Nadia originally comes from Bilbao and Laura is from Madrid. They have both studied all over Europe, in the following schools: LCI Barcelona, London College of Fashion and Haute Ècole Francisco Ferrer (Belgium). After having finished their studies, they joined forces and started their own brand - L’EGSQÈRE. The message they convey with their work is freshness, fun, dynamism, versatility and creativity.
In addition to that, they have also worked for international brands such as Viktor & Rolf, Boris Bidjan, Marques Almeida or Preen by Thorton Bregazzi. They both realized that they wanted to work in fashion at a young age, due to their everlasting love for arts and creativity. Aside from fashion, they have also acquired knowledge in fields related to it such as advertising, photography, fashion marketing and business.
They think that it would be nice to explore the relationship between fashion and 3D printing, craftsmanship and local techniques. Their guilty pleasures are sour candy, dark chocolate and tacos. Before the creation of L’EGSQÈRE, Laura and Nadia worked separately.
Read more about that, and other interesting facts about L’EGSQÈRE below:
What are so far your main achievements in your career?
Before creating L’EGSQÈRE, Nadia Montero and Laura Searle worked separately. Nadia’s first collection “Resilience” was selected as one of the top 20 emerging talents in 080 Barcelona Fashion Week, as well as a finalist of the prestigious international contest Arts of Fashion Foundation in San Francisco. She was also a finalist of BIAAF, a contest held by the Guggenheim Museum, which selects emerging talents across the world. Laura Searle’s first collection Litost, was selected to open Mercedes Benz China Fashion Week, as well as a finalist of the ID Awards, in Dunedin Fashion Week New Zealand. She's won the 1rst prize in the Trendipia & Grazia Magazine design contest, as well as the 2nd prize in the Marie Claire young talents design contest. Her first fashion film, has already been part of the Official Selection of festivals all over the world, and actually nominated for the ASVOFF9, by Diane Pernet.
In what projects are you involved at this moment?
In the creation of our brand L’EGSQÈRE, with our first capsule collection Ensamble 00 which will be presented at FASHIONCLASH Festival for the first time.
What are your biggest struggles as a young designer/artist?
Finding funds to enrich the research and experimentation with different media.
What do you love the most about your profession?
Everything! In each project, from the concept, to the research, patterns, development, production… Each collection is a whole new world of materials, experimentation and knowledge of things we didn’t have before.
FC: How would you define fashion?
We understand fashion as a union of all artistic disciplines. For us it’s a way to fulfill our creative desires, but the beauty of it is when these desires result in garments that people can feel represented in, and that will be part of their lives over time.
FC: What fascinates/inspires you and why?
Literally everything. Our inspiration can come from a book or a movie we’ve encountered lately, from a conversation with a stranger or figures such as Lucien Freud, the amazing Leigh Bowery, Simone de Beauvoir, Rauchenberg… among many others.
FC: Finding your own distinctive voice can be difficult, where and how do you find your personal creativity (before you start designing/during the design process)?
At L’EGSQÈRE we have our own manifesto we try to respect and follow. As a creator in any field it’s important to know the rules in order to break them, but it’s also important that we don’t lose ourselves and our identity or values in the process of trying to be different to everything else.
FC: What challenges did you face during the design process?
As always, realizing the ideas that in your head look amazing, and finding the appropriate medium for them to work.
FC: Can you tell us something about the project you will present at the FASHIONCLASH Festival?
ENSAMBLE 00. parts from a cubist perspective of analyzing reality in a different way, where a single object can change dramatically, because all it’s sides are being represented in one dimension. The same approach is applied to the main element of this collection: a white shirt, that has in this case, been deconstructed and assembled back together baring in mind the cubist principle, and resulting in a complete different garment. The re-assembling made with repetition of recycled shirts, is combined with artisan techniques, hand embroidering, 3d printed trimmings and experimental textiles, and it completely reinterprets in asymmetric oversized silhouettes the general perception of what a white shirt is, and what’s for, being transformed into multipositional 360º garments, jackets that transform into tote bags, high waisted trousers and dresses full of splashes of vibrant color.
FC: What do you try to communicate with your project?
That a conventional garment such as a white shirt, can be completely transformed becoming a playful and unconventional designed piece of clothing, that can still be part of your everyday life with a whole new meaning.
Because it’s one of the European festivals that focuses more on supporting emerging young talents across the world.
FC: What are your thoughts regarding ‘religion and fashion’?
It’s a sensitive subject regarding ideology, but very interesting considering aesthetics.
(Does) Fashion Make(s) Sense
FC: Does fashion make sense to you?
Of course. It’s who we are, what we do, and how we communicate.
FC: What are your thoughts on making ‘fashion’ more environmentally-friendly?
Every initiative that makes number 1 polluting industry more environmentally friendly is more that welcome.
FC:What are your thoughts on the senses in relation to the human body?
Everything about fashion is the way we perceive it through our senses. We like a garment because of its color, sometimes the way it smells or how it feels in contact with our skin.
FC: Do you think that fashion can contribute to a better world / better well-being, and what do you do to make a difference?
We think it can, specially when we think about what we are buying, where it’s made, the quality of that product, what it says about who we are, how long it’s going to last… We produce everything locally, collaborating with small artisans and artists like us, taking care of how everything is made, and finishing each garment manually at our studio.
FC:What senses are engaged in your creation process?
Mainly sight and touch.
FC:How does technology change your creation process?
Research becomes much easier with technology. We also try and 3D print all our trimmings for production, so that they are unique for L’EGSQÈRE. Details make all the difference.
Here are also some fun facts about the girls behind L’EGSQÈRE:
FC: What’s a standard day for you?
A full day at the studio working on garments, prints, patterns, toiles...
FC: Vegan, vegetarian, healthy diet or any food will do?
Any food! Food is always wonderful!
FC:What’s your favorite song at the moment?
On Top, by The Mouldy Peaches, and The Garden (maybe not favorite but discovered them recently).
FC: Best Tv-show/movie at the moment?
So many! Stranger Things (Winona forever), The Oa, Love, Westworld, The Man in the High Castle, Masters of None among others.
FC: Are you a people's person or a loner?
People’s person
FC: Your favorite quote?
I guess something like “Do what you love”.
FC: What’s your favorite city?
Here we have two: Paris and London.
FC: If you could move anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
Everywhere! Live a little while in Tokyo, then travel to Iceland, a couple of months in Perú.. why not! The world is endless!
FC: Who is your biggest example/idol?
Bowie, Leigh Bowery, Rei Kawakubo, Virginia Wolfe, Patti Smith… Anyone who risked being different or doing something despite everything else.
FC: Favorite magazine?
A Magazine, Monocle, Kinkfolk…
FC: Your favourite hashtags #?
#egsqere
FC: Your favorite social media app?
FC: Instagram account you think deserves more attention?
@antwerpfashionmasters and @egsqere
If you would like to check out this one and many other collections, be sure to get your tickets to this year's FASHIONCLASH festival. You can do that, and take a look at the program of the event here.
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