Young designer Andrada Negru, MDVTM: “I was taught to believe in my dream and to have the courage to express myself”

I met Andrada a couple of years ago, when she was just a student at Faculty of Arts and Design (West University) Timișoara. And I was impressed by her drive to do the things right, to learn and to present her work with passion. This spring, I had a glimpse of her master degree at Romanian Creative Week (and I may say I was impressed), and then I put on my shopping list the black ruffled bag from “Far from the Others” collection, which explores the complex relationship between man and technology with pieces made from recycled materials, from scraps of fabrics and textiles left in warehouses, in a mix of traditional craftsmanship and digital technology. I talked to Andrada Negru about fashion, inspirational moodboard and the importance of hard work. 

*** #FashionBlogger #FashionTrend #RomanianDesigner #English

More of Andrada Negru creations on Instagram – @andrabia12 / @noir_design_official. 
More of MDVTM 2025 gala collections (graduates and master) – HERE.

How would you define your collection? Why this name, why this story?

The concept for my graduation collection began on an ordinary evening while I was listening to a podcast discussing how human interaction has become increasingly rare. It mentioned how, in the past, people used to come home from work and gather in front of their apartment buildings to chat with neighbors. As I listened, I realized that even when I’m physically close to my loved ones, we often feel disconnected because everyone is on their phone, we forget to truly communicate with each other. This reflection gave birth to my collection, “Far from the Others”” Although we are physically close to one another, we are distanced by technology, which offers a false sense of comfort and connection, while actually isolating us. I wanted to create a collection that expresses the isolation people experience through their interaction with the online world, while also encouraging a return to what is natural and authentic.

The hardest part in the process of making the collection was…

The most challenging stage in the creation process of this collection was making a piece that required draping directly on the dress form, followed by hand-sewing, which took about a month. It was a long and demanding process, involving many trials and revisions, but in the end, the result was exactly what I envisioned.

Name 5 elements that were on your daily mood-board during the collection making…

I had only two ideas to start with.I always kept in mind a promise I made to myself before creating the collection: to be truly satisfied with each piece and to ensure that every item would represent me, aligned with who I am and with my vision. It was very important for me that each piece was crafted to a high standard, even if that meant redoing some of them along the way.

Your first love story with the fashion world was…

I remember moments from when I was little and loved pretending to be a seller at a clothing stall, just like the ones I used to see when I went to the market with my grandmother, back when there were no malls in my hometown. From an early age, I was drawn to clothes and always cared about how I dressed, even though I wore the wildest outfits imaginable. I still appreciate that my mom let me express myself and dress however I wanted.

The most important lesson that you have learnt in school years at MDVTM was…

I’ve learned that, without hard work, you can’t succeed. It’s a tough field that requires a lot of passion and dedication. I was also taught to believe in my dream and to have the courage to express myself, which overtime gave me even more strength to work towards my dream.

 The piece that will always be in your future collections will be…

I can say that I have somewhat of an obsession with gloves, hoods, and turtlenecks, they have appeared in almost all of my sketches, and I believe they will become a symbol of my creations.

The trend that you hate (now and ever) is…

Always skinny jeans.

What is next for you?

I would love to have a fashion internship abroad.

Name 3 fashion things that define you…

… upcycling / layerS / oversized.

Music: R&B
Movie: In the mood for love
City: Barcelona
Food: Fries, eggs and cheese
Painting: The Lovers II, René Magritte
Object design: brutalist
School: UVT
Colour: green
Fabric: denim
Fashion: y2k

Photography: Hannah Anches – @hannafphotography.
Location: Iulius Town Timișoara – @iuliustowntimisoara.