interview by JANA LETONJA
Somewhere between dreams and reality, innocence and desire, fashion becomes a form of storytelling. For Seven Days of Delirium and Solitude, multidisciplinary artist Anttónia joins forces with Brazilian designer Mabe Mogioni to create a six-look capsule collection inspired by the haunting visual universe of Czech neo-surrealist cinema, particularly Valerie and Her Week of Wonders. Marking Anttónia’s debut in creative direction, the collaboration brings together cinematic symbolism, handcrafted details and an exploration of femininity in all its contradictions. Drawing on the surrealist worlds of Leonora Carrington and Farnese de Andrade, the collection invites us into a universe where beauty, vulnerability and the uncanny coexist.
photography by HENRIQUE TARRICONE
Seven Days of Delirium and Solitude brings together two distinct creative universes. How did your collaboration begin, and what drew you to each other’s artistic perspectives?
The collection began with the idea of creating a photoshoot inspired by the Czech neo-surrealist film Valerie and Her Week of Wonders. Initially, my stylist and I were going to put the looks together ourselves, but when I visited Mabe’s atelier, I felt it would be much more interesting to develop the garments from scratch. And that’s how the collection began to take shape. Mabe and I share a very similar aesthetic sensibility. Although we come from different professional backgrounds, our creative languages meet and complement each other. I think it was precisely this complementarity that made the collaboration so interesting.
This project marks your debut in creative direction. What inspired you to explore fashion as a new medium for your artistic expression?
I have always seen fashion as an extension of my artistic identity, both in my music projects and in my everyday life. My creations are deeply personal, and I have always enjoyed bringing that same sense of authorship into my style by customizing pieces and deconstructing the obvious. After spending some time moving between music, cinema, and fashion, I felt the desire to bring these different languages together in a project with a distinct and cohesive identity.
The project initially began as a fashion editorial before evolving into a capsule collection. What made you decide to transform a visual concept into something tangible and wearable?
The universe we were immersing ourselves in was filled with sensations and nuances, so aspirational that it seemed to deserve an existence beyond the images. Translating that narrative into clothing was a way of making it tangible.
The collection draws inspiration from the Czech film Valerie and Her Week of Wonders. What was it about this particular film that resonated with you, both aesthetically and emotionally?
The surrealism, the dreamlike atmosphere, and the way the film explores the awakening of female sexuality. I’m fascinated by the contrast between its aesthetic delicacy and the perversity of its narrative. The film’s visual language, cinematography, and melancholy have always captivated me.
The collection explores contrasts such as innocence and sensuality, dreams and awakening, light and darkness. Why were these dualities important to the narrative you wanted to create?
Because I believe we are made of contradictions. I wanted to explore precisely this co-existence of the sacred and the profane, innocence and desire, light and shadow. I think that’s the beauty of life.
Femininity is central to this collection, yet it is presented as something mysterious, contradictory and constantly evolving. What does femininity mean to you personally?
To me, femininity is a force that doesn't need to be fully understood or revealed. There is great power in mystery, transformation, and even contradiction. When we embrace that duality, it becomes a superpower.
The collection moves through three symbolic spaces: the bedroom, the garden and the moon. How did these environments shape your choices of silhouettes, textures and colours?
Each setting represents a different stage of transformation. The bedroom evokes intimacy, which is why we explored sleepwear, using lighter, fluid fabrics. The garden represents awakening and transition. For this setting, we created a set featuring a tweed overcoat, hand-sanded to evoke the texture of a lawn or garden, as well as the more structured Giacometti set. The moon reveals the darker, more mysterious side of femininity, with deeper slits and corseted black pieces that bring a sense of sensuality and empowerment.
From sculptural silhouettes to handcrafted brass details, every element seems to carry symbolic meaning. Which detail or garment feels particularly personal to you, and why?
The brooches, pendants, and buttons are particularly special because they tie the entire collection’s narrative together, incorporating symbols from the film, such as the bird, the garden, and the bonfire. They were created through a highly artisanal wax-carving jewelry-making process, sculpted by designer Lucas Slindvain, and inspired by the 1930s collaboration between Giacometti and Schiaparelli.
The collection embraces slow fashion and made-to-order production. How does this approach reflect your creative values, and what role do you believe independent designers play in shaping the future of fashion?
I believe in valuing time, craftsmanship, and individuality. To me, luxury is increasingly connected to things that are made with intention, care, and a strong sense of identity. This reflects the way I approach and take part in creative projects. I like to get hands-on and be involved in every stage of the process.
Fashion and cinema both have the ability to transport us into alternative realities. What emotions or questions do you hope people will take away from experiencing Seven Days of Delirium and Solitude?
I would like people to feel as though they are wearing sensations, as if they had just stepped out of a dream or from Seven Days of Delirium and Solitude, the title of the collection. I think we ended up creating costumes for a film that doesn't exist yet. The collection is playful and experimental, but not restrictive, allowing people to style these pieces with more casual items as well.
If Seven Days of Delirium and Solitude represents the beginning of a new creative chapter, where would you like to take this dialogue next?
I want to continue exploring the possibilities of dialogue between fashion, music, poetry, and cinema. I’m interested in creating artistic experiences that are not confined to a single medium. I believe it is precisely this plurality that makes me a multidisciplinary artist.
