Collection 'Inlaid Fantasies' by Andreea Mandrescu

Please introduce yourself to our readers. (Who are you, where do you come from and what is your field of specialization?)
My name is Andreea Mandrescu, was born in Romania and at age of 15 emigrated in Israel with my family. At the moment I live in London, where I moved in 2009. I am a textile, material and surface designer and opened my own design studio after I graduated from Central Saint Martins College, London, UK in 2011.

Where are you based?
I am based in London, both myself and my studio.

What inspires you in general?
Anything ranging from a pattern on the street to furniture and architecture can inspire me. Mostly, I love to explore and combine different materials and creating interesting tactile and visual surfaces and construction.

What is it like to be a young designer in your city？
Not very easy, I believe that at the moment nowhere is easy to be a young designer. London is a great city for inspiration which loves what is new and innovative, so I take comfort in that at times of struggle.



What place/city do you find inspiring?
London: its openness to new design.
Bucharest: the beautiful old decaying houses and the melancholy of the time that left marks behind.

What is the concept of your collection?
I love experimenting with materials and creating different versatile surfaces for fashion and interiors. With this collection, I am trying to push the boundaries of the materials that I am working with and creating interesting shapes and patterns for garments.

As a textile designer, how do you translate the 2D design into an actual piece of clothes?
Part of the textiles that I am making are meant to be for fashion design, and the idea in creating this collection was to show an exploration of materials, patterns and surfaces and their potential and versatility.

Can you tell us something about the title of your collection “Inlaid Fantasies”?
“Inlaid Fantasies” is a range of inlaid and overlaid fabrics inspired by marquetry and inlay crafts and an exploration of materials that include faux fur, rubbers, leather and veneers. The fashion design collection “Fantasy” shows the playful combination of these materials and the shapes that can be created on and around the body.

You worked a lot with soft colors, what role do they play in transporting your message as a designer?
I like skin tones, make the atmosphere surreal and delicate, especially when working with translucent rubber.

Describe your collection in three words.
Playful, Material, Tactile

Did you always want to work in field of design?
I love art and design, and thought that textile design is a mix of the two.

You also created fabrics for interior design – how is that different from fashion?
That is about different combination of materials.

Do you have a muse? If yes, who is it and why?
Not really, just a curiosity for materials.

Who is your favorite fashion designer?
Alexander McQueen and Iris van Herpen

What is so far your greatest experience in your 'fashion' career?
When I was 19 I received the second place in Liege, Belgium in a competition for young fashion designers. And every time that the image I have in my mind I can translate into reality. That’s a great experience.

What is on your music list while you are making your collection?
Do not have a specific kind of music I’m listening. It depends on the mood I’m in, from Rock to Latin, from Ambiance to Techno.

What is the latest thing you bought for yourself?
I brought the fashion trend magazine ‘Zoom and View’.

What can we expect from you in the future?
Hopefully that I’ll find new interesting textile surfaces!


Photography: Mei-En Lien
Website: www.andreeamandrescu.com