Martina Spetlova

I am a scientist turned designer. I have previously studied chemistry but have always been attracted to textiles and colour in fashion, and so applying for a fashion textile course at Central Saint Martins was a perfect choice. I graduated from the Masters course under the guidance of late Louise Wilson in 2010 and started my own brand a couple of years after.

It might seem like a big leap from science to fashion but, on the contrary, there are many similarities in the way I approach my work as a fashion designer and as a chemist. I start with a series of different ingredients and then experiment with them to create volume, new textures and also the shape. These ideas have then a very strong influence on the construction of the garments and are transformed into my collection pieces.

My woven leather textiles, which have become the trademark of my label, are made following a technique that I have developed and perfected over the last three years. The hides are hand-punched and hand-woven for sampling. I’m now developing the same technique on other bonded fabrics that I am going to introduce in the Spring/Summer 2018 collection. In all my leather production I work towards zero waste by 
precision-cutting the leather by CNC machines and reusing any excess. 
All my textiles are handcrafted by highly skilled women artisans, 
who are part of a refugee charity project whose profit goes back into the community.

I love different colours and textures. The flat surface of traditional leather does not excite me and I always try to change it and turn it into something new, unrecognizable and exciting. I very often work in a patchwork way, where I combine colour hues and textures with certain sensibility in mind.

I make lots of references in my work to contemporary art and particular artists. In the beginning of the season I have clear ideas about the placement and colour story of the collection, but it always changes slightly because of the limited availability of certain colours in fabrics. Many times it is a challenge to balance what I can find with what I’m trying to relate – I want to have hand-painted leather, weaving and other textile experiments.

I make the clothes for myself – in some ways – as much as I do with an ideal client in mind.

I truly believe it already is. Fashion has been very open-minded towards unisex, and many high end and high street companies use it to their advantage. Anything goes.

There are many challenges for a small fashion company, even without sustainability in its ethos. What I find the most challenging is sourcing a great variety of high quality materials in small quantities, finding the right and reliable suppliers, and building my network of valued suppliers with the same work ethics as mine.

My inspiration for this season was Beverly Semmes’ series of hand-painted porn magazine collages called The Feminist Responsibility Project, the attitude of which is reflected in the collection. The signature woven leather looks are again characterized by colourful hand-painted patchwork experiments – that expand for the first time to bonded cottons, which open up a variety of whole new avenues of experimentation. I am very excited about it.
I have already mentioned that working with sustainable materials has always been an important part of my ethos, and for this new collection Swarovski Collective selected for the launch of their range of ethical recycled crystals, which is super exciting. For this particular collaboration I have developed a technique specially to use Swarovski’s best selling hot-fix crystals directly onto the leather. As well as this, my on-going passion for sportswear brought up a new partnership with Proviz, bringing to life exciting new pieces with their unique 360-degree reflective material.

More experimentation and a more sustainable approach.