by Costanza Carbotta.
Founded by Magdalena Sophie Orland and Susanne Ostwald, OODD Studios is an interdisciplinary design cooperative, born in Leipzig in 2021, focusing on the use of fabric by creating new techniques for its processing. At the Isola Design Festival, they presented their LANDMARK project: fabric vases with refined and lightweight techniques and appearance.
How do you achieve such detailed and robust products using fabric?
Our works are based on a new interpretation of lace, not only from an aesthetic and visual point of view but also through the development of new handmade processing techniques.
The textiles we use are not inherently robust; in fact, they are very delicate, and the structure of the works is primarily achieved through their shape and subsequently through the use of organza, which, being a rigid but very lightweight and transparent fabric, is the perfect base material for our works. Finally, we work on the surface with various techniques, from gluing to sewing, to the use of other materials such as nylon or latex.
On the left is the Alda vase, while on the right, we see Cellini No.4.
Why did you decide, among all fields of design, to focus on textiles?
We are surrounded and literally enveloped by fabrics every day: clothes, shoes, and home textiles. For this reason, we believe there is a direct and special relationship with this material and its countless interpretations.
For us, using textiles in design is an opportunity to make it a means of communication, a “memory of contact” in a society that is increasingly digital like ours. Moreover, textiles have a rich history and offer an incredible variety of techniques and possibilities. We love working with them, blending ancient and traditional art with innovative techniques to create contemporary versions.
Some details of OODD Studios fabrics.
What are the future projects for your works?
Fabrics and their use in art, fashion, and interior design are and will remain our main objectives. Currently, our projects include lace collars, vases, and wall hangings, but we are working on a new lighting system and lighting objects, as well as large-scale dividers.
We love to stay dynamic and broaden our horizons, so we are always open to new opportunities in the design world and collaborations.
The LANDMARK collection, presented at the Isola Design Festival.
What opportunities does Isola offer and why did you choose to participate? How did you discover it?
The Isola Design Festival offered us the opportunity to present our works at an international event like the Milan Design Week and helped us establish new contacts and connections in the design world, especially through social media and various networks. We discovered Isola through its Instagram account ourselves, deciding immediately to participate in this very interesting opportunity.
oodd-studios.com Magdalena Sophie Orland and Susanne Ostwald of OODD Studios.
On the cover, the LANDMARK collection in which textiles discover new spatial dynamics.
