photo by H. Berthold

Casa Parinteasca, Balestra Berlin & Isabell de Hillerin
In recent years the ancient fabrics industry in Moldova has been driven to near extinction. Especially the unique art of weaving and embroidering is hardly practiced nowadays and is falling into oblivion. To strengthen this traditional artisan industry, Balestra Berlin works with local Moldavian manufacturers to support the production of handmade materials. The aim is to push these highly skilled craftsmen by implementing their cultural skills in a modern fashion context. This will be achieved by bringing together the Berlin based fashion designer Isabell de Hillerin with local weavers and embroiderers. The exchange of this two different fashion approaches has to be seen as an educational programme with workshops. In this process all parties will learn from each other and exchange their knowledge, share specialists handicraft and experiences. During the workshop days we fused, re- combined, changed, implemented, experimented and developed. We tested new weaving ideas, tried out other materials, explained new cut methods from Berlin, discussed further pattern ideas and colors and worked together on the machines and the materials the entire workshop time. The result is the fashion collection ‘Eclectic Line’ – a modern interpretation of Moldovan traditions with contemporary fashion design. This collection has been presented during the European Week of Art and Culture in Chisinau but also during Berlin Fashion Week 2012.

Tandem is an initiative of European Cultural Foundation, MitOst, Culture Action Europe, Centre for Cultural Management and Soros Foundation Moldova. It was supported by The Open Society Foundations – with contribution of the Arts and Culture Program of Budapest.