Kat Luna (she/her) is a fiber major and ceramics minor from Miami, Florida.
Maia Malakoff (she/her) is a fiber major and experimental fashion minor from Seattle, Washington.
They are collaborating together on their collection, cocoon, and are passionate about material exploration through bio-fabrication.
“What happens to one happens to us all. We can starve together or feast together. All flourishing is mutual” —Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass
cocoon is a story about the importance of appreciation and respect for the materials that we are gifted from the world and the myriad of ways they can be utilized. This collection is an exploration of the relationship between the body and material becoming one. It is about the acceptance of impermanence understanding, that these gifts fade, decay, and die over time, just as we will eventually. How can we give back to the earth in the same way that it gives to itself and those living on it? cocoon is made out of a combination of materials layering traditional garment work with wearable sculptures. We work with natural cellulose and protein fibers and merge them with bio-materials and renewable waste, dyeing everything with natural materials. These processes are deeply integrated in our own cultural histories and carrying on these legacies are vital. Integrating a myriad of textures and colors in relationship with the body is our goal to honor the animacy of ourselves and these materials. Through this network of giving and taking, flourishing can become mutual for the present and future of life on earth.