Laura Isabella Sarmanto

In today’s fast-paced world, the modern person must adjust to heightened demands in daily life. The rise in workout culture brought with it a rise in athleisure: garments that can be worn in, but equally importantly, out of the gym—to run errands, go to school, or even to the office. Athleisure’s popularity has not been matched by innovation. Quite the contrary, the current market is oversaturated with monotonous, repetitive, and uninspiring clothing." I wanted to disrupt the monotony of brands selling basically the same garments, only with different logos." Born of her quest for athleisure to suit her sartorial preferences, Sarmanto developed Laurita, her own experimental brand. Laurita embodies athleisure that shuns the copy-paste approach. "If I am in a rush, I need to be able to seamlessly go from gym to street and beyond without sacrificing style. My brand fills a market gap and allows for a more curated aesthetic." During her BA studies at Aalto, Sarmanto rekindled her love for textiles made from natural fibers, and her appreciation for their drape and definition. Cotton, silk, linen and wool are her go-to choices, as they simultaneously provide breathability, sustainability, comfort and mobility. Sarmanto used Aalto’s industrial weaving and knitting machines to create her own fabrics and embellishments. In her BA thesis, Sarmanto wanted to emphasise the branding aspect of her project, creating a cohesive brand identity through logos, monograms, placement- and surface prints. Sarmanto’s design narrative is imbued with references to her childhood and youth in New York City and the significant impact of her Latina roots. She wanted to pay tribute to iconic brands that have created a visual vernacular recognised by millions around the world. Sarmanto’s project merges the awareness of a need with Sarmanto’s personal tastes and fashion perspective. The start-to-finish approach resoundingly disrupts athleisure whilst remaining commercially appealing to a broader demographic.