This collection is a political manifesto. Fashion is not only a purely aesthetic question, it is mainly a consequence of the socio-political situation it arises within. As an artist, I am perturbed by the reality that surrounds me and I feel the need to capture the peaceful struggle for our people’s right to decide.

The Salt March was a 300-km long march led by Mahatma Gandhi between April and March 1930, culminating in the symbolic gesture of taking a handful of salt from the Indian Ocean. A peaceful protest against the salt-production tax with the ultimate goal of achieving independence for India. This demonstration has become a reference for many other symbolic protests that have forged political and social changes through peaceful resistance and serve as inspiration for this collection.

Sketchbook La Marxa de la Sal from Miriam Ponsa on Vimeo.

The collection reflects the relevance of tradition and innovation, and reinterprets shapes and patterns.

Patterning evokes oversize shapes and it is worked by exaggerating the shape of trousers and coats.

Silk-screen printing is used to retrieve messages from Gandhi such as “Your life is your message” and “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

The importance of weaving was a constant in Gandhi’s life and gave way to an act spread throughout the country. It is for this reason that textures play an important role in this collection; the felted wool technique is worked together with materials that evoke both fusion and disunity. The rope symbolizes oppression.

The transfer technique as a research line is worked on many different formats and gives way to large pieces of color, pattern and texture, as opposed to tradition. This technique is worked both on finished knitwear pieces and on pleated fabrics with open crevices.

The prints are reinterpreted to reflect a heterogeneous society full of nuances.

Aged leather is used to give authenticity to the pieces and it is worked combined with knitwear and accessories.

The importance of clothing for prayer and worship is reflected with respect in the shape and quality of the fabrics. In this regard, the purple color suggests the prayer and the gold the offering. Gray tones induce calmness.