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About Eve: the birth of a liberated woman

Sketch titled 'The Anatomy of a Modern Eve' showing a female figure with green marks indicating anatomy, alongside a vase with flowers and a leg sculpture. Handwritten notes refer to the figure as a representation of the creator, reconstructing female form, with annotations on arms, torso, and leg.

Meeting Eve

Eve was born from a simple idea during Ana’s last year of university: the concept of a free, untamed woman. She is the pillar of her graduation collection and was created almost like a manifesto - meant to break many of the rules Ana had to follow in school.

“While studying, I became very close to the sustainable side of fashion. I think it's because of my upbringing; Romanian people are inherently sustainable because, historically, tough times taught us how to set aside every last drop of any resource. We learned how to re-purpose objects, how to mend things, and to pass them down from one generation to the next. Growing up, we really didn’t take our objects and clothes for granted. I mostly wore things from my sister, and we always shared everything - not just among ourselves, but with family friends and other relatives. In reality, Romanian culture taught me to do everything that sustainability, as a modern movement, is trying to teach us today. I realised it’s not something to be ashamed of (my apparent stinginess), but a superpower. And I became obsessed with zero waste and upcycling things. Nothing. Ever. Goes. To. Waste. And that’s a virtue.”

“Of course, pair that with my problem of sizing in clothes. I spent my years (and many other resources) in school making prototypes and garments for “academic projects”, and at the end of the day, I couldn’t even wear many of them. They were all a size 40 IT, which is quite small - sometimes smaller than “standard model size.” It’s the most logical solution, right? Just make the smallest prototype, 'waste' the least fabric, and get the job done. But it was against sustainability. What was I going to do with all of these clothes at the end of my school years? That’s why I decided my graduate collection will be more size-inclusive. That’s also how sustainability was redefined in my eyes and gained another perspective: the perspective of longevity in one’s closet - because it fits. It used to fit one year ago, five years ago, and it fits today. Not because my body stayed the same, but because the piece can change with me through time.”

Eve is about the embrace. It is about nurturing yourself, but also nurturing Mother Nature and everything she keeps on giving us, despite our unpardonable behaviour. Eve is an invitation for anyone stepping into her world to slow down, to become more responsible and aware, to be less vain and hungry for consumption, and instead of following trends, to follow the true version of themselves.

Garments, first and foremost, should be a safe space for all women dressing their bodies in them.

“I found that in Italy, where I studied, you are considered more stylish the better your clothes fit. But by that, I mean that a closer fit to the body is very much appreciated. A sharper, tailored look. But I don’t see how maintaining that is sustainable. To have a perfect fit all the time would either mean to constantly change your wardrobe - which is unsustainable - or to stay the exact same size and shape your whole life, which is unrealistic. This is why I wanted to erase the concept of 'flattering,' especially in looser-fitting garments. F@%k that, I don't need to be 'flattered' by my clothes, I can wear whatever I want.”

While the reference in the name is, as you may have assumed, undoubtedly biblical, Eve is not only the symbol of the first woman of my design universe, mother of all living things, but has a lexical symbolic meaning as well. Eve is a beautiful word, or better said, a moment: “immediately before an event or occasion.” These may be ambitious words, but I wish Garden of Eve - my graduate collection - can be followed by change. I wish that my collection is just the Eve of what’s to come, because it feels like just the beginning. I hope this is the Eve of change, the Eve of something beautiful that is yet to bloom into a more complex artistic expression.

When creating the logo, the circular shape served as the base, while the carnation evoked the story.

“Carnations are quite iconic in Romanian culture. For me, they show resilience. My mom, dad, and my grandparents have many stories from the communist period, when people’s access to goods was heavily restricted, and resources were rationed. People would queue for hours in hopes of getting their hands on whatever produce was delivered in stores. Through the lens of communism, flowers are such an “unnecessary” thing to buy. You don’t (technically) need them for survival, but even in such times, I find it quite poetic that flower shops would only stock up on carnations, accepting the need for beauty, for protocol around death, around showing love or apparent respect. They do have some connections with the communist regime, since they were used in political celebrations, but my personal relationship with carnations is not at all about that.

It’s about the acceptance of beauty and small tokens of love in people’s lives, even in horrible political times. It’s about my connection to Romanian culture and the scars of communism that live among us until today; I think they shape all of us since birth, whether we want that or not. At least, they definitely shaped me.

This flower that embodies love, death, blood, and rebirth was also at the root of my concept for “RECARNATION”, which came before Creating Eve. I wanted to keep them connected, like 2 sisters.”

Creating Eve

At the core of the brand, there is one strong value: circularity. This is exactly what the logo's pictogram evokes: a well-rounded, well-thought-out sustainable fashion system, not just a brand.

“When I entered the first day of fashion school, everybody in my class said that their wildest dream was to have their own label, to run their OWN fashion brand. Further down the line, approaching graduation, many of these responses changed; people have discovered in the meantime the segment of fashion they loved, and where they want to contribute. For me, my answer never changed - I never gave up on this idea, but its meaning changed a lot. I didn’t want just to have a brand. I wanted to have a strong message, to state it, along my position in the industry. There are enough brands out there that make products, and I definitely don’t think we need more stuff in the world. Creating Eve is about taking responsibility for all of our actions, about being mindful and intentional, about slowing down and enjoying fashion without the cost of destroying the environment. Nothing. Ever. Goes. To. Waste. Zero Waste process. Cycles of life in your clothes. Longevity. Self-expression. Personal style. Freedom of the body. “

The brand idenitity

A circular diagram illustrating the water cycle, including evaporation, condensation, precipitation, collection, and runoff.

Logo design development

A black circle with white graphic design of two fish, circular borders, and the letters 'CE' in the center.

Silhouette of two birds facing each other, sitting on a circular frame adorned with a muted purple border.

The phrase 'REAT CREATING Eve' printed twice in black letters on a white background.

Two sets of symmetrical black and white illustrations with floral and heart motifs, featuring the words "Creating Eye Recanahion Creating Eye" and "Recanahion" in stylized text.

Silhouette of a person's head with spiky hair

Set of nine circular symbols featuring a stylized flower and leaf design with varying white, black, and greenish tones.

A symmetrical design featuring black and white yin-yang symbols decorated with flower and leaf patterns, divided into light and dark halves.

A small flower with eight petals and a rounded center on a dark background.

A black and white illustration of a stylized flower with the text "CREATING EVE" at the bottom.

Silhouette of two flowers arranged in a circular pattern on a black background.

Silhouette of two birds connected in a circle against a black background.

A yin-yang symbol with a stylized panda face incorporated into the design, featuring black and white sections and a pink curved line.

Silhouette of three stylized flower-like shapes surrounding the words 'Creating Eve' in the center.

A yin-yang symbol with one half in black and the other in white, featuring a panda face design, with the panda's eyes and mouth on the black side.

Black and white abstract artwork featuring circular and floral patterns.

A graphic design with stylized floral and geometric elements in black and white on a green background, with the wording "Creating Eye Reincarnation Creating Eye" and "Reincarnation".

Silhouette of a flower with petals and a central disc, surrounded by leaves.

Silhouette of a dragon's head with detailed scales and sharp features.

Silhouette of a circular, three-leafed plant design on a black background.

Silhouette of two birds perched among stylized branches and leaves, circular design.

A black and white illustration of a lion's face with a stylized mane.

A stylized black and white line drawing of a panther's face, with detailed eyes, nose, and fangs.

As mentioned, RECARNATION is a sort of prequel to Creating Eve - an older sister. This was initially going to be the name of the brand, and the brand itself was going to be a made-to-measure service reworking dead stock materials and old pieces of clothing. It has later progressed into a branch of the mother brand, Creating Eve, which takes care of exactly that: a second cycle of life. Upcycling, mending, and transforming pieces - both originating from the brand itself, but also from thrift stores.

The name, "RECARNATION", is a blend of two words and their meanings. "Reincarnation": energy is neither created nor destroyed; it can only change shape, size, and manifestation. The same goes for fashion waste, and through our practice, we are fighting it. The world does not need more clothes. The world needs creative minds and ideas. Through our designs, we are giving a second life to old rags that would have otherwise been polluting the planet.

"Carnation" is the flower that symbolises deep love and passion. It is also said that the dark red petals of the red carnation represent a beating heart that is filled with love; thus, in our logo, the sacred heart is surrounded by carnation petals, representing once again sustainable and circular fashion. The heart is blooming into something new, starting a new season of life on this earth.