Hasta La Ideas

Eschewing traditional tailoring techniques and materials, Bea Szenfeld’s creates the layered paillettes and sharply-creased geometric forms of her remarkable garments out of paper. In the Poland-born artist’s latest collection, “Sur la Plage,” currently on view at Stockholm’s Design Galleriet, Szenfeld mixes a range of inspirations. Fusing silhouettes from ’50s burlesque, her high-waisted, structured shapes enhance the feminine form with a vision of the future referencing tribalism, architecture and religious iconography.

The perfect foil for her fantastical compositions, stiff cardboard provides Szenfeld with incredible options for creating structure. “In the exhibition,” the press release reads, “one will see creations that resemble the oceanic demons of Jules Verne and mythical folklore of the sea.”

Known for her savvy eye and keen ability to blend commercial with personal projects, over the past ten years Szenfeld has built a client list as extensive as it is diverse, having worked with Hello Kitty, Swarovski Crystal, Tommy Hilfiger and Stella McCartney, in addition to frequently lecturing around the globe.

Sur la Plage, a lesson in modern thinking and material reinvention, underlines not only a highly creative mind but also the importance of balancing artistic integrity with that all important bottom-line. See more images in the slide show below and catch the exhibition on view through 30 April 2010 at Design Galleriet.