Zone Out the brand was born during the quarantine period from the friendship between five talented girls who are moved by their passion for knitwear.
Yarns, stitches, garments are three of the main elements involved in their knitting process; focusing on these, Zone Out made their own force.
Who are the people behind Zone Out? Tell us your story.
Asia, Beatrice, Caterina, Chiara and Greta. We have freshly graduated in Fashion and Knitwear Design BA degree at Politecnico di Milano. We have been friends since first year, faced all the courses studying together and supporting each other and so it was a natural choice working together our last year, when we all chose to specialize in knitwear. We have also discovered to share the same vision regarding fashion and sustainability matters, but also the same aesthetic taste. We work together really well, knowing each other’s skills and managing all in a complementary way.
What does knitwear mean to you and why do you set your brand between reality and unreality?
We have learnt knitwear design as strict and precise, as you decide every single stitch of the garment. But at the same time it gives wide possibilities to try out and imagine complex textures and fits. Moreover is a sustainable design way as every garment could be realized without waste. We do support this vision in our project – all unique pieces made up with dead stock yarns research color and texture. The theme of the collection was inspired by a moment of daze in an annoying smart working day, an escape experience, so between tangible reality and dreamy one. From this concept we elaborate fluid shapes with transparency and mixed color effect.
From whom do you take inspiration?
From our past year’s life. quarantining while studying and managing to team work at distance had been challenging and alienating. We started from this feeling, turning it into pleasure, escaping the reality – so the name Zone Out. We really felt like Alice in Wonderland, pretty lost but somehow amused. All the aesthetic research followed and we found lots of sources matching our theme. For example photographs of Paul Rousteau and Yoshinori Mizutani express in visual format our same enchantment, both questioning limits of photography, looking for glitches and formal alterations to bring fluid shapes, beyond recognition. Maria Luneva and Hanne Zaruma were also inspiring for their surreal artwork displayed through their instagram pages, showing the connection between tech and human or nature in a new perspective.
As a new born brand, why did you choose to start this ‘adventure’? What is your main philosophy? How difficult was it to focus on it?
We had the chance to undertake this project during our academic path so it was not meant to go over, but at the end we realized how much we were satisfied and how good the response around us has been so we felt it could mean the birth of something – never say never. We are really at the beginning, still figuring out our next steps. We have always been focused on the now and here to cope with all the process and its obstacles and concerns, also deriving from covid situation. The challenge has been developing the collection in four months – considering the realization of the garments had taken less than two – and still be satisfied with the first shot prototypes.
Where your passion for fashion takes roots? Someone in your family, friends, a special event, etc.
Some of us had grandparents involved in fashion and tailoring. Some were touched less directly. We all share the vision that fashion has the power to influence society and this realization was the key point to the choice of undertaking this study and this professional path.
Rebirth is the main concept of the current issue. What do you think will be the Fashion System’s strategy? And yours?
It is evident that after the past years things must change and something is happening.
The fashion system should really question all the process and change for good, meaning it. Goals should be aligned in favor of human life, with sustainability and inclusion. We come with this change and are ready to support it.
Click here to find out more about Zone Out brand!
