Material Matters

Material Matters Design Fair
London Design Festival, 22-25th September 2022
Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, Southbank, London

REVIEWS
“Inspired by the sprawling, delicate shape of coral, Holloway creates soft, textured dresses, collars, lamps, and mobiles from wheatgrass seed. The plant sprouts over the course of about two weeks in beeswax molds. As it grows, it produces its intricately woven root structure, which the designer guides into specific spaces or allows to expand into large, sheet-like forms. Entirely compostable, the material is “both reality and metaphor, aiming to expose the beauty and vulnerability of coral and to champion ocean conservation,” and has the potential to be sewn into clothing or shaped into other functional goods.” - Colossal

”During this year’s London Design Festival, at the inaugural edition of the ‘Material Matters’ design fair, multi-disciplinary creative Zena Holloway launched a new collection of sculptures, wearables, and products grown entirely from grass root. Dubbed ‘Rootfull’, the collection included a dress with a collar piece and other sculptural forms inspired by coral, large wall hangings, and root-grown lamps with soft coral textures. A highlight at the fair, Holloway’s creations explore the promising possibility of root-grown textiles and imagine a future where fashion is sustainable and compostable.” - Designboom

“We don’t need plastics and other non-biodegradable materials to create fascinating, futuristic fashion. Designer Zena Holloway makes that clear with her “Rootfull” collection, which consists of garments and objects grown from living grassroot. Both beautiful and sustainable, the designs draw inspiration from complex patterns like those found in coral, transforming them into couture that aims to get us thinking about the potential of natural materials. Rootfull debuted at this year’s London Design Festival at the first edition of the “Material Matters” Design Fair.” - Dornob / Yahoo News

”Holloway displayed her intricately sculpted garments made from grassroot grown to look like lacy textiles. The clothes have a distinctly high-fashion, futuristic feel that would have put them right at home alongside Bella Hadid's innovative spray-on dress from Paris Fashion Week last week.” - CNET

“The delicate, white, and almost lace-like roots reminded Holloway of the bleached corals in the oceans. She guides the roots to emulate the striking textures and patterns of coral growth. In doing so, she encourages, inspires, and prompts conversations and actions towards reducing/reversing the devastation of coral bleaching by climate change. Her collection represents the height of sustainable, compostable fashion.” - Scale