Between Discard and Structure: ZGENERATION’s First Collection
ZGENERATION made its debut in Paris with a first collection presented outside the traditional fashion calendar, setting the tone for a brand that prefers alternative paths over established formats. Founded Iranian designer Mohammad Amin Pooreskandarian and Shiva çan, ZG operates between fashion, art, and performance, with a focus on transformation: materials, bodies, and stories.
The brand introduced its first collection through a body of work built entirely from second-hand garments, sourced and reconstructed in Paris. The silhouettes moved between the everyday and the sculptural, combining hand couture, embroidery, and traditional techniques with more experimental, futuristic forms. Discarded fabrics were cut, assembled, and reassembled into precise pieces designed to sit comfortably on the body, regardless of gender. You could see the football shirts, the curtain fabric, the gaps between what something was and what it became.
The collection explored the idea of rebirth. Not as a symbol, but as a process, giving older materials a second life without disguising their history. This approach culminated in the final look: a monumental dress-like costume made entirely from red roses. Dense, physical, and slightly overwhelming, it closed the show with an image that was both romantic and unsettling.
Designed by Helio Chen, the set of the show brought nature and technology into direct conversation. Flowers ran through an otherwise sterile, futuristic space, giving the impression of a laboratory where organic life is examined rather than romanticised. Sound was replaced by a live harp performance, shifting focus to movement, craftsmanship, and the relationship between bodies, garments, and space.
Rooted in queerness and inclusivity, ZG approaches fashion as a space of freedom rather than definition. The collection avoided fixed references to gender, allowing garments to exist in relation to the body instead of identity labels. This openness reflects both the designer’s background and the brand’s ongoing commitment to creating safer, more representative spaces within and beyond fashion.
Beyond the runway, Mohammad’s work extends into direct community action. The brand collaborates with be-cosmo, a Paris-based organization, hosting monthly creative sessions for children from low-income communities, teaching them to transform discarded materials into something new. ZG operates on a model of small, intentional production: ten pieces released monthly, with custom options available, all made in Paris within one to two weeks.
Words: Sara Vukosavljevic