Having launched in 2007, Maldoror, taking its name from the novel, ‘Les Chants de Maldoror’, which was a magnanimous inspiration for the Surrealist and Dadaist movements of the twentieth century, is one of a few new labels that is shunning the usual practice of seasonal collections, and operating with a more sustainable ethos firm in place. Explaining his thoughts behind this decision, Matlag comments, “If I make a new collection it’s for as long as I desire to produce it. I don’t stick with trends and make fashion that gets old in a season, so why change it every six months.” Although Matlag does create collections, they are more processes of experimentation. Explaining purposefully his thoughts when designing his collections and the juxtaposition of what he calls his ‘low couture’ pieces, Matlag elaborates, “They let me develop some idea in all its dimensions, and whole collections give a better view on single pieces within it. But I also find great joy in making something unrelated, when something just screams to be done, most of those pieces are more couture like.”

With a keen interest in recycling, and transforming fabrics into works of art, Matlag often forages for old textiles that he can pour his essence into, and create intricate bold pieces. His most recent collection devotes a new interest in introducing colour, having always previously been partial to neutral tones, but still stays close to his love for inky black, with garments that harbour varying textures. From sensuous silks, to crunchy net hems, and crumpled cottons, the Maldoror label incorporates all these textures into tactile, high fashion pieces. When sourcing his textiles Matlag is partial to usurping second-hand curtains, blankets, bed sheets and old clothes, stating, however, that he also likes to employ the use of really expensive new fabrics. “I love mixing the new with the old and the expensive with the cheap.”
Fixated upon not wasting a scrap of fabric when making his garments, Matlag has strong views on sustainability in fashion, and describes it with great depth of thought and decisiveness, branding ‘eco-friendly fashion’ as just another fad, the designer elaborates, “I never put a big interest in to using used clothing for the saving the planet issue. After studying horticulture, and having a great interest in biology and chemistry, and studying lots of ecology I learned it is completely different from what everyone has been shouting about.” Animatedly continuing, “Using ‘eco-friendly’ fabrics doesn’t assure you help the planet. I’m more into being sensible by not wasting fabric in cutting. There is no need to choose the eco-friendly solutions only because they are good for environment, they have so many other cons and it should attract designers to it and not be another fad that can go out of fashion as fast as it became popular.”

Maldoror has shown at a number of fashion weeks and will be showing in Vienna later this year. He hopes to move to Berlin to promote his label, stating that Poland is a difficult place to try and get ahead in fashion. The designer ruefully comments, “Poland has lost all its fashion history with World War II and now it’s trying to rebuild it, but without any experts, it’s really hard.”
 
The Maldoror label certainly presents a radical variety of silhouettes and styles in, more often than not, a dramatic way, but Matlag is insistent that there is a common ground to be found between each creation. “The thing that ties them [together] is that I leave them all in a state of imperfection, they are left a bit unfinished to let them age and change with time and use. Another hole in a ripped sweater doesn’t make it broken, but can alter it and let you discover the piece once again.” Concluding on his ‘couture-esque’ work, “Sometimes I try to find a golden middle between the two, other times I just don’t care about wearability and concentrate on the visual form.”

Hannah Shakir