Gongini's minimal, functional aesthetic

Who is She?

Barbara í Gongini graduated from the Danmarks Designskole in 1996.  A passionate supporter of all things eco-friendly, Gongini  launched her sustainable fashion label in 2005, determined to create pieces that were ethical as well as beautiful.  In addition to her fashion collections, Gongini aims to convey her design identity through work in other creative mediums including music, photography and film.

The Label

The Barbara í Gongini collection is comprised of two lines: I-rEgular – a playful, experimental range with serious catwalk impact – and the simpler rEgular or ‘B-Black’.  Gongini has won several grants and awards for her work within the field of sustainable fashion, including a Danish Arts Academy works grant in 2008.  Gongini was nominated for Ethical Designer of the Year in 2010 at the Danish Fashion Awards.

The Look

Barbara í Gongini’s work is inspired by the minimal functionalism of Nordic and Japanese design.  She remains true to a palette, in her words, of “black and white and some shades of grey”.  Her collections embrace a four-fold approach to sustainability: recycling, organic cotton, incorporating by-products of the meat industry such as fur and skin, and multi-functional clothing. Gongini uses draped jersey to create volume, combining different textures to add depth to her signature black.  She plays with functionalism and concepts to create pieces which reflect her spiritual and political agenda as an artist and designer.  As Gongini says: “the whole concept is about using things in different ways, keeping the form as open as possible so the customer keeps an interaction with their particular style.”

The Buzz

Gongini shows at Copenhagen Fashion Week. Featured in magazines, Tush, Glass and Dansk, the Faroese fashionista has also caught the eye of plenty of  style hungry bloggers including Cool Hunting, Trend Hunter, and fashionologie.  Her strong links with the world of music, film and art allow scope for multiple interdisciplinary collaborations and many of her film projects appear on Youtube.

Where to Buy