Recupera-Se

Recupera-Se is an 8-look Fashion Line that I designed, along with two of my closest friends, for Carnegie Mellon University’s annual fashion show called Lunar Gala. The theme for the entire show was “Elysium: Finding Paradise”, and our collection’s theme is “Recupera-Se”, which also means Recovery.

The collection’s first half explores themes of trauma, emptiness, and emotional burden. The initial look captures the raw pain of a life-altering event with a torn chiffon dress and a skeletal corset made from clay, symbolizing how this wound stays imprinted in the wearer. The second look expresses the following emptiness and numbness, with a black corset dress and bandages trailing behind, visually linking it to the third look, which embodies dissociation. The transition from beige to red in the bandages emphasizes the lingering pain that blends with the growing sense of detachment. Look 3 further portrays this void with a red, resin-coated chiffon top, giving an illusion of wetness as if weighed down by unresolved emotions.

The second half moves toward healing and renewal. Look 4, inspired by a cracked statue, represents vulnerability, as arms breaking from the center allow light to seep through the cracks. Look 5 explores the difficulty of accepting happiness after trauma, with black linen representing residual pain, gradually being wrapped by white threads of healing. “Embrace,” the sixth look, reflects the process of letting positivity in, symbolized by burgundy flowers shifting from representing growth and pain. The seventh look, with layers of tulle and chiffon, embodies reconnecting with oneself and nature. The final look encapsulates the passage of time, featuring a sheer coat and a skirt adorned with watches, signifying that time ultimately heals all wounds