20 years after the launch of her brand, designer Min Agostini celebrated the anniversary with a shows that it included a selection of the most outstanding pieces of his career. Min Agostini in work was presented at the Museum of Contemporary Art of Buenos Aires (MACBA), within the framework of the first day of the 25th edition of Designers BA (from September 27 to October 4), which on that occasion featured the participation of actresses Florencia Torrente and Minerva Casero, who were joined by artists and regulars clients of the firm.
Until now, Agostini, trained as an architect, with studies in clothing in Milan, was characterized by transforming traditional typologies into innovative structures that can be worn by various bodies of all ages.
Thus, she became a pioneer in designing garments that even anticipated the national standard regulating clothing sizes being sanctioned. The same in terms of the timelessness that defines their clothing, since it is not limited to seasonal classifications: They are neither winter nor summer, they are worn all year round.
He presented about twenty “Constructions to the Body”, just like the name of the designer herself, so that they can be closely observed by her followers; some that had already been presented in the parade that took place in Marta Minujín’s atelier in 2019, others that are part of the IDA Foundation archive and also those developed exclusively for this exhibition. Most of them in neutral tones, although also in the stripes most typical of tailoring designs, made using different resources, for example, the so-called “air channels” and the frequent “folds” used by Agostini. And although they could only be seen on the night of the presentation, it is expected that the exhibition will be mounted again in the firm’s store-gallery in the San Telmo neighborhood.
-Why did you think about an exhibition and not a parade?
-In this exhibition format, several factors come together that identify me.. On the one hand, my design mode is not limited to seasons, I try to go against the ephemeral. I design continuously, driven by what my inspiration dictates at the moment. I can be designing both outerwear pieces and lighter pieces. My store is a clear reflection of this, cThey live in coat racks covered in wool with linen equipment, high party dresses with more everyday garments. Displaying them this way allows me to show my designs more freely. See the resources more closely, go through them again and again, stop as long as you want in every detail and from every angle. In this exhibition, we wanted the guests to feel part of that design, a closeness that is more difficult to achieve in the conventional parade space.
-How did you make the selection?
-Together with a team of curators close to the world of art and design, we select the garments that best express my “Body Construction” method., and the freedom of silhouettes and volumes that I achieve by working directly on the figure, without resorting to conventional patterns. We choose the most sculptural pieces, those that invite a deep exploration of space and three-dimensionality. My training as an architect gave me a deep understanding of space and its relationship with the body, a notion that runs through all of my work. Even in my daily and party lines that are more practical and replicable, the essence of this method is maintained, with garments that wrap the silhouette in a unique and flattering way.
-Are the pieces shown from the archive or are they replicas?
Designs by Min Agostini, in the MACBA exhibition. Photo: Courtesy of Grupo Mass / Designers BA.-This exhibition includes both original archival pieces and some recent creations that had not yet been shown. We have decided to include, for example, three from the collection that I designed especially to present in Marta Minujín’s studio. There are also emblematic pieces from past collections chosen because they represent some of my design resources very well.. In addition to some covers that I developed last year and that I wanted to display due to the months of work they involved. They show the complexity and artisanal character that a design that originates in the body, without patterns, can have. Throughout the process, the need for new constructive solutions arises, since traditional techniques often do not work with my creations. So, with my team, we put ourselves in laboratory mode, we do many tests for each detail and on each fabric, we even test how different people make the same stitch to choose who will do it in the final piece.
-You are celebrating 20 years of the brand, what changed in the design?
-Throughout these years, I discovered that the great value of what I do is in the experience of wearing the garment. I love seeing what wearing a piece that makes them feel good, in which they find themselves, generates in my clients. It’s incredible how their body attitude changes, even how they stand and walk differently. My experimentation on how to best dress the body began since pre-adolescence, in the search to wear my own, with all the insecurities of that stage. I have been perfecting my designs from that place for more than 30 years. All this life’s work helped make my designs so pleasing.
-This year I am going to launch a virtual store. Through which our clients will be able to purchase pieces from Min Agostini’s Hits line, making our design proposal more accessible to a wider audience. During the isolation in the pandemic, I had many clothes ready, so I started taking selfies with a tripod to be able to document all the creations and I recorded myself showing the different ways of wearing them. The response was very positive, so since then I am also the face of my brand. I show most of the pieces on me, on my body as a 50-year-old woman, without editing or distorting.
-In this context of a new economic crisis with an industry so hit, what can you say from fashion?
-I don’t use the term fashion, I prefer to talk about clothing. Fashion is linked to something ephemeral and permanent consumption and I prefer to work on something that lasts. From the brand I focus on creating durable and versatile pieces, on favoring quality over quantity, notions that are revalued in times of crisis. I think it is important that, as designers and brands, we promote responsible consumption and work towards a more ethical and conscious future in the industry.