Shiela Youssefi

“Color Moves” is a womenswear collection designed for Fall 2022 that focuses on merging knitwear with wovens, specifically outerwear fabric, while also considering color and print placement. It takes aspects from functional garments and visualizes them in a new way. This idea was motivated by the analysis of Sonia Delaunay‘s work and the type of woman she painted and designed for, giving way to the Simultaneous movement. She sensed that thought does not move in a single, logical, or chronological sequence, but is composed of constantly changing movements which can simultaneously balance memories of the past and thoughts about the future. The effect of contrasting colors could be compared with the activity of the mind because they give an impression of ceaseless movement. Merging light, color, and movement gave way to a new interpretation of the female body. Delaunay captures moments of the dancer in movement, stretching her across the canvas to indicate that this woman has the freedom to move across space. This led me to design hybrid garments combining knitwear with technical fabrics, and outerwear elements that liberate the female figure, garments that are functional in that aspect, yet remain feminine.