Backstage at ARNDES SS24 at ModaLisboa à la carte

Creating change, one outfit at a time

We live in a time when we are confronted daily with news of terrible environmental crimes. The fashion industry also has a big impact on this issue, with tonnes of clothes being discarded and the lack of sustainable care that many brands still have, it’s important that we give way to those who seek to be conscious of this. One of them is ARNDES, a Portuguese brand that is committed to combining aesthetics, functionality, quality and the environmental impact of its garments, based on environmental, ecological and social sustainability.

Beauty Antonia Rosa and team using Clarins

Hair Helena Vaz Pereira and team at Griffe Hair Style using L’Orèal Profissional Paris

Words by Letícia Lima

Ana Rita de Sousa, the designer behind ARNDES, has always been attracted to expressing herself through textiles. In 2021, Ana Rita won the top prize in ModaLisboa’s Sangue Novo competition, which allowed her to study for a master’s degree in Collection Design at Polimoda in Florence.

At the 61st Lisbon Fashion Week, she presented FREESTYLE – a collection that breaks free from the constraints of conventional fashion, as she describes “This collection centres on a moment of self-expression and a commitment to exploration and experimentation.”

The collection comes to life with the use of fabrics such as cupro (a man-made cellulosic fibre which is made from cotton linters), heavy dark and natural coloured denim, knitwear and cotton, as well as some touches of leather. The silhouettes range from lighter and flowing dresses to structured jackets. All these materials used were leftovers that have been given a new purpose in this collection.

With the creation of timeless pieces in mind, the colour palette features neutral tones that play off each other. Lighter colours such as beige, grey and white contrast with the dark tone of the denim, which has been maipulated with a laser technique on top of the garment, giving the fabric a pattern and a 3D illusion.

A great small detail that added an extra touch to the outfits was the stencil saying “ARNDES PROCESS”. It was put on the skin of all models, and looked like litte tattoos. The jewellery accessories were made by the designer herself by moulding metal tape.