Wardrobes require statement pieces, and London-based designer Cristina Sabaiduc delivers. Each season, she creates original prints for her eponymous womenswear label with photographic artist Jo Holland, producing a series of striking, colourful patterns inspired by the coexistence of natural and industrial elements in our environment. Molding beetroots, crystallized feathers, and Transylvanian salt mines have all been unexpected sources of inspiration for the designer, who was raised in Romania, Switzerland, and Canada. “I look at things in a very basic manner,” she says. “A woman wants to feel empowered and comfortable. I believe in creating something that lies in truly practical solutions to dress but without the loss of fantasy and mysticism.”
Sabaiduc has long had an innovative approach to design. After gaining experience with Carolina Herrera in New York and Jeremy Laing in Toronto, she settled in the British capital and launched her own line in 2013. She has since become known for her thought-provoking approach to fashion. Her presentations in the past have taken unconventional approaches, such as a 3D film screening or a gallery exhibit-turned-runway show. “My motivation is to have you question why and how we wear clothing,” she says.
The use of magnetic closures is another trademark of Sabaiduc’s designs, adding versatility to her garments and creating countless possibilities for individual styling. Her silk scarves have small magnets on their diagonal points, allowing the wearer to wrap each one two or three times, or any which way, without fear of it coming undone or damaging the fabric. With the colourful prints, the scarves become beautiful visuals any way they’re tied, and each one has an intriguing longevity and uniqueness that carries it far beyond its season—a rare find in the fleeting world of fashion.
