Ismael Mateus Oliveira Pires

Category: Accessories

Competitions: Brazil

This project proposes a reversible tote bag that combines bovine leather, for its durability and sophistication, with Pano di Terra, a traditional fabric from Cape Verde, resulting in a functional piece with strong cultural value. Bovine leather ensures resistance, longevity, and a refined finish, while the reversible construction allows for two uses in a single product, encouraging more conscious consumption. Pano di Terra is a handcrafted fabric exclusive to Cape Verde, it only exists in Cape Verde-Africa, originating from the colonial period, produced on manual looms and rich in cultural meaning. Historically, it was used as a symbol of identity, resistance, and even as a form of exchange between communities. Its geometric patterns represent ancestry, belonging, and collective memory. The union between leather and Pano di Terra represents the meeting of tradition and contemporaneity, transforming the bag into an object that goes beyond aesthetics, carrying history, identity, and meaning.

Category: Apparel

Competitions: Brazil

The project proposes the use of bovine leather combined with the patchwork technique for the development of a maxi blazer. Patchwork is a traditional technique historically used for material reuse, and in this project, it is applied as both an aesthetic and sustainable strategy. The choice of this technique is directly related to waste reduction. In leather production processes, the generation of scraps and offcuts is common, and these materials are often underutilized. By incorporating patchwork, the project highlights the importance of reuse and sustainability in fashion, while maintaining the value of bovine leather as a primary material. The developed piece is a maxi blazer, selected for its structure and versatility. This design allows the exploration of different types of bovine leather, such as smooth, textured, and patent finishes, creating visual contrast through variations in shine and texture. This combination results in a product with enhanced aesthetic richness without the need for additional raw materials. Furthermore, the blazer- traditionally associated with formality and structure- is reinterpreted through the fragmentation of its components, introducing a contemporary approach to design. The construction of the garment through patchwork panels makes the production process visible and reinforces the conceptual foundation of the project. Thus, the use of patchwork extends beyond aesthetics, functioning as a practical solution for material optimization, while aligning the project with principles of sustainability, production efficiency, and innovation in fashion design.