Studio Pia’s second collection, ‘Daedal’, draws inspiration from the decadence and intricacies of the Art Nouveau period, particularly focussing on Gustav Klimt’s Gold phase. Designs build on the most successful elements of the debut collection, ‘Jungle’, transforming the bespoke French embroidery with a Midas touch and creating new-yet-familiar styles in classic black and bridal options. This collection also sees the introduction of new, bolder ranges, which showcase beautiful cruelty-free, organic silk wrapped strapping and statement 24k gold plated hardware.
Studio Pia is a proud supporter of the Fashion Revolution movement, championing this ethos with sustainable and compassionate silk, ethical UK manufacturing and eco packaging. Studio Pia uses nothing but the finest cruelty-free peace silk, organically and ethically produced in Jharkhand, India, empowering disadvantaged local communities. This silk is made by carefully piercing the cocoon to allow the silkworm to emerge unharmed, before the silk is reeled off and spun using solar powered machinery. The silkworms are cultivated organically without using any kind of pesticide, fungicide or genetic spray, and are allowed to complete their natural life cycle. In contrast, traditional silk manufacturing methods involve boiling the cocoons while the silkworm is still inside. Some 6,600 silkworms are killed to make just 1 kilogram of silk.
“My vision was to design a collection of creative, investment pieces, which challenge preconceptions about ethical fashion aesthetics, and provide my customer with timeless luxury she can feel good about showing off,” said Pia Conaghan, the founder and designer of Studio Pia. “I would love to see peace silk replace standard silk, but before that can happen, people need to understand how silk is usually made, and care enough to make a change. I hope my collections prove that ethical can be sexy!”
