Having studied in Denmark, graduated in the Netherlands, and with exhibitions at home and abroad, in spite of her (inter)national route, fashion designer and fashion artist Lara Warson found her way back to her homeland. Surrounded by the green of Maasmechelen, the young designer creates artworks, using clothing as her medium and nature as her motivation.
“At secondary school, I studied Fashion & Creation. I quickly realised that the commercial nature of fashion was not for me. So, for my higher education I went in search of my niche, and found it at the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam. Like me, they regard fashion as an artform. I began the course, and from day one, there was a link with nature. I believe fashion and art should always aim to be sustainable. They should contribute to nature, not impoverish it.
Where does this drive to make sustainable art come from?
“It came organically. Growing up in Maasmechelen, you spend most of your time in nature. The National Park was literally my back garden. When I later moved to Rotterdam to study, I was immediately confronted with the constant addiction to concrete, and the lack of real nature. I realised that I had taken the nature of Maasmechelen, and nature itself, for granted. I think that was when the seed was planted to convey the importance of nature, whereover possible, in both my personal and professional life.”
You very literally took ‘nature as your inspiration’ throughout your education and career, making textiles out of organic materials, and creating textile dyes from nuts and berries. These days your emphasis is more on nature not as a means but as an end. The main example of this is ‘Eco-Warrior’. Can you tell us more about this?
“Using nature as an instrument was an excellent and enriching experiment, but I wanted to find a more sustainable project that includes nature as a theme, and with less reference to nature in the literal sense.
That’s how ‘Eco-Warrior’ was born. I wanted to work around upcycling. By giving old things a new function, I tried to demonstrate how upcycling can bring renewal to fashion. Each warrior stands for a different climate issue. Rising sea levels, global warming, deforestation … are all subjects made visible through my works. I started placing every-day objects, which can be linked to these themes, on mannequins, and quickly arrived at refreshing designs. Silhouettes which I could never have drawn by hand, or thought up. The different designs and forms are very angular and bombastic. I find this very appealing in fashion. These shapes contrast greatly with the organic forms you find in nature. Precisely that contrast intrigued me, and that’s why I used nature as the background for the photoshoot.”
Nature may be less inspiring when it comes to design, but it plays a crucial role in your life.
“I need nature. I love going for a walk to clear my mind and get things into perspective. The pure surroundings allow me to become myself again, which is a must for my mental health. You don’t get the same effect in a city. I also feel much less creative in a city, which is probably contrary to the popular belief. Despite making “unnatural” designs, I still get all my motivation and inspiration from nature. Both directly and more subtly.
That’s why I came back to live in Maasmechelen. I like living close to nature and making day-trips to the city, rather than vice versa.