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Backstage at SANGUE NOVO FW24/25 at MODALISBOA For Good

Celebrating young Portuguese designers

In the vibrant Portuguese fashion scene, the Sangue Novo competition stands out as a platform for discovering and promoting young talent. Organized by the ModaLisboa Association, together with Lisbon City Council, this initiative’s mission is not only to boost designer fashion but to encourage creativity, innovation and sustainability.

Backstage photography Raquel Pinote

Beauty Antonia Rosa and team with Clarins

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

Sangue Novo Designers
Mestre Studio • M.Plateau • Maria do Carmo Studio • Barbara Atanásio • Çal Pfungst • Isza.

Words Letícia Lima

Since 1996, Sague Novo as part of ModaLisboa has been set up to provide a platform for aspiring designers to showcase their talent and vision. Through mentoring and support of companies such as: Seaside, Calvelex, RDD Textiles and Riopele; the competition allows designers to hone their craft and make their mark on the industry.

This edition of the Sangue Novo competition began in October 2023 at Modalisboa à La Carte- also covered by ZOOT. Where the jury made up of fashion industry professionals Miguel Flor, Joana Jorge, João Magalhães, Adriano Batista, Ana Tavares and Olivia Spinelli selected six finalists from ten young designers: Diogo Mestre, Gabriel Bandeira (M.PLATEAU), Maria do Carmo Studio, Barbara Atanásio, Çal Pfungst and Isza. Now they were returning to Patio da Galé at Modalisboa For Good to present their final collections in the competition.

In the last stage of the competition, two designers stood out for the jury: ISZA, winner of the ModaLisboa X IED – Istituto Europeo di Design award, and BÁRBARA ATANÁSIO, winner of the ModaLisboa X RDD Textiles award.

ZOOT had the opportunity to see the collections backstage and have a closer look at some of the details.

Barbara Atanásio — ModaLisboa X RDD Textiles award

The Funny Thing That Is Neo-Nostalgia

Barbara Atanazio’s collection captivates with its whimsical and profound exploration of contemporary and nostalgia times many different cultural nuances. The aestetics of the 1990´s and 2000´s clash with Britpop and Grunge into an anti-fashion collage. In a digital age where neo-nostalgia intertwines with innovation, deconstruction, upcycling and humor Barbara creates garments that serve as portals to a bygone era, reimagined through the lens of modern sensibility.

As Barbara is putting it herself….

Inebriated by the digital world, we live in a time of neos. The osmotic nostalgia of another era is accelerated by the globalization of others’ memories aboard the digital time machine. Clothing distorted of values, experiences, and scents, arrive as absurd caricatures, in a beautiful and canned version of themselves, available in any supermarket of styles near you.

The kaleidoscope of ideas that someone once had remixes into a dada do-over that aims to save the future. A styling that rethinks layers in a layering of mille-feuilles that fuels the hope of reuse. The new millennium begins with the revival of techniques and materials that endure, that are inherited. This collection is thus the materialization of someone else’s memory through the distant gaze of those who did not live it.

Çal Pfungst

REVERIE

Pfungst unveils “REVERIE”, a collection that crosses the realms of fantasy and surrealism, echoing the wisdom of Americanfantastic fiction author Ursula K. Leguin: “People who deny the existence of dragons are usually eaten by dragons. From the inside”. It’s a journey through a heart in technicolour, a fictional autobiographical reverie.

In this dreamscape, voluminous and dramatic silhouettes come to life in fabrics such as denim and tulle. A vibrant contrast of the colours red and blue, interacts with more sober shades of grey and black. Stripes stand out, as does denim, which comes to life with splashes and brushstrokes of metallic and colourful tones. Attention to detail is shown in head accessories such as pastel pink wigs that extend into a bag and feathered helmets with antennae and tulle hats.

Isza — ModaLisboa X IED – Istituto Europeo di Design award

SHADES OF DOUBT

This collection arises from a deep intrigue about an uncertain future, with the aim of facing the discomfort of the unknown. Crossing technology with hope, Isza’s creations raise questions about the role of innovation in shaping our destiny. The use of 3D printed materials adds a tactile dimension to the clothes, with metallic meshes and airy nets symbolising the tension between progress and apprehension.

Classic elements of the female wardrobe, such as miniskirts and tailored waistcoats, are perfectly integrated into the futuristic aesthetic, balancing innovation and practicality. And the colour palette makes use of classic tones such as black, white and comes alive with metallic silver touches and a greenish tone that extends to the 3D printed pieces.

Maria do Carmo Studio

The Maria do Carmo Studio collection is a continuation of the brand’s visual identity, which focuses on creating pieces that can be worn and reproduced.

Inspired by visually captivating elements such as plaids, stripes and the delicate shapes of the hibiscus flower, the collection is described as a fusion of beauty and lightness. Techniques like knitting and the application of glitter coatings to the fabric add depth and texture to the designs, while the use of sustainable materials such as deadstock fabrics aligns with the brand’s commitment to ethical fashion practices.

The colour palette is fun, with blues, pinks, oranges, and even in the pieces with calmer tones and silhouettes, there is a touch of colour in the accessories made by the Caribbean brand By Goldiie, which make references to bubbles and hisbco flowers, adding an extra touch to this collection.

Mestre Studio

“SENTI QUE CHEGUEI (…)”

Diogo Mestre’s collection offers a moving journey through the corridors of childhood nostalgia. Through the lens of the artist’s photographic archive, viewers are transported to a world of fond memories, where the simple acts of knitting and waiting for spring evoke a deep sense of warmth and familiarity.

The collection is a celebration of texture and colour, with stripes taking centre stage in various shapes, sizes and shades. Diogo Mestre’s playful experimentation with fabrics creates a tactile experience reminiscent of sheep hugging wool. Knitting is a recurring element, making its way through the designs in a multitude of colours and silhouettes.

Denim garments are adorned with sparkling embellishments, reminiscent of the innocence and wonder of childhood. From moons and stars to clouds and butterflies, each appliqué tells a story of whimsy and imagination. The colour palette is as vibrant as the memories it evokes, with shades of pink, orange, blue and red dancing across the pieces.

M.PLATEAU by Gabriel Bandeira

[P]LUMES OF DISSIDENCE

Delving into the psyche of the emotionless anti-hero, each piece in this collection serves to reflect the protagonist’s tumultuous inner world.

The collection aim to explore and challenge traditional tailoring and military typologies. Archive looks and leftover jeans from previous collections have been incorporated, transforming each piece into a tapestry of reinvention and innovation, showing the resilience and adaptability of the anti-hero.

The silhouettes and fabrics presented serve to bring this complex narrative to life. Denim, reimagined through a variety of techniques and effects such as a melted and burnt appearance that appears on several looks and the dirt effect on the trouser cuffs, intertwines perfectly with elements borrowed from traditional tailoring. The colour scheme remains discreet, echoing a sombre mood reminiscent of bold realism.