Madomorpho
Madomorpho is a cutting-edge Berlin-based brand that saw its gestation in Amsterdam during the training years of its two founders Emma Postma and Saga Peterson. A shared vision and an experimental and instinctive attitude towards fashion design are the reasons that led them to join their hands to shape eclectic, provocative, artfully dismembered garments.
Old-timey palettes blend with an ultra-contemporary feel that goes beyond categorisation. Each piece is designed to be worn in a genuinely unconventional way, adapting to different bodies thanks to strings and laces with a touch of nostalgia. Secondhand is the starting point to deconstruct pre-existing items bestowing them with unexpected shapes and applications. The transformative potential lies in daring non-ordinary juxtapositions and re-thinking the way of wearing by injecting the daily life with a scent of theatricality.
Where does the name MADOMORPHO come from, and how was this project born?
Madomorpho actually came from an innocent and naive “our favourite animals” talk. It combines the animal dik-dik’s scientific name ”Madoqua”, and the genus butterfly “Morpho Achilles”. We thought the mix of the two sounded beautiful, also having qualities of “morph” or “morphing” which means gradual transformation. And this is something we both highly value.
The project and collaboration which turned into our fashion brand started from our passion for second-hand clothing. We are both dedicated secondhand shoppers, and we turned that into our Depop business where we sell clothes. First, it was a mix of secondhand and our own designs, but we soon separated the two. Our passion and focus lie on our brand, but we still have our Depop platform as a source of income. This makes it possible for us to realise our upcoming and first collection.
Which designers or artists are your sources of inspiration or have most influenced your vision in creating garments?
First and foremost, we want to mention that our daily inspiration is coming from the scene here, our gorgeous friends and their talents and potential! We hope to be a mix of the theatrical energy of the 90’s and our amazing and queer friends we surround ourselves with. In general, we are both very inspired by the designers as well as catwalks of the 1980’s and 1990’s. We think they have much more theatrical and performative aspects than what is being done today. There seemed to be so much passion and joy in the show as a whole, from the models having fun wearing the garments to the stage design and music.
Many of your pieces are corsets, ribbons and laces appear constantly involved. What do you intend to convey with this specific apparel?
It is difficult for a small brand like ours to create sizes and clothes for everyone to fit and wear. We think that this is somehow how the strings, ties and lacing came into place. To suit different bodies and also to allow people to create their own looks with our pieces. Both of us are very spontaneous and create looks in the moment, often based on what we like to wear ourselves. Many of the looks were trials that we made for fun which were then reworked to sell.
How is the choice of materials conducted, and what are the essential parameters for the selection?
Next to the sustainability aspect of using secondhand fabrics and pieces, there is also a limitation and detail orientation that can really push your mind to find a new way to work with something. For example, the cowboy corsets we recently launched are an outcome of cutting and playing around with cowboy boots we were draping on our bodies. We found out that they work very well as a corset, and we believe that starting from scratch with a piece of leather would not have given them the same look and feel.
We are still learning a lot about fabrics' quality, but sometimes you have to try to see how things turn out. Especially when working with secondhand materials: you will never really know how it will work. It can be either disappointing or exciting. We try to attend many thrift markets to find unconventional fabrics or hardwear such as curtains, tablecloths, bronze antiques and leather jackets and incorporate them into our designs. There is so much beautiful vintage material in the world to give a new purpose.
You are based in Berlin. How do you perceive the fashion making scenario in this city, and in which way are you embedded within it?
We, Saga and Emma, created our brand. We met and studied together in Amsterdam and then we moved together to Berlin. Our design studio is based in Berlin. Emma is graduating in fashion design and, at the moment, she is back in Amsterdam. Her graduation collection will be combined with Madomorpho. Berlin is a great place to start as a small brand, the scene is very welcoming, and there are many opportunities here for young designers, but there is not much money in the creative industry, which is a shame.
What are the expectations for the immediate future, and in which direction do you envision the evolution of MADOMORPHO?
Very exciting, actually! We are working very hard on an extensive collection together, something we haven’t really done, talked and thought about a lot. Hopefully, we will have around ten looks we will present during a fashion show in Amsterdam, and hopefully in Berlin too! The looks are different to what we have created so far: less ready-to-wear and more drama! We aim to get back to the performance vibe and love for design. Also, to simply have a lot of fun! Our upcoming collection will be presented at the beginning of next year; we can’t wait to show you our new work!
interview GIULIA OTTAVIA FRATTINI
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