Mihaleva with her designs
The residency program highlighted Mihaleva’s research, which urges and focuses on the possibility of combining artistry with the human mind and body to create a seamless transition.
“I want individuals to embody the clothing they wear,” she said while giving an in-depth tour of her work. The exhibit included a video detailing how once the individual fit into the design, they immediately encapsulated her vision. “It’s beautiful how each person has their own personality,” she said. “They symbolized the meanings that originated in the creative process.”
She explained her process of fabricating the dresses she narrates the exciting process it takes to fabricate her dresses. One big part of her process is to use a widely available resource: rubber bands. She manipulates the rubber bands to foster unique shapes that bulge out of the design. An eccentric but sustainable technique is when she takes used clothing from thrift shops or recycled polyester, hand-maneuvers it, and imparts a story within, where individuals value and embody them. Inspirations have come from pop sensation Prince, dying coral reefs, and light pollution. Her art is shown through all design aspects: the color, shape, and process that took weeks to invent and execute.
Mihaleva’s newest experiments will focus on building a space where integrating the human body with wearable technology is essential. She explained that she is exploring how sustainable fashion relates to the relationships between social behaviors and the impact of social media on personal identity issues.
The students’ contributions to Mihaleva’s workshops and lectures created an inclusive and enlightened environment, while analysis and observations of her research and methods highlighted the impact CHE and HCD students will hopefully implement in their future careers.
“My experience here at Human Ecology, working with students and professors and administrators, was incredible,” she said.