Loads of emotions – the fashion alumni of MDVTM 2024 wore their hearts on their sleeves

I had a long list of favourites after the evening with the alumni of MDVTM 2024 (and it was pretty hard to decide for a shorter one the next day, when I took some pictures with their outfits – soon, here, on www.dreamingof.net, some interesting stories and photos with #madeinRo outfits, so keep an eye on the blog). It was an evening with a cool fashion squad in black and white (sorry, guys, I had to put our picture here, as well) and some pretty cool fashion collections imagined by the students (master and diploma) from Fashion University. And it was, at the very end, an evening loaded with emotions – the fashion alumni of MDVTM 2024 wore their hearts on their sleeves. 

*** #FashionBlogger #FashionTrend #RomanianDesigner #English

You can follow their collections and projects on Instagram – @mdvtm.uvt. MDVTM Fashion School Timișoara 2024 Gala included 19 collections – 4 M.A. & 15 B.A. 

I remember that my first attendance at MDVTM gala was in 2018 and I am happy to see, year after year, better collections, more attention for the details, a more coherent artistic pursue and… more personal stories put into the items – and that’s good, because art (fashion included here) should be very personal. As in following collections (Florin Breje, Raul Pașcalău, Denisa Popescu, Denisa Gherman, Roxana Grecu or Marius Gheorghe and some others caught my attention – stay tuned for stories and interviews with the designers very, very soon, here).

Grecu Roxana – Song for Lacie (Lect. univ. dr. Cristina Lazăr, Lect. asoc. dr. Corina Mutu) 
How to live in an imaginary world? The collection tells a story similar to that of the anime Pandora Hearts; it talks about childhood and escapism, about imaginary friends and favourite characters, about plots, toys and clothes drawn in the style of Goth Lolita.

Țuțul Ramona – Sweet misterious (Conf.univ.dr. Andreea Palade, Lect.univ.dr. Eugenia Riemschneider) 
The Sweet Mysterious collection combines two contrasting human aspects: one strong, masculine, mysterious, dramatic and one romantic, bohemian, delicate. Embroidered & applied dragonflies are, by the way they change colour throughout life, a symbol of feminine versatility.

Hoza Alina – Construiți imperfect (Lect. univ dr. Cristina Lazăr) 
The collection illustrates in a fashion way, the wabi-sabi philosophy – this concept addresses the human perception of beauty seen in imperfection, the appreciation of the incomplete and impermanent in nature.

Besenszky Gabriela-Maria – Acum și Atunci (Lect. univ. dr. Cristina Lazăr, Lect. asoc. dr. Corina Mutu) 
An anti-design collection, an avant-garde exploration of sustainable fashion, made from recycled denim, inspired by the underground aesthetics of OPIUM style, promoted on social networks, especially Tik-Tok.

Meseșan Brândușa – The 60’s oldies but goldies (Lect. univ. dr. Eugenia Riemschneider, Lect. asoc. dr. Corina Mutu) 
The collection proposes a foray into the decade of the 60s – but in a contemporary language, accessible and relevant for today’s young people, energy and creative freedom. Influenced by pop art and space age style, the collection speaks of youth, courage, emancipation.

Rusu Victoria – Artifact (Lect. univ. dr. Sandra Chira) 
Every object we touch becomes a vessel, carrying memories and echoes of emotions. The collection is dedicated to those who develop a deep attachment to personal objects, recognising the sentimental value they carry.

Ambruș Magdalena – Rapsodie (Lect. univ. dr. Eugenia Riemschneider, Lect. asoc. dr. Corina Mutu) 
She proposes a summer resort collection, dedicated to women who love freedom, light, the colours of flowers, to those who appreciate the natural elements integrated into clothing design and understand the deep connection between the beauty of the environment and that of the contemporary woman.

Popescu Denisa – Chiari (Lect. univ dr. Cristina Lazăr)
The undergraduate project proposes a collection with a narrative based on personal experiences and the stories of those affected by Chiari malformation, with a positive message that emphasises the uniqueness of individuals and the need to accept and embrace differences, to deal with and overcome physical trauma and emotional through strength and resilience. Each garment tells the story of a person in the healing stage, each piece is testimony to the trauma and pain suffered, to the determination to continue recovery.

Bodale Rahela – Denim Heart (Conf.univ.dr. Andreea Palade,  Lect.univ.dr. Eugenia Riemschneider)
The collection connects, in an atypical narrative discourse, life experiences, emotions, memories, experiences and feelings. All through the association of fabrics, in a story that goes beyond fashion, about durability, resilience, sustainability, adaptability and self-discovery, with two characters.

Buza Gabriela – ECOconscious (Conf. univ. dr.  Valentina Ștefănescu)
ECOnscious is a fashion collection that combines sustainability, artistic expression and avant-garde design. It embraces mixed media, featuring a harmonious combination of embroidery with various patterns, colours and textile collage elements.

Rus Roxana – Imperfect Barbie is perfect (Conf.univ. dr. Andreea Palade, Lect. univ. dr. Eugenia Riemschneider)
The Barbiecore trend and the pink aesthetic have become staples in fashion and the contemporary social and cultural landscape. The collection carries an essential message for women: self-love and acceptance, empowering them to recognise that everyone is like Barbie in their own unique way.

Balint Francisca – CyberWest (Lect. univ. dr. Cristina Lazăr, Lect asoc dr. Corina Mutu)
The collection explores the links between the dynamic, creative and prolific video game industry and the field of fashion design, which has for some time found an equally good way of displaying fashion creations, building characters, narratives and clothing for the heroes of these games.

Guler Denisa – The way out (Lect. univ dr. Cristina Lazăr)
The collection expresses the desire to control an overwhelming sense of uncertainty and confusion in relation with he future. Life is seen as a journey with many unknown paths, a maze of anxieties that can be controlled by positive thinking and determination to walk further and achieve the goal.

Mujdar Violeta – Au spus florile (Lector univ. dr. Sandra Chira)
Flowers are the messenger of the intentions with which they are given to us, they absorb emotions and react according to them. The collection is a visual representation of black magic rituals that use fire to burn the insincere love intentions conveyed through flowers, while also highlighting the inner power to annihilate or redirect them.

Roșu Andrada – Tiempo (Lect. univ.dr. Sandra Chira)
It is a follow up of the concerns related to the traditional Romanian identity, already explored in her undergraduate project. Inspired by the richness of the traditional Banat costume, this ready-to-wear collection brings associations of fine and natural materials, refined colours, and traditional motifs in a contemporary context.

Breje Florin- 100% (Lect. univ. dr. Sandra Chira)
Starting from the premise presented in Luc Besson’s film, “Lucy”, which explores the hypothesis of what would happen if we used the brain to its maximum capacity, the 100% collection investigates and transposes into clothing pieces/objects each stage of the evolution of neural capacity. Through a conceptual and experimental approach, the collection uses unconventional techniques in making the outfits. 

Gherman Denisa – Mardessa (Lect. univ. dr. Cristina Lazăr)
The Mardessa clothing collection is inspired by the beautiful folk port of Ţara Oașului, very rich in folkloric forms and expressions. The collection is dedicated to the memory of a loved one, an aunt who lived a lifetime dedicated to traditional costume, making it an essential part of her identity.

Pașcalău Raul – Manmade Claws (Lect. univ. dr. Sandra Chira)
The genderless collection metaphorically associates the contemporary trap of success known as Hustle Culture with the image of carnivorous plants. Oversized silhouettes, outlined by aggressive organic lines of tailoring, alongside a palette dominated by black with saturated chromatic accents, illustrate the loss of self in a reality altered by the digital.

Gheorghe Marius – Superstar (Lect. univ. dr. Sandra Chira)
The SUPERSTAR collection is a tribute to the events and personalities that made drag queen culture a global cultural-artistic phenomenon, influential not only in fashion but also in its social aspects, redefining societal norms and promoting great acceptance and individuality. Performance art, makeup and fashion, is the recipe that celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and pays tribute to drag performers from around the world: artists who see the world, feel the world and turn that feeling into art.

Big congrats to all the students and their coordinators!

Coordinators: Lect.univ.dr. Sandra Chira, Lect.univ.dr. Cristina Lazar.
Project team: Asist.univ.dr. Andreea Pleșa, Conf.univ.dr. Andreea Palade, Lect.univ.dr Eugenia Riemschneider, Lab.drd.Mihaela Vișovan.
Coordinators: Conf.univ.dr. Andreea Palade, Conf.univ.dr. Valentina Ștefănescu, Lect.asoc.dr. Corina Mutu, Lect.univ.dr. Cristina Lazăr, Lect.univ.dr. Sandra Chira, Lect.univ.dr. Eugenia Riemschneider.

The MDVTM Gala 2023 took place at Iulius Town Timișoara – @iuliustowntimisoara. 
Photography: Ewald Gruescu / MDVTM.