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Dasha Tsapenko
Grown MYC_Couture
Atelier Dasha Tsapenko presents a body of work grown in collaboration with nature. This MYC_Couture garment is part of an evolving series where linen gauze cut-offs become the underground for mycelium to grow—binding fragments into a living textile. Photographed in the raw landscapes of Iceland, the piece is activated by wind, water and time, revealing the behaviour of a material that is never static.
Rooted in Tsapenko’s research into Ukrainian textile traditions, her work bridges ritual and biotechnology. While her original wedding dress introduced the idea of garments that return to the earth, this series continues that narrative: fashion as a cycle, not an object.
At ROOTS, this research expands beyond couture. Tsapenko also presents a mycelium-grown desk and chair, exploring how fungal intelligence can shape not only what we wear, but how we live.
Her journey with ROOTS began during Dutch Design Week 2025, where she presented the Rainproof Mycelium Kimono—a first case study in water-resistant, fully bio-based garments. Developed in collaboration with Spore.nl, the piece merges mycelium with woven hemp and a bio-based binder, creating a resilient yet tactile surface. It introduced a new aesthetic language for bio-couture—one that embraces the textures, colors, and irregular beauty of living systems.
From garments to objects, Tsapenko’s work proposes a future where materials are grown, not produced—where design exists in symbiosis with the ecosystems it comes from.
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