life by escaping execution by a firing squad. For elder generations it was a time of hardship, public display of affection was illegal along with anti-state literature, pornography and drugs. Execution and long term imprisonment were all consequences of laws under the Franco regime. With the lack of freedom the Spanish population suffered, they fought for freedom for the future generations. Although that may seem beneficial, there is a downside.
From living in Marbella, Southern Spain I have seen the extreme difference in the mentality of generations. The millennial generation in Spain have a nonchalances to them. They have taken the freedom in which was fought for, exploited it, forgotten the history and are ignorant to the hardship that elders went through to give them what they have today. Throughout my collection I convey the message of the exploitation of freedom which has occurred throughout the different youth generations in Spain.