Selected works by Neza Simcic

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   Master's Student in Fashion, Clothing and Textile Design degree at Aalto University with a BA in Textile and Fashion design from the University of Ljubjlana. Currently interning at Cecile Feilchenfeldt’s knitwear studio and looking for junior design positions to contribute my skills and grow as a designer.

My approach to work lies in translating traditional craftsmanship into modern fashion contexts. As a fashion designer, I have a strong affinity for craftsmanship, knitwear, leather goods, and accessories. Known for precision work and attention to detail, I bring a creative yet logical approach to both hands-on and digital design work. 
Throughout my studies and internships, I have gained expertise in knitwear design and development, as well as creating leather goods and accessories [MA Collection Mara 2024, Semifinalist at Louis Vuitton Graduates Initiative 2024]. Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite and CLO3D.

Find me or connect with me on:

e: neza.simcic@gmail.com
l: linkedin: neža-simčič
i: @nezasimcic

 

Mara (MA 2024)In my collection, I explore the gradual disappearance of traditional textile crafts, with a particular focus on my home country, Slovenia. The collection aims to underscore the value of preserving traditional crafts not only as a counterbalance to fast fashion but also as a means to bolster cultural diversity, inclusiveness, and community ties. The garments draw inspiration from Slovenian craft heritage, particularly the ancient tradition of woodenware and basketry, seamlessly integrating these techniques into a modern design context.


Coming from a background where fashion was not deeply rooted in the culture, my first encounters with the art form were through crafts. I've always admired the high levels of craftsmanship in couture fashion, but it seemed like an unattainable world, detached from my roots and upbringing. More than anything, I felt the need to express the ideas and culture of a small nation that was often oppressed and overlooked. 

By using craft in the guise of couture, I express these ideas. It is a celebration of the thought that one can feel at home even when they don't feel at home, carrying their cultural passport with them through the preservation and reinterpretation of traditional techniques. My wish was to create a full circle with this collection, recalling my very first encounter with the world of fashion and textiles when my grandma handed me her knitting needles. At that time, the outcome was not as important as perfecting the technique.


The hands narrated the work through craftsmanship, and the same notion guided me throughout the design process this time. In a way, I was trying to capture the feeling and warmth of home that I could carry with me wherever I go.

Louis Vuitton Graduates Initiative (2024)

The project took place under the Louis Vuitton Accessories design Graduates Initiative, including 24 schools of fashion, design and art. Out of more than 200 applicants I was chosen as one of the semifinalists. The following portfolio showcases my work submitted for this initiative, based on the brief provided by Louis Vuitton to reimagine the LV Monogram as both a motive and a material. When envisioning this handbag, my focus remained on respecting tradition and craft, qualities I attribute to myself as well as the legacy of Louis Vuitton. 

After a visit to the town of Ribnica in my home country, famous for the craftsmanship of woodenware, I was intrigued by the know-how of sieve making – a simple object intended for home use that has been produced in that same town for centuries. I reimagined the Louis Vuitton monogram using a simple technique of weaving a sieve. The frame of the bag was made with my father out of an old sieve from Ribnica we had at home. With this design, I aim to showcase how simple Slovenian techniques can be translated into the language of fashion and, therefore, become desirable once again. I want to demonstrate that any technique, no matter how old, can still be relevant today.

Balanciaga Project (2023)

I've always admired couture, it represented this far, unreachable fantasy detached from my roots and upbringing. Walking through the Balenciaga Museum and seeing his garments up-close, I felt the sudden urge to create something hand crafted, something that would reflect who I am but at the same time carry the value of craftsmanship and delicacy. For some time now, I have been collecting photographs of Slovenian customs, displaying the humble and simple lifestyle of our nation.
Through my garments I wanted to express the contrast between rural way of living in historical Slovenia and glamourous couture of the same period. 

The final garments include a delicate knitted lace dress, a leaf hat, demolished leather workwear trousers and a dainty crocheted veil. Living in a fast-paced society, I wanted to take time to create these pieces, which would hopefully represent how simple Slovenian techniques can become couture, by reinterpreting the famous Balenciaga bubble dress and his 1967 wedding gown. More than anything, I felt the need to finally express the ideas and culture of a small nation, who was often oppressed and overlooked.

Roza (BA 2021)
Throughout my graduate collection I explored the influence growing up on Slovenian-Italian border has had on my design expression. I reminisced about my childhood in the cities of Gorizia and Nova Gorica, and dwelling upon two parallel experiences that have stuck with me since then. One being always taken aback by glamourous older Italian ladies. 

The other, completely contrasting the previous one, recalls spending time with my Slovenian grandma, who would devote herself to knitting and crocheting. With my graduation collection I tried to combine the two and finally bring symbiosis to this divided place and my clashing identity.