Fall 2025: ArdAzAei's Folded Sea
ArdAzAei's fourth couture collection, "The Folded Sea," was an environmental manifesto wrapped in silk and sequins.
The collection transformed the humble sea urchin into an high fashion's unlikely hero. Through intricate pleating techniques and bioluminescent-inspired embellishments, creative director Bahareh Ardakani captured both the fragility and resilience of marine ecosystems.
The standout piece—an evening gown requiring 1,000 hours and adorned with 168 hand-embroidered "sea flower" petals—demonstrated the patient craftsmanship associated with couture.
The maison invested months developing bespoke jacquards from electron-magnified sea urchin imagery, while macramé techniques nod to maritime tradition. Corseted silhouettes with visible boning referenced protective exoskeletons, while accordion pleats captured the irregular surfaces of coral reefs.
A show-stopping finale gown layers custom ruffled guipure lace over silk organza panels printed with magnified sea urchin sketches, creating mesmerizing movement.
Technical mastery was evident throughout the collection: a minidress of pleated georgette layered with weightless silk pulsed like living coral, while another was entirely covered in hand-embroidered sea urchins crafted from fish scales and vintage beads in forty different materials.
One evening gown shimmers with 33,000 hand-embroidered Swarovski crystals on metal silk blend, sculpturally draped to evoke light reflecting off water. The collection's most ambitious piece—requiring close to 1,000 hours—features hundreds of draped layers of organza, chiffon, and mousseline changeante with pleats radiating from its heart, falling like jellyfish arms in constant motion.
Three pieces achieve full GOTS certification, proving that sustainability and luxury can coexist without compromise.
The soft palette of pinks, lavenders, and creamy pastels might seem delicate, but there's nothing fragile about this collection's message. As climate change threatens our oceans, Ardakani reminded us that true luxury lies not in excess, but in preservation.
