GN: A1923 explores the properties of materials and construction as a form of research. What first drew you to treat material itself as both subject and storyteller?

SC: To be honest, I first encountered materiality through my experience in the studio of La Fura Dels Baus in Barcelona. Seeing the works of Roca and ORLAN, I've always found their morbid attention to skin so fascinating. Their idea of norms, revealed through scars and stitches, was unveiling new monstrous faces, like in Frankenstein. That's probably where my passion for skin came from. It was something I felt personally, an almost physical urge to push the limits of the organic to the extreme. To generate a new beauty, starting from a monstrous fantasy that I had seen and felt so closely in those years, and that I still feel today.

GN: Your work reinterprets existing techniques rather than abandoning them. How do you decide when to preserve tradition and when to push into new territory?

SC: The idea behind A1923 has always been to push experimentation to the extreme. After all, the word avant-garde was defined by those who paved the way, who sought to forge ahead, who pushed everyone else to explore. There is something, particularly interesting to me, about dwelling in unfamiliar and uncomfortable territory. Walking blind on an uneven road, with infinite possibilities to create.However, that does not mean forgetting about our own traditions. My skills as a craftsman have always been useful in this, helping me to leave safe ground and explore what I wanted, while keeping an open eye on the past.

GN: Leather plays a central role in your collections. What is it about leather, its aging, resistance, or vulnerability that best communicates your ideas about time and labor?

SC: The fact about leather is that it is a living organism like any other. Inevitably, it will tend to deteriorate and disappear. However, it will, but so in a breathtaking manner, filling its surface with imperfections, tinged with unexpected colors, wrinkling and molding due to its environmental conditions. And this is certainly one of the most fundamental processes, making it clear that the substance I am touching is alive and will persist to transform. Sometimes it is a little harsh to accept that things are constantly and irreversibly changing, but that is just how it is.

GN: The statement “Do not handle with care” challenges the preciousness often associated with luxury. What relationship do you hope people have with your pieces once they leave the studio?

SC: The concept of luxury has changed radically over the years, especially in recent times. However, A1923 has always promised itself that it would never abandon certain standards set from the very beginning. Despite the meticulous research for materials and the constant evolution of shapes, A1923 still believes in the message that clothing should be used and consumed almost voraciously. The new idea of luxury, as we perceive it, is the possibility of living and loving induments until the very end. Establishing a lasting bond with materiality, a connection that collects memories and leaves an indelible mark on the wearer.

GN: When someone encounters A1923 for the first time, what do you hope they feel before they understand?

SC: I have always believed that the tangible perception of my work is the most important aspect. Therefore, it is very interesting to reflect on the meaning that a name can convey at first Glance. A1923 actually comes from an abbreviation, Augusta1923, a name related to my family history, the memory of someone I was fond of. This domestic dimension still permeates through the management of the brand, in our home-studio, where we take care of everything from production to logistics. I hope then, that this complexity is reflected in the product we are delivering, from the attention to detail, to the careful selection of materials, from the intricate constructions to visual appearance.

GN: What does the term Goodnight mean to you?

SC: Take a breath.

Images courtesy of A1923

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