Karen Lukacs

Reimagining textiles and manipulating them into functional forms has been a consistent exploration in my studio for the past 20 years. I reach for a timeless design aesthetic that is crafted to last for generations.
My work now focuses on the plethora of discarded textiles and garments, salvaging them from a landfill destiny and simultaneously considering the possibilities of their reinvention. Locally sourced materials are collected for textile quality. Original functionality of these discarded goods matters not. It is the materials that speak to me.
The transformation process begins with the cleaning and disassembling of each garment into pieces. What once was, is no longer. Selected elements are then pieced together into yardage, which is cut and constructed into functional fashion. I reach for technical challenges in the use of these deconstructed materials: shaping knits into structured carryalls, creating the perfect bag shape to envelope with silk neckties, designing with less waste top-of-mind. Over time, diving deep into the process, my voice evolves from curiosity to refinement.