The inaugural collection of the un-normal analyses the very start, the basis that a person stands on. The sort of sartorial investigation to the individual’s identity tracing from its own genesis and its components: the intrinsic sense of self and cultural space and heritage. what are they and how they interact and, perhaps, how sometimes that can be unfulfilling or incomplete. Hence, the name of the collection –

Reckoning of Haphazard Genesis

a person’s identity can be roughly categorised as:

the cultural part – the national heritage and cultural, religious background;

while the intrinsic sense of self – is the sexual and gender identity.

 

The national heritage in clothes form comes in the traditional costume of the home region. Today it is rarely worn outside special national occasions, so the sighting of it was an occasion on its own. However, the silhouettes of the costume are still ingrained in my mind: unlike costumes of many other nations or even within country’s regions, it tends to be in muted colours, often earth toned, garments constructed with clean, somewhat, strict lines. Yet, the relatively small number of extensive academic historical sources on it suggest that, perhaps, indulging in one’s cultural identity preservation is a luxury in itself.

The second aspect of the cultural and, for some people, communal identity is religion. Or the cultural imprint it has. In my case it is the catholic church that I was raised in and drawn inspiration. There is a natural fascination with the ceremonial aspects of a mass, clergy’s garments, and decorative aspect of it all. Which, through centuries has gained cultural significance and relevance to the point, of sometimes, becoming partly independent of the faith to begin with. Thus, being a part of it, regardless of whether you are at all religious anymore. In particular, garments and the variety of them worn by the clergy for various catholic ceremonies still stand out.

And particularly, in Central and Eastern European countries this individual pride has been vilified in politics – that somehow this part of your identity – queerness should conflict with the cultural aspects of it. That, being queer is a foreign concept, that it somehow lessens ownership of one’s national identity. While this narrative employed by populists is baseless and irrational, it still complicates a person’s life and relationship with one’s own identity. So how do you cope with it all? Usually, it becomes the societal pressure to mute yourself.

to censor and edit yourself – your being.

These contemplations already are reflected in initial sketches.

Even the materials are carefully chosen based not only on their longevity and sustainability but how they relate to the concept of the collection and its inspiration. They are the ones, more native to Lithuania and in some cases carrying additional cultural significance (e.g. linen). Subsequently, they are obviously pure, natural fibres.