Concrete Genezis by IVANKA

all photos by Balazs Mate [via IVANKA]

First ice, now concrete. Even the most austere materials come to life in the right hands.

IVANKA is a Budapest-based concrete firm that defies the conventions of what is widely viewed as an industrial material. Founded by Katalin and Andras Ivanka in 2002, IVANKA has worked with brands like Liberty London, Levi Strauss, Oakley and Bang&Olufsen to sculpt everything from furniture and facade paneling to loudspeakers and jewelry.

Now, with Concrete Genezis, IVANKA's latest innovation comes in the form of a ready-to-wear and accessories line based on (what else?) concrete.

"We developed a new textile innovation based on the aesthetic qualities of concrete: using this textile, we have created  a clothing collection that draws a line from a raw masculine look to finer classic femininity. Visualizing today’s modern urban woman and building on the dualism of her fragility and power that can be found in all women, our goal is to illustrate the delicate contrast and cross-gender phenomena through different shapes and materials - playing with contrasts of hard concrete and soft fabric and introducing classic shapes in a brand new context."
-Katalin Ivanka

Never has the hard versus soft duality of fashion been quite so literal. The collection is beautifully architectural, creative and surprisingly relevant. Nevertheless, I can't help but wonder just how much these pieces weigh!

[found on Yatzer]