Picture: Amanda Camenisch, Models: Gitan Kids Jess and Jay

The fashion designer Sherylin Birth studied at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW, Academy of Arts and Design Basel, Institute of Fashion Design, which she completed in 2016 as Bachelor of Arts with Specialization in Fashion Design. She is currently working as a womenswear designer for Old Captain & Co. designing premium swiss made shirts.

Birth’s designs are inspired by and made for empowered women, celebrating vulnerability and independence. As a result she creates strong, generous and voluminous silhouettes that frame the bodies like statues, offering femininity as well as strength. Birth contrasts geometric shapes with floating silk and chiffons. Her designs are made to fit different moods and situations, that enable them to be worn in everyday life and to alter with it’s wearer. Nevertheless, the designer uses luxurious and carefully selected fabrics. Her collection further encompasses hand made accessories and jewelry.

Her work will be on display at Artificio in Lugano, starting April 7.
In the interview she tells us about the ultimate purpose of design and why design is able to change life.

Pictures: Amanda Camenisch, Styling: Sherylin Birth

What is the task of design?

The task of Design, as a general concept, is to interpret the meaning of human life and existence through the process of making things, objectively planning everything that surrounds us and giving each thing it’s logical form with the right structure and proper material. Design can also just give aesthetical pleasure. A vase can give us pleasure through its presence with or without flowers inside.
The task of Fashion Design differs form the task of Product Design. Like art, fashion does not need to be functional; therefore it can be a means of self-expression.
I believe that the ultimate purpose of design is to encourage people to develop their own sense of beauty.

How does design change life?

Design opens your mind. Developing a sense of beauty and aesthetic leads us to go deeper into things and grow steadily. Design is research, sense of aesthetics, beauty and growth.

Must design create something new?

Not necessarily. Producing something new from scratch is a creative process, but also creating something new from something known can be an act of creation. In fashion design it is always about reinterpreting and reinventing past designs, making them up-to-date and modern.