Zyanya Keizer “Chiral” SS17 – MBFWA

Zyanya Keizers’ work is a true mixture of art and fashion, which is substantiated as each of her collections is an expression of fantasy and ethereal beauty. Zyanya is renowned for her advocacy of a timeless aesthetic and in her work a strong appreciation for nostalgia, as well as a surreal vision of the future is clearly visible.


It seems like people can’t see beyond trends, this mentality of just wanting to have everything is very damaging to us on a global level.Zyanya Keizer

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As the lights were dimmed in the gashouder, our anticipation for the show grew while a large roll of plastic was positioned to cover the entire catwalk with a fan whirling air from beneath the end of the sheet, creating the illusion of ocean waves. Gently waving back to the start of the catwalk, the waves caught the dark blue subdued lighting and looked like they absolved into the graphics on the screen, showing us a serene yet gloomy visual of a rippling ocean. The effect was rather astounding, creating the illusion of the models walking on water. Slowly treading by in creations that look like midnight deep sea fashion nymphs covered in arduous beadworks and structures, this collection named “Chiral” once again affirms that the beauty of nature is an inexhaustible source of inspiration for Zyanya.

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It all started with a photograph I took in Scotland, in which a lake showed the beautiful reflection of the mountain landscape surrounding it. This inspired me to find out more about reflections, leading me to duality, symmetry, patterns and the process of cell division: when zoomed in, even the smallest cell can look like a completely different organism – such as coral – even though it has a complete different effect and purpose. I was inspired by all kinds of structures. With beads I make structures that look like molecules, organisms and coral surfaces. I make unique ‘couple’ pieces while keeping them as symmetrical as possible.Zyanya Keizer

These beading techniques are truly stunning, cleverly processed to add color into the structural designs in shades of blue, black, white and red. After the show the models stayed on the catwalk as the audience was invited to take a closer look at the outfits. We especially appreciated this opportunity, as it gave us the chance to see the intrinsic details and use of techniques up close. We also noticed – due to the many beads- how heavy some of the pieces were and how much work had gone into them.

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Intense ensembles worn by an intense ensemble