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NY Art Life: Hi Marina, thanks for joining us today. It’s such an honor to meet you. I am in awe of the fact that you worked for top brands like Marchesa and Altuzarra. I was also dying to interview you because of your unique collections, particularly Eva, and I am very impressed with your professional achievement of having participated in New York Fashion Week, one of the premiere fashion events in the world. We certainly have a lot to talk about.
Marina Pereira: Thank you so much for having me. I’m excited to be here and share my unique career of designing in both Brazil and the US. I think my experience with major brands will be very interesting and give an insight to your readers and other young fashion designers.
NY Art Life: Absolutely! Let’s get into it! Can you talk to me first about Marchesa?
Marina Pereira: Yes, working at Marchesa was super exciting because of the level of luxury and artistry required. I worked on many collections and on Georgina Chapman’s beautiful dress which she wore to the prestigious Met Gala. Marchesa is widely known in fashion for its strong command of embroidery design. I was able to incorporate the heritage and craftsmanship of haute couture with contemporary techniques. Through the advancement of technology, sustainability, innovation, and the technical expertise of this historic craft I was able to create stunning pieces that were featured in major fashion publications such as Vogue, Attitude, and Harper’s Bazaar. Additionally. I got to express so much through textile manipulation, draping, and designing appliques on the garments I was working on.
NY Art Life: Can you give our readers a breakdown of what an applique is?
Marina Pereira: Oh, sure. Appliqués are the artwork that you design that are often beaded or threaded which are sewn on a fabric base, which you can then cut out and place on the garment. It is a really lovely way of adding shapes and patterns. Some people prefer needle-turn appliqué where the raw edges of the fabric shape are turned under, before the fabric is hand stitched onto the backing fabric. Appliqué shapes often need their raw edges protected to prevent fraying. I love to use ‘blanket stitch’. It gives a great finish and adds to the longevity of the design. Many sewing machines will have a blanket stitch or buttonhole stitch setting. Alternatively, you can hand stitch your appliqué which is what we did a lot of at Marchesa.
NY Art Life: That is so interesting. Do you do similar designs currently at Altuzarra?
Marina Pereira: At Altuzarra, I am a Print Designer, which is different from the embroidery work I was doing previously. Here I research and develop concepts for prints, create patterns, make different color combinations for designs and of course take care of all the responsibilities that come with production. It’s amazing being able to create textile designs and see the full vision when we receive samples for the runway. You can design a textile and it could quite easily be fine art. The textiles take priority. Altuzarra is a household name and Joseph Altuzarra has won many awards, including the prestigious CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year in 2014. His designs have graced the runways of New York Fashion Week countless times since 2008. He’s amazing to work with!
NY Art Life: This is so interesting. Your artistry is so diverse.
Marina Pereira: I think it’s always important to understand every aspect of the garment: the embroidery, the prints, the silhouette, everything. I think while there is value in specializing in one specific aspect of design, specialization makes you lose the big-picture aspect of the garment. I also just love creating anything I can get my hands on.
NY Art Life: That is such an interesting perspective. Would you say that was your experience in designing your solo collection ‘Eva’?
Marina Pereira: This collection was inspired by my own journey of exploring my femininity. In Portuguese “Eva” means “Eve”. I was always intrigued by how in the bible Eve (the symbol for womanhood) was not made like Adam through sand and elements from the earth; she was made from Adam’s rib. EVA is a collection where I explored how femininity and masculinity are not oppositions, they do coexist together. Instead of wanting to escape these boundaries that were made by society, I learned to embrace them together. It was an incredibly enriching experience. It was a collection that involved multidisciplinary knowledge and required meticulous coordination to convey the importance and impact of this thesis.
NY Art Life: What is your goal with Eva?
Marina Pereira: I strive to make women and men feel powerful in their masculinity and femininity because those traits are inside all of us. My collection Eva represented that.
NY Art Life: Eva includes a multitude of garments. Can you give us a breakdown of some of the garments?
Marina: Each garment had a specific approach and a specific construction.
The Dress was inspired by classic dreamy and feminine style, this long-sleeved dress is made out of nude organza. The floor-length skirt is gathered all around and sewn onto the torso of the dress. The top is gathered with elastic thread at the bottom of the torso. At the front, a thick panel is baby hemmed and ruffled along the button panel along the center of the torso to add volume and cover the bust. The cuffs are tight-fitted and exaggerated in length, stopping almost at elbow length, contrasting with the volume of the sleeve. I wanted to make a dress that was conservative in silhouette; something buttoned, fully covered, and floor length, in contrast to the sheerness of the organza where everything can be seen underneath.
The ankle length Coat has an accentuated waist made by two steep darts at the side of the coat creating a more boxy yet feminine hip. I added black ostrich feathers to the sleeves, which I loved in contrast when combined with the shiny embossed croc vinyl. To cinch in the waist and take out the excess fabric, a dart was made on the princess line. At the back of the coat, the other two darts at the back add volume to the behind. The collar is high at the back and shorter at the front in a mandarin-inspired style in homage to my Chinese background. The shoulders are squared and pleated to add volume. This look in particular was supposed to be a more dark and beautifully grotesque piece, something striking that could either scare or intrigue you.
And lastly the cropped army green ostrich top. This was the first piece to be designed in the collection. It was made by hand, where every ostrich feather is sewn in a specific manner to create volume and movement when being worn. It is lightened with black crepe silk. I love this piece dearly. It is a statement piece that is so fun, bold, and still sexy with the open key-hole back.
NY Art Life: These are such complex pieces. They are truly beautiful and unique. It’s no wonder they were well-received and praised by the public.
Marina Pereira: Thank you so much for the recognition! It’s one of my most important achievements and one that brands always discuss with me when we meet.
NY Art Life: Any last words for our readers?
Marina Pereira: Femininity and masculinity are not oppositions, they are not exclusionary. Once you grasp this as a fashion designer, you can truly express creatively.
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