Ekaterina Brazhnik

Ekaterina Brazhnik’s MA thesis collection, I Wish You Could Talk, captures the feeling of existence in authoritarian environments. Rooted in personal experience and interpretation, it reflects the tension between the outside world and the individual resisting it under constant surveillance and restriction. "Growing up among people navigating various forms of political and cultural adaptation made me aware of the influence that oppressive environments have on humans. In my experience, in politically or socially restrictive settings, we develop strategies to conceal our identity when appearing in public for safety reasons." Drawing on journalistic imagery and retrospective diary entries, Brazhnik’s collection reinterprets significant garments in an unusual setting through shape manipulation and material development. This approach also extends to material and garment sourcing, as vintage military pieces were repurposed and reimagined in some looks as more feminine, delicate pieces, subverting their original connotations. The silhouettes explore how clothing can embody both protection and vulnerability, drawing on the features of those in power and those opposing them. Themes of surveillance and identity recognition are explored through clothing archetypes, prints, accessory design, and colour, utilising mimicry as a means of concealment and defence. The materials express outer harshness and inner tenderness through contrasting stiff and soft qualities, combining jersey, fur and silk with firm leathers and technical textiles. Stemming from research into censorship, surface treatments play a significant role in material development. Techniques such as thermal adhesive paste finishing create effects that serve as both a shield and a constraint, sealing delicate textiles beneath stiff, repellent coatings.