Ceramic dreams: interview with the designer Maria Paltin

You could see, from far, far away, that Maria Paltin is an architect. Her ceramic & porcelain pieces are so well structured and so nice shaped that could pass, easily, as some mini-sculptures. I loved her beautiful rings (nice and clean, with organic details popping out) at a first glance. Therefore, what any reason should I have to ask Maria Paltin some things about her work?  

Maria Paltin designs are available on @paltin.maria, in Molecule-F Concept Store (@moleculef) and in AlbAlb store.

Your first fashion crush story was related to…
My mother initiated me on this fashion path. I learned from her the importance of looking for quality in any product; she has always preferred to buy a qualitative fashion item or a special accessory, even that one was more expensive than others. And that is because the item was unique, had some fine details, was made out of some special materials. The magic place of my childhood was Fondul Plastic. 

Ceramics because… 
In my final years at University (Architecture) I begun to experiment with the plexiglas. I tried to change its colour, to paint on it, to curb it; after a while, despite all my efforts, it seemed still too plain & common. On the other hand, ceramics was very interesting and it had a lot to offer: it can be modelled, stamped, casted, sculptured. And the final result was so delicate and so precious that I fell in love with the ceramic. The translucent porcelain is now my favourite, and my first encounter with the wet clay made me think seriously at some future projects. 

The moodboard for your 2020 collection includes…
2020 is, for sure, the year of the pandemic, and that’s a fact for everyone. Days in isolation, moments that disappeared in no time, identical seconds, one after another, barely whispering… My collection for 2020 is a panel for all this feeling, all these moments we’ve been through all year and it is inspired by the nature I had not so much access at. The golden drops put the fabulous shapes into perspective but don’t make the pieces too commercial. 

The most extravagant thing you wish to design is… 
I want to advance towards a less commercial area, somewhere on the border between prêt-à-porter and haute couture. I want to make some pieces in which the design is not mandatory functional – spectacular and fabulous pieces, hard to wear maybe, but giving the wearer a special feeling. 

The icon piece that will always be in your collections is…
 … the joy of creating something new and special. I think that a dedicate designer mood exists always in what he (she) is doing. My pieces concentrate my love for creation. For example, I expressed my emotions and feelings extracted from some personal moments in my fascination for insects and abstract pieces. 

If your collection is a modern TV series, this would be…
… a series in which the characters grow and evolve rapidly; you cannot identify with one, at once, but they fascinate and captivate you in a moment. It is that kind of series that you have to see it in one shot in order to feel the atmosphere. 

The biggest challenge for a designer nowadays is… 
… to find her / his way in a world full of fast fashion pieces, to find her / his faithful public. In a world dominated by the uncertainty, it’s normal for a designer to question the days to come and to wonder if his / hers pieces will find their meaning in the world. 

We need fashion in our life because… 
… fashion is a form of art, a functional beauty. It makes you feel good and peaceful in every hard moment. 

About Maria Paltin we should know… 
… that I love jewellery, the big ones. I like to make them, wear them, admire them on others. I’ve always wanted to create things. I am inspired by nature’s wonders and I try not to replicate them identically. 

Photography: Cristiana Plaian @cristianaplaian 
Special thanks to @editbyedith & @frank_paul_b 

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