Collection of pressed flowers on a yellow background with handwritten notes in the background.

Design process

A look into Ana’s creative practice.

Explore the step-by-step process of bringing Garden of Eve to life.

The project was developed between September 2024 and December 2025.

Material research

“Material research lies at the core of Garden of Eve - it was important for me to source the fabrics and yarns sustainably. Fabrics are always dead-stock, to begin with. Their fibres are, in as many cases as possible, 100% natural fibres: 100%wool, 100% cotton, 100% silk. When using a blend, I use it responsibly: with low-waste pattern cutting in mind, from the beginning of the design process, and later preserving all scraps from the construction process and “weaving” or quilting them into new fabrics through various techniques. My main yarns are merino and 100% virgin wool, and fuzzy mohair yarns. The mohair yarns are, indeed, blends - but they are used with the same caution as the textiles. Knitted pieces are always fully-fashioned, and never cut & sewn, which further lowers waste. I also researched a lot of impression-printing techniques, since the alternative would have been digital printing. This was a big no-no for me from the beginning, as it is rarely done on natural fibres. ”

Carrot-leaf eco dye
Hand-brushed wool padding, made of yarn waste
Impression printing with pressed flowers
Impression printing with pressed flowers
The image appears to contain various fabric swatches or small rolled fabrics of different colors and textures arranged on a surface.
The image appears to contain various fabric swatches or small rolled fabrics of different colors and textures arranged on a surface.
A hand holding a small package of tissues labeled 'Al.Ma. Tissues,' with various partially visible fabric items in the background.
A hand holding a small package of tissues labeled 'Al.Ma. Tissues,' with various partially visible fabric items in the background.
A person holding a black and gray fluffy dog on a black textured surface. The person's fingers are visible supporting the dog.
A person holding a black and gray fluffy dog on a black textured surface. The person's fingers are visible supporting the dog.
Collection of yarn skeins in various colors and textures, organized on a paper with handwritten notes and fabric swatches.
Several small skeins of embroidery thread in shades of yellow, green, black, and beige, attached to a paper with handwritten notes about different types and colors of thread.
Various rolls of fabric in different colors and textures stacked on shelves and lying on a table.
Various rolls of fabric in different colors and textures stacked on shelves and lying on a table.

“I find that fabric tells me what it wants to be - I designed based on its width and weight, I don’t force designs that, for instance, enable me to buy twice the length needed, just because the width is a few centimetres off. I design starting from the fabric sheet. This is my first parameter. I alter the design and the fit based on it.”

Initial sampling - deadstock material facilities

Stacked folded clothes and fabric on a table beneath a wooden shelf with rolls of paper and laundry room items in the background.
Stacked folded clothes and fabric on a table beneath a wooden shelf with rolls of paper and laundry room items in the background.
Baskets of colorful yarn balls at a craft store or market.
A spool of gray thread placed on a beige surface, casting a shadow.

“It’s so important, as a designer, to walk around and touch yarns, touch fabrics, look at the colours in the sun. Going to the Friday market was a ritual, and it helped me sample many of the final yarns for the collection.”

Yarn sampling

Fabric manipulations

“The fabric manipulations are also key for the collection - it was important for me to develop some techniques from the very beginning so that the second cycle of life of certain fabrics or garments would be an intentional technique, rather than a make-shift solution. As previously mentioned, I also did not want to rely on industrial surface-finishing techniques or printing, because none of them would be natural or planet-friendly. These are usually applied to synthetic surfaces, which I wanted to avoid at all costs.”

Abstract watercolor painting with interconnected floral shapes in pastel shades of pink, purple, beige, and green with fine black ink outlines.
Close-up of a textured quilt with patches of fabric in various colors including purple, black, white, and beige, with visible embroidery, stitching, and frayed edges.
Close-up view of traditional embroidered textile with intricate white floral and geometric patterns on dark fabric. Some white thread and loose strands are visible.
A bundle of purple fabric, ribbons, and tulle on a white surface, with a spool of purple thread nearby.
A pink knitted fabric square with a dried purple flower stitched onto it, and similar beige fabric square with a dried purple flower stitched onto it, arranged on a white surface.
A white fabric pouch with a black border at the top and bottom, featuring a printed botanical illustration of a plant with small leaves and flowers.
A piece of textile art made of assorted fabric scraps and yarn, wrapped in a white net, with a white label on top that reads 'Zero Waste textile made of scraps.' A yellow sticky note with '#6' is attached to the top right corner of the label.
A sheet of yellow-green tissue paper with white floral silhouettes printed or painted on it, placed against a white background, with a card above it labeled with details about the print process.
A piece of gold-colored fabric with an embroidered flower and a white label at the top that reads, "Free-motion quilt of a flower on hand-dyed cotton poplin base & synthetic padding."
A package of upcycled wool fiber padding for jackets, made of various wool yarn scraps brushed and stuffed inside silk organza channels.
A clear plastic bag filled with felted wool yarn scraps in various colors, labeled as upcycled wool fiber padding for jackets.
Colorful, hand-knitted yarn swatch with pastel shades of pink, purple, orange, and green, attached to a white tag that reads "#7" and has a description about yarn and knitting needles.
Colorful felted wool flower with multiple purple, pink, green, and red petals on a white background.
Close-up of a fabric face mask with a label attached, showing instructions for cord-shirring effect and green and white elastic cords on a light-colored background.
Close-up of fabric with a tag describing hand-printed dense cotton poplin with hand-carved linoleum stamp and textile paint, ironed into a micro-pliissé and fixed with adhesive fusings.
A fabric scrap with embroidery on plain jersey, featuring a mix of yarn loops, French knots, and ribbons in various colors including green, white, and brown.