RDW 2023: meet the young fashion designer Robert Axente

The fashion world is changing within seconds. Along with it, the trends, the scene, the mood and the designers. In this enormous pool of talents it is important to know how to find the next sensational young designer. Young Design chapter of Romanian Design Week 2023 is the place to find your future #fashioncrushes. 

Look closely at the new generation of young Romanian fashion designers and their interesting collections. Today, from the Young Design chapter of Romanian Design Week 2023, I present you Robert Axente. 

#FashionBlogger #FashionTrend #RomanianDesigner #English

• Romanian Design Week 2023 presents Young Design by DIPLOMA Show – the perspective of a new generation of architects and designers #madeinRo. The main theme is Connections and the section includes more than 20 artists. 
• Romanian Design Week 2023 is to see between 12-28 of May – https://romaniandesignweek.ro/. 
• Robert Axente – @axente 

What is the definition of fashion, from your point of view? What does it mean to you, personally?

Fashion, for me, is a tool through which I can embody my perspective on life and living. It gives a physical shape to my emotions. Looking beyond the garments, all the pieces I make tell a whole story, inspired by such personal experiences, artists I like or historical references.

What is the biggest challenge for a young designer nowadays?

Being a young designer, challenges are quite common. One of the most challenging aspects of a designer’s journey is how fast the industry is constantly evolving, changing and shifting. Although I’m happy to work in such a dynamic field, I think it’s very important to take just as much time as we need in order to create something that we relate to and fully be proud of. I do believe in slow and steady growth, whether it’s about creativity or any other domain.

The icon piece that will always be in your collections is…

Although I enjoy experimenting with different fabrics and techniques from collection to collection, which makes them look quite different from one another, I think I subconsciously keep a couple of common elements in each of my works. One of those elements is lace. I love the softness and the fragile look of it, and I always mix it with rather bold, strong silhouettes, such as oversized masculine blazers. Secondly, for each collection I like to create „the bride” which is usually the most challenging and eye catching outfit, with a slight couture feel to it. For example, the bride of my latest collection, MAGDALENA, was a dress made of over 500 manually cut plexiglas rectangles attached together with over 1800 metal rings.

About the collection at Romanian Design Week 2023… 

The Black Sun collection illustrates some human typologies – all of them seen through a filter with punk influences – in a form of 10 different shaped outfits. Black Sun is like a manifest collection for all the stereotypes from our society nowadays. The title is a metaphor that reflects an alternative source of light put on a society where limits are not so well defined. The light of a black sun pictures the unfinished side of a human being, the one who can express without being influenced by the surrounding space. 

What is next, for you, this year? Collections, personal projects, exhibitions etc.

For this year I have a lot of plans which slowly take shape and fall into place, which makes me very happy. I am currently working on a new collection, which will be my biggest one so far, which is exciting and challenging at the same time. Some of my works will be displayed at a few amazing exhibitions like Romanian Design Week, and I look forward to presenting my next project at Romanian Creative Week in Iași, in late May.

*** Young Design by DIPLOMA Show comes with a fresh perspective from the new generation of Romanian architects and designers, in a multi-disciplinary exhibition, “Connexion”. More than 20 exhibitors will present their projects (architecture, product design, graphic design and fashion). A selection curated by DIPLOMA Show.