FUTURE LANDSCAPES EDITORIAL
Creative Collaboration in Berlin between international artists and designers
Vegan fashion accessories brand ZMAI and the record label USM Recordings blended their creative ideas, forming a fuse of sustainable fashion design and digital art, at the location of STUDIO183, a unique designer store in Berlin.
The name of the livestream event and the title of the USM album, Future Landscapes, connect the futuristic concept of all participants. ZMAI presented its new handbag collection of sustainable fashion accessories with a futuristic geometric look, accompanied by clothes from selected designers of STUDIO183.
USM recordings, presented by artists Kobzev and Againstme, celebrated their album release with the name ‘Future Soundscapes’ by compiling all the album tracks into a DJ set during the simultaneous photo shoot by Berlin photographers Alex Tepetidis and Sarah Engler.
The photoshoot was done under the projection of a unique Digital Artist, Maotik, who created live generative artwork projections, combining science and art with the latest technology. Adding the projections to ZMAI bags with the unique 3D surface creates a novel aesthetic for photography.
The story behind ZMAI
Brand ZMAI (meaning “a dragon” in Slovenian language”) is inspired by the powerful symbolism of the dragon that signifies power, strength, and good fortune. The innovative vegan accessories are created with respectful appreciation towards traditional craftsmanship, passionate attention to detail, and visionary pursuit of innovative ideas.
The women’s bags are made like no other bag due to an innovative assembly and design process. Their recognizable 3D texture is achieved with a process known as a digital handcraft – combining the laser cut technology with hand assembly.
They are often used as a platform – a canvas to express ideas and creative visions through various projects. The creative brain behind ZMAI, Neli Štrukelj, has always been inspired by people around her who push the boundaries of what is known and she often collaborates with other artists and designers as there are always opportunities to enrich a project giving it new dimensions and perspectives.
About the team
Neli Štrukelj, designer of Zmai handbags
ZMAI accessories is a brand of sustainable women’s bags created by Slovenian designer Neli Štrukelj. She has been working in a variety of different fields of fashion before she discovered her creative calling to design luxury bags. With a strong passion for innovations, Neli creates bags that differentiate them from others by their unique appearance.
Neli is the first Slovenian fashion designer to enter the finals of the American “Independent Handbag Designer Awards”, a competition in the category Best Green Handbag. As a member of SOTO society, she received the “Elle Style Awards”. The most important award for the fashion achievements in 2016 was received by SOTO Society for the Slovene textile and fashion design exhibition named “Made in Slovenia”.
STUDIO183
STUDIO183 began as an experimental pop-up shop in 2015 and has now formed into a boutique retail concept representing an evolving selection of international and Berlin-based artists and designers. With one fixed store location in West Berlin, STUDIO183 prides itself in showcasing high-quality design, fashion & art while offering a platform for select young designers and entrepreneurs to sell their products in a curated retail context.
Maotik
Mathieu Le Sourd, also known as Maotik, is a French digital artist that focuses on immersive experiences, interactive installations, and audiovisual performances. Known for his dome immersive performances, Le Sourd designs his own audiovisual tools, generating real-time visual content from algorithms and creating 3D worlds to transform perceptions of space. He often collaborates with other disciplines such as music, dance, theatre, architecture, and scientists to continue his research into the relationship between arts and technology. Since 2011, his works have been exhibited in various festivals and institutions worldwide, such as Mutek Festival, Live cinema in Rio, Signal Festival in Prague, the British Film Institute in London, ARS Electronica in Linz, Miraikan Science Museum in Tokyo, B39 in Seoul and Funkhaus in Berlin.
