Our artist describes herself as a multi-disciplinary artist & fashion designer. The Atlanta native has spent over 8 years contributing to the city’s cultural scene. From installation work, studio production and performance art to music, sculpture and fashion, her local involvement paved the way for international opportunities. Her passion and love for fashion design has always been second nature, but her pursuit in this industry wasn’t as instantaneous.
As the daughter of migrants, it wasn’t easy to make the transition to fashion design. Many immigrants and first-generation minorities know (myself included) that the three accepted job paths are lawyer, doctor or engineer, or anything that falls under those categories. I should mention, yes, I am speaking generally, I know it is not always the case. It is not that our parents aren’t supportive, rather they don’t really understand the value or success that creative industries may have. It’s almost like they have a preconceived notion that these specific fields will help us become financially secure. They don’t want to see us struggle.
In our artist’s case, it wasn’t until she spent 3 years at the University of West GA, studying political science & sculpture, that she realized that her true calling was fashion design. So, she took the brave leap to follow her dreams and transferred to SCAD Atlanta. In the fall of 2017, she was selected to study in Amsterdam under couturier Iris Van Herpen for a year. To save up for this opportunity, she worked at Generation Infocus, an organization that provides students, pre-k-12, with STEAM driven educational opportunities.
During her time at SCAD, she created her brand ‘Eukono’, which in Tigrinya (the native tongue of Eritreans) means ‘infinite possibilities’. An Eritrean-American, our Artist To Look Out For’s creations are heavily influenced by her cultural background. In her words, “My DNA is embedded in my work.” Her thesis collection ‘Cellular’ represents the biological function of cellular replication, which she visually incorporated in her pieces. Her latest project, ‘Systems’ celebrates the psychological context of adornment; more specifically, exploring why we dress the way we dress. Get to know her and her collections below.
And be sure to remember her name: Mairig Fesshaye.
Why Eukono?
I wanted the name of my brand to come to me. To be presented to me. I wasn’t in search of it. Eukono came to me during a conversation with a family member in London. As we were driving in his taxi he told me the meaning of his name, Eukono, meant ‘infinite possibilities’. When I heard that it just felt right. There was a comfort in knowing that there is a delusion in certainty—creation is limitless and not restricted. So, I decided to have my brand be reflective of this.
How does your sense of style differ from the pieces you create?
I would say that my sense of style is very set in a functional way of dressing. What I’m wearing is usually what I’m creating in. So, what I wear is functional, what I make is fantasy. When I create, my space is like a lab, and my style is like a uniform. The pieces I create are my experiments, where I allow my mind to wander freely.
In the fall of 2017, you got the opportunity to study in Amsterdam under couturier Iris Van Herpen for a year. That was your first time living on your own abroad. How did that experience help you evolve as an artist? What was the most valuable lesson you learned during that time?
So, I was selected for this amazing opportunity, but I had to end the program prematurely due to scheduling issues with my master’s studies. I still lived in Amsterdam for my study abroad program but was only present at Iris Van Herpen’s studio for 1 week. I would say that this was the most valuable week of my professional career. I learned that there was an intersection between fashion and art, and that they can coexist with one other. My purpose was to examine the symbiotic relationship between these disciplines. I discovered that my artistry is not subjected to just one artistry. This experience gave me the confidence to apply my fine artistry into dressmaking. The intent behind my work is to elevate the intersection of fine art & fashion through a sensorial approach to design.
When we spoke you told me that you don’t look at fashion images or to other designers for inspiration. Where does your creative influence stem from?
My creative influence stems from non-fashion sources, like sculpture, music, film and science. The goal is always to look outside my own discipline because I feel like what I create is coming from a genuine, unbiased place of creativity. I usually make narratives from the research I conduct. A lot of my inspiration is triggered by research, so I guess you would say I take a methodical approach in the way that I create.
For your thesis collection, ‘Cellular’, you used scientific inquiry and looked to cellular division as a source of inspiration, which you in turn processed and rendered to life. Why was it an important body of work for you?
It was important because it was the first collection that had a supporting amount of primary research. I always say that you should work off of your first collection—that every previous work is researched for the next. Your work should always be continuous. So, ‘Cellular’ is the product of that way of thinking. It was my first collection where I was able to execute 6 different looks through extensive research. ‘Cellular’ is my most aggressively researched collection to date. My latest project, ‘Systems’, adds on to the previous narratives that were developed for ‘Cellular’.
Your latest collection, ‘Systems’, explores the psychology of human condition. You explain that you want to break down the dichotomy of dressing, asking, “Why someone’s sense of style is valuable?” Can you give us more insight into that and speak on the collection itself?
I want to examine the cyclical behavior in ornamentation and deconstruct its symbolic nature. Whether it is dressing for pleasure, protection, prestige or ritual, we cannot escape the spirit of dressing even if we tried. The roots of it run too deep, but we can attempt to harness the zeitgeist driving the evolution of attire through space, time and capture. I don’t want to give too much away because I have some amazing plans in the works for this collection! But if you’re interested in knowing more, follow me on IG to stay up to date.
You say to be an artist is a luxury. What do you mean by that?
Yes, in my opinion, it is. Depending on a person’s conditions, being an artist is a luxury. For someone to freely create without having to think about your basic necessities for survival is a luxury. Artists can’t put their complete focus into their work if they don’t have the space, the money, or the support. I think more should be done to change the narrative of “starving artist”. Art is a necessity for innovation, and when more industries see the value of art is when they invest in the facilitation and backing of the creative.
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Interview by Rahel Tekle