BIO
Mayya Saliba is a Belgian-Lebanese designer and consultant. She is currently based in Berlin and specializes in design & sustainability with focus on business strategy. She attended Esmod Berlin and graduated in 2015 with a masters degree in Sustainability in Fashion where she wrote a thesis – ‘Sustainability and other stories‘ that explored the idea that a circular economy could be the solution to the paradox of fast fashion and sustainability. After graduating, she went on to win the German National Award in Ecodesign – Young Talent 2016.
LATEST COLLECTION
Mayya‘s latest work is a beautiful embroidered pineapple clutch bag inspired by arabesque art, commissioned by the V&A for their exhibition called ‘Fashioned from Nature’. The bag is made from a material named Piñatex which has never been used by a designer before! It is a vegan leather made from the by-product of pineapple harvest and is gathered in the Philippines. It is innovative and sustainable as it uses no excess land, water, pesticides or fertilisers.
Beyrouth – April 2016
This shoulder piece collection is Mayya’s interpretation of what it means to be Lebanese today and is a culmination of rich history and different cultures. The print was inspired by “vintage tiles designed under the French occupation combined with traditional Lebanese shapes under the Turkish occupation” which enforces the theme of conflicting cultures.
This collection uses the same pineapple fiber as the V&A clutch bag. It also uses water-based ink, handmade block printing and is zero-waste.
While her work is not yet being sold on shelves, the fact that Mayya Saliba is the first designer ever to use pineapple leather sets her apart from your average designer. I think she is a great influence on young designers today as she promotes sustainability in a really clever and artistic way. I hope we will be seeing a lot more of her work taking over and saving the planet in the future!
Words By Thalia Traynor- Fashion Contributor at Ragged CULT Magazine
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