From Romania to the Runway: The Journey of Lorena Pipenco

Lorena Pipenco is a 23-year-old rising Romanian designer who happens to be the youngest Parsons Master's graduate. Although her name is relatively new to the scene, she has already dressed notable celebrities, including Tierra Wack, Julia Fox and Melanie Martinez.

Her earliest memory of fashion is the story of her mother hiding under the tables where her grandmother worked as a seamstress and taking the scraps to rework them into new clothes. Pipenco tells us, "Our family is rooted in fashion. Hearing that story reminds me that I'm not only making clothes because I thought they were cute; I am making them with purpose."

Pipenco started stitching clothes at the age of 14; however, it wasn't until she turned 17 that she truly deep-dived into her artistry. The characteristics of her collections use exquisitely theatrical construction resembling the costumes of dolls all while being paired with cotton blouses and wool coats in line with traditional Romanian garments. 

Her work demonstrates her ethnicity and introduces childhood nostalgia, evoking a sense of connection and playfulness. She aims to design with a focus on her artistic point of view but has a very sensible understanding of the necessity of maintaining reasonable commercial viability of her designs. This duality was present in her last collection, where she used traditional recycled materials from Romania and simultaneously introduced innovative silhouettes and techniques.

Looking at the future, Pipenco aims to ensure that people feel safe, recall the past, accept their culture and to freely be who they are in the process. Her third collection will debut in September during New York Fashion Week where Pipenco's promise will be fully displayed.

The editorial shoot above was created in collaboration with Treetop Journey. It was inspired by the natural beauty of Callisto Farms to evoke the sense of wonder reflected in Pipenco's designs. 

Scroll through her latest collection above and head over to her website to learn more. 

For more fashion news, check out our coverage of the new London label, Mahila.

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