When the ever-changing time ceases yet doesn’t flow,
afterimages flake away, and the form and selection are to be manifested.
Time moves unseen, yet because of this, it resonates with human perception. Time does not merely pass of its own accord but progresses through human agency, gaining depth and dimension as it unfolds. This process begets history and context, woven into the present. However, its accumulation has never been seamless.
Suddenly, in a fleeting instant, its steps falter. One such moment is recollection—another dimension, or perhaps an entirely different stance and perspective. It is not simply a retrospective glance at the past but a door into the unreal, a form of psychotherapeutic engagement, a mirage, and a liberation from the constraints that perpetually enclose us. The contours of this illogical and infinite world remain undefined, appearing and vanishing in the blink of an eye. Even preserving its afterimage in memory proves an arduous task. Evoking fragility and ambiguity, this vision may be shared through the imagined reconstruction of similar scenes, yet subtle variations arise between individuals. In this variance, as with clothing, individuality is rendered visible.
This collection—described as a "tumultuous yet uninhibited cluster, embodying both noble idleness and a decadent essence"—delicately reflects the designer’s attitude towards time. The lingering impressions of the Polish feature film The Hourglass Sanatorium, which served as a catalyst for contemplating afterimages, permeate its construction. The maxi coat, aptly named "Quicksand," embraces power shoulders, yet rather than reinforcing them with gauche, it tempers their presence with soft velvet sleeves, adjusting the weight to achieve the desired drape. A knitted dress, meticulously woven from 100% high-twist wool, manipulates its lining with an intricate interplay of layers—some sections folded twice, others thrice—echoing the film’s ephemeral blue colour. The synthesis of "constraint (tightness)" and "liberation (comfort)" yields a multidimensional exploration of texture and silhouette. This same fabric reappears in a cardigan that reinterprets cropped trousers, while a coordinated skirt transforms into trousers and a top, offering multiple styling possibilities that challenge monolithic notions of dressing. Experimentation with structured fits that nonetheless permit graceful drapery extends across long-sleeved and sleeveless garments, skirts, and hijabs.
"As thin as a membrane, it lurks as an alternate reality—untouchable, irregular, yet undeniably present". This world naturally converges with mukcyen’s creative consciousness: "To feel through the skin is to perceive recognition and possession". Like light and shadow in the physical world, these elements disperse naturally, often unnoticed in daily life. Yet, with the slightest shift in stance and gaze, latent signposts may emerge. This consciousness is to be manifested by only becoming aware of feeling and possessing.
What moments do we select to incorporate into our being? Then we discern the differences between ourselves and others, nurturing relationships through affirmation and solace. This entire process, which may appear as mere reverie, is perhaps exactly that—or perhaps nothing more than a subtle expansion of reality itself. The interpretation, much like a signature at the end of a manuscript, is left in the hands of the beholder.
