THE DESIGNER
Enamoured by folk dancing, the designer Dora found herself immersed in the world of Hungarian folklore at a young age. Over the years, her infatuation with traditional costumes grew into profound respect, and by the age of 21, it became her mission to find a way to preserve her heritage in the fast-paced world of today. Thus, ZSIGMOND was born as her reinterpretation of Hungarian peasant culture in a modern context.
THE BRAND
With the motto of ‘Inhale the past, exhale the future’, ZSIGMOND is a contemporary adaptation of pre-fast fashion garment-making. Sustainability derives directly from this approach, defining the whole production cycle. Each garment is eco-consciously and ethically produced in Hungary using organic and recycled fabrics purchased from transparent, qualified European manufacturers and incorporating heritage and handcraft garment-making techniques. The REMADE line upcycles 50 to 100-year-old fabrics, carrying on the legacy of the past to the 21st century.
THE COLLECTION
Inspired by word-of-mouth stories passed down through generations, ZSIGMOND’s AW24 collection is an homage to rural lore. The catalyst of the collection is an elderly lady, who shares her encounters with witches from her home in the Hungarian countryside. Her disjointed account of the events paints a vivid picture of the paradox inherent to folklore. The tales of witches are as unsettling as they are tranquil in their unquestioning acceptance of death as part of life, of witchcraft as part of nature. The collection takes its visual cues from witchcraft: gray smoke swirls as green and purple poisons brew in large cauldrons between moss-covered trees, all safely hidden behind the black veil of the night. The textures alternate in harmony; from velvet to fluid, soft to rigid, smooth to blistering, the fabrics envelop their wearer in a tactile experience.