Ugly Is Just a Lie We’ve Been Sold - Marco Roscino on Beauty, Rebellion, Breaking the Rules, and the Latest Collaboration with Solène Lescouët
There’s a certain kind of beauty that the industry worships. Clean, symmetrical, polished to oblivion. Marco Roscino isn’t interested. His makeup isn’t about following trends, but about twisting them, rejecting them, and sometimes, flat-out mocking them. Marco’s work lives in the tension between attraction and repulsion, playing with the raw, the imperfect, the ugly. If makeup is supposed to enhance, his enhances something deeper: personality, identity, contradiction.
Coming from a small town in the south of Italy where fashion barely existed, Roscino carved his own path: experimenting on himself, creating looks that weren’t meant to be beautiful, then pushing boundaries in Paris, where his vision of beauty clashes with the industry’s relentless obsession with commercial perfection. He refuses to airbrush reality, keeping skin textured, makeup unapologetically asymmetrical, and his references deeply rooted in art, philosophy, and punk.
In a moment where even rebellion is being repackaged as an aesthetic trend, Roscino remains uninterested in playing the game. He doesn’t care if his work makes you uncomfortable. If anything, he prefers it that way.
This season, he teamed up with designer Solène Lescouët for a collection “Crimson Lovers”, inspired by the romantic world of Francis Ford Coppola's Dracula (1992), bringing his raw, haunting aesthetic to the runway. The collaboration wasn’t about dictating a makeup look, but about merging visions. Solène handed Roscino full creative freedom, trusting his instinct to reflect the collection’s gothic, rebellious energy resulting in a series of unapologetic, eerie, and poetic looks that rejected standard beauty ideals in favor of something far more interesting.
In this interview with EDGELINE, the artist talks about his love for imperfection, the frustration with fashion’s recycling of the same references, and why the industry’s idea of rebellion is often just another marketable trend.
IT’S AN HONOUR TO FINALLY DO THIS INTERVIEW! I WOULD LOVE TO START BY JUST ASKING YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY IN MAKEUP. HOW DID YOU DISCOVER THAT THIS WAS YOUR PASSION, THAT IT WAS YOUR PATH?
I came from a really small city in the South of Italy where fashion is not really something that people understand, it’s something really far from them by culture. So, it was a little bit hard and I started to do makeup basically on myself. I was really passionate about the drag queen scene and I was kind of getting in touch with the more female part of myself. I started when I was really young, like 15, 16 and I started to do makeup on myself basically, but I was just doing really messy, ugly eyeliner, really long. I was stealing makeup from my mom. I practiced a lot on myself. This I think is the main thing of my personality. I test a lot on myself every day. I am still doing this and I think I’m going to keep doing that forever. I was really young and the first male makeup artist of my age doing makeup on people. And I was also having some friends working in theater, and I started to do that. So, mostly for this my makeup is really bold and really visible because I think I start with theater, so it was something that was supposed to be visible, also from far.
Then I got the opportunity to work with this team of huge buyers from the South of Italy and they were invited to the shows and events in Milan. I asked them to join the team as a makeup artist, just to see how fashion in Milan was. They were really happy to make me join them. We went together to Milan when I was 18. This is when I saw Fashion Week for the first time. I started young and I fell in love. I was like, okay, this is what I want to do. But I was also studying packaging design and graphic design. I moved to Milan to study. In the meantime, I was working as a makeup artist. It was really tough because the university was tough and I was really focused on makeup because I knew that it was what I wanted to do. I did my first internship in Paris three years ago for L'Oréal. I fell in love with Paris and I decided to move here after graduation because I knew for work it was way better than Milan. Also for my style, I'm more simulated here, people contact me more, they understand the concept better. Italian style is a little bit classic. They don't want to explore that much and I'm really provocative with my style. Also in Paris, I mean, it's not totally free to express yourself, but I still find the team that wants to explore something different.
IT'S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS ABOUT TO ASK YOU, WHAT THE HARDEST PART OF IT HAS BEEN, CONSIDERING SO MANY BRANDS ARE STILL PLAYING VERY SAFE IN THE INDUSTRY. YOU HAVE QUITE A PARTICULAR, UNIQUE, EXPRESSIVE STYLE, CELEBRATING THE “UGLINESS” AS PART OF SELF-EXPRESSION.
To tell you the truth, I feel like in our industry, there's kind of a mask, what we show to society. Like body positivity which was a big thing three years ago and now we don't see a lot of that. It’s just to be cool, to be on trend, to respect what the society wants, but at the end of the day, nobody cares. I feel like here, it's the same. If you really want to be bold, punk, I don't want to say only provocative because it's not about that. People do it just because it looks cool, not because they really care about that aesthetic and they want to respect that idea, that vision. So, for me, sometimes it's hard, but I manage to find people that are more understanding, that want to get in touch with a really intimate part of themselves and explore something different, because I'm really tired of standards, beauty trends, and this kind of bullshit. I really want to show people that we should do what we want. Of course, it's dangerous because there is marketing, we need to sell things, we need to eat, and to pay the rent at the end of the day. It’s unfortunate how society is built.
Everybody should do what they want. We have to be free because there are so many creatives in this industry. If everyone does what everyone else does and we are all the same, than what is the point?
I COULDN’T AGREE MORE. UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK WE'RE STILL IN THE INDUSTRY IN WHICH FOLLOWING THE STANDARDS IS WHAT IS MOST PROBABLY GOING TO PAY YOUR RENT.
When I see moodboards, they always put the same references. They take the campaigns from the 90s, I mean guys, okay, it was a cool era, but it was 30 years ago. Move on. We are in 2025, technology has improved and in fashion, we are still doing the same thing. We still see the same faces, same bodies. For this, I feel like fashion is in crisis because people now are more conscious that the idea of fashion is just a lie, you know?
DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR VERY FIRST MAKEUP LOOK AND HOW IT CAME TO LIFE? WERE YOU INSPIRED BY SOMETHING PARTICULAR OR WAS IT JUST LIKE YOU EXPERIMENTING AND TRYING OUT?
If I have to think about something really creative, I think I can talk mostly about my period during COVID when we were stuck in the house. During that period, I did lots of makeup looks, experimenting everyday. I was also studying art at school so I was drawing things with paper and glued them on my face to treat like characters. I did Marie Antoinette, and the wig was in paper. If I have to think about my first creative makeup, it would be this one. Before, it was more functional looks, such as for theaters, respecting the mood of the story and similar.
SPEAKING ABOUT YOUR COLLABORATION WITH SOLÈNE FOR THIS FASHION WEEK. WE WERE REALLY OBSESSED WITH THE MAKEUP LOOKS AND HOW THEY PERFECTLY FIT THE COLLECTION. TELL ME MORE ABOUT THIS COLLABORATION ITSELF AND YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE DESIGNER.
Me and Solène were following each other for a while. But we never talked about doing something together. So, I remember the time we said, okay, we should do something together. She was doing a shoe collaboration with a brand, I think from London. And she wanted me to do the makeup for the campaign. What I love about her style and aesthetic is that she is really punk, so I was really happy to do something together. When we talked about makeup looks, she showed me my work. She didn't send me the moodboard with other people’s work. She showed me this kind of eyeliner that I did and asked if I could do it for her. So, I drew new different eyeliner shapes and I sent them to her. I really respect that she showed my work as a reference. She was like “I really want you for your style” and this I really loved. After this campaign, she already told me about the upcoming presentation and that she would like to have me for the makeup. So during January and February, we discussed a lot about what we’re going to do, how many looks. I first asked her to tell me the story about the collection. It was inspired by Dracula from Coppola. It was all about vampires and the world of vampires. Very punk. When I have this kind of work, I usually have a reference in my mind already from movies, cinema, art. I bought a lot of new books that talk also about monsters and creatures. Some of my main references are books that talk about ugliness in terms of philosophy and aesthetics. First I started drawing the makeup looks to see what I want, I was also checking my books. This is also why we have different makeup looks, because there are lots of different personalities in the presentation, a lot of different looks. I didn’t want to do one makeup for everyone. I also wanted to tell a story but not to be the protagonist. The collection was already bold, so we tried to match and balance it, so that we are both happy. For that reason, I really loved the collaboration with Solène because it's really about respecting each other, sharing ideas.
IS THERE A PARTICULAR FAVORITE MAKEUP LOOK OF YOURS?*
My favorite one is really intimate with a part of myself, when I started doing makeup, it’s inspired by ugliness. It’s the one with the red lens on the right eye and the rest are really bold, punk eyes. One of my main inspirations was Marilyn Manson back the time. His look is really gorgeous.
I CAN DEFINITELY SEE IT.
Even when I started doing makeup on myself back in the time when I moved to Milan, I never did a symmetric makeup look. I was doing one eye, for example, yellow and purple, and the other eye completely blue. I never did my face symmetrically.
WAS THIS ABOUT EXPRESSING DIFFERENT PARTS OF YOURSELF?
Yeah I think. I feel like in everyone, there's a conflict between two sides of ourselves. I think I was showing this battle inside myself through it. I'm not looking for perfection or symmetry in things of course, because it's part ugliness. I was also really interested to see people’s reaction to this. Why do we do the eyes symmetrically? Who said that? Why do we have to do the eyeliner perfectly? I mean, I'm not criticizing that, because it's also part of an aesthetic which is different. It’s about the “rules” that are set. We should all do what we want without following any rules. When you see beauty trends from magazines, you're never going to see something like that because it will never be a trend in society.
SPEAKING ABOUT TRENDS AND STANDARDS, ANOTHER FACT SPECIFIC TO YOU IS THAT YOU DON’T LIKE TO COVER UP TOO MUCH OF THE SKIN. USUALLY, IT’S THE PERFECT, PORCELAIN SKIN THAT THE INDUSTRY AIMS FOR, BUT YOU ACTUALLY CELEBRATE ALL THE IMPERFECTIONS.
Exactly. It’s skin! When we do campaigns, the first thing to do is remove imperfections. I mean, if you see the skin of most of the population, it’s not perfect like that. Some people, for example, don't have the time or money because, to be honest, skincare and makeup is really expensive. We have to think about that like otherwise we are talking to an elite. This is what fashion is doing and me. When I also talk about ugliness, it's always related to society because if you talk about this in our creative bubble, everyone is kind of understanding, you know. But if you go outside with the green lipstick, people are going to think that you are mad.
For me eyes are always the main thing of the look. Except for the main look which was inspired by Dracula. We did pale skin, white lashes, really vampire-like with this bordeaux, red lips.
She told me the look was really huge and white and we wanted to just add the touch of color popping with the pale skin. When I think about the look, I didn’t only take inspiration from photography, Dracula, but also the performance from Gina Pane, back in the time. She was bending down with her hands, in front of people. She cuts herself and she puts the spine of the roses inside. And there was this contrast with a little bit of blood as she was dressed completely in white.
IT IS AN AMAZING REFLECTION OF THE BRAND AND THIS COLLECTION! WHAT WAS THE MOST FUN PART OF WORKING ON THIS PRESENTATION AND SOLÈNE?
I went to her studio with my drawings and an empty piece of paper, to create a look maybe on spot with her. She really loved every look. Even if she was the designer, she gave me the full freedom and trust on this. She called me because she respected me as a professional but also as a creative. This is why I really had a lot of fun.
It was a safe space for everyone there. Also, for the presentation, we were not having models, they were more performers or like singers. Some of them were maybe not used to their face with a lot of makeup and I wanted to respect their personalities as well. Sometimes makeup artists forget that they are people with personality and identity. Of course they were there to bring the vision alive, but we also have to respect each other. For me, this is really important and at the end of the day, everybody was happy and in a safe space.
IT’S STILL VERY SCARCE NOWADAYS RECEIVING THAT KIND OF FREEDOM AND HAVING THIS SAFE SPACE WAS WHAT BROUGHT SUCH AMAZING RESULTS. CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN ON THIS FRUITFUL COLLABORATION. I WANTED TO ASK YOU ONE LAST QUESTION. IS THERE AN ULTIMATE ARTIST INSPIRATION FOR YOU?
For makeup, of course, my idol and my queen is Inge Grognard. During all the glam in the 90s and before, she was the one being punk which is why she’s one of my main inspirations. She was a makeup artist but also a muse for artists like Margiela.
HE’S AN ABSOLUTE ICON I AGREE.
My main inspirations are art and cinema. If I have to think about a movement for example, I would say it’s the body art from the 60s and 70s. The body artists of that time were using the body as canvas to tell a story or send a message. And this is what we are missing today I think, because of course, because if it’s on the surface, it’s not art. Art is all about sending that message. It's politics, it's social, it's culture.
IT’S ALSO ABOUT PROVOKING EMOTIONS, RIGHT?
Exactly. Emotions, they can be good or bad. I'm young and so I'm still experimenting. But it's my goal, I don't want to do things that are on the surface level. There's always a message behind and emotion to provoke.
OFTEN ARTISTS TEND TO PLAY SAFE AND ARE LIMITED WITH OTHERS’ VISION. THIS IS THE EXACT REASON WHY WE WANTED TO SPEAK WITH YOU, AS YOU ARE GOING AGAINST ALL OF IT, NOT AFRAID TO TELL YOUR STORY, EXPRESS YOUR VALUES. WE’RE THANKFUL FOR THIS INTERVIEW!
Thanks to you, I am really happy to talk to you. I really want everybody to express their vision, have fun, not to be scared to do so because of the norms that are imposed. Otherwise, where's the point guys?
Words: Sara Vukosavljevi
Rabin Huissen on Traces, Rituals & Vulnerability : "We all leave blueprints of our experiences in life."
Rabin Huissen doesn’t just make art. He leaves traces of his existence, embedding himself into each piece with an immediacy that feels both intimate and evocative. His work captures the ephemeral, transforming fleeting gestures into permanent imprints. Using his body as a tool, he stains, presses, and transfers his presence onto delicate surfaces, creating ghostly, acid-blue forms that hover between absence and permanence. The result is visceral—an archive of movement, a record of presence that resists erasure. There’s something deeply personal yet universal in his process, a ritual of self-exposure and transformation. We spoke with Rabin about the act of creating with the body, the vulnerability of leaving literal marks behind, and how touch—raw, direct, and unfiltered—is at the core of his artistic practice.
CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR BEGINNINGS – WHAT WAS THE MOMENT YOU DECIDED CONCEPTUAL ART IS SOMETHING YOU WANT TO DO? WAS THERE A PIVOTAL MOMENT IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU REALIZED ART WASN’T JUST A PATH BUT A NECESSITY FOR YOU?
Yes, I remember my first encounter with art, and how it touched me! It was in primary school. That’s where I made my first ‘conceptual’ artwork, even though I didn’t realize it at the time. It was a cast of my hand, made of white plaster. I was seven years old. It was a pure and great discovery for me. I still remember it like it was yesterday—especially how my right hand touched the soft milky texture of white plaster and seeing my hand getting all covered by it. That material touching material was a revelation! This replica of my hand became a real work of art. My mother had hung the artwork on the inside of the cabinet in our living room. Every time we had breakfast, lunch, or dinner, the cabinet would open, and I would see my artwork hanging there. As I saw the artwork every day, I realized that I could physically translate my feelings with materials into a visual object. This allowed me to get closer and deeper into my inner feelings. I felt complete, and it became a necessity for me. This childhood memory really shaped me and still does, and it's also the way I like to approach art.
By touching a surface or my own body, I realize myself that we need matter in the world. That colour, texture and materials are there for healing and to feel part of a whole. Rabin Huissen
Touching is a big part of my art practice. Maybe that is the reason why I use paper as the main material in my practice. It’s so diverse—from lightweight to heavyweight papers and in all varieties of transparency, structures, and sizes. Besides paper, I love to touch all sorts of surfaces such as soil, sand, glass, stones, textiles, furs, wood, concrete, plastics, walls, etc. Each has its own character and special qualities. By touching a surface or my own body, I realize that we need matter in the world. Color, texture, and materials are there for healing and to feel part of a whole. I feel it is all connected. And yes, my work can be touched gently.
YOUR ACID BLUEPRINTS HAVE SUCH A DISTINCT PRESENCE AND ARE THE EVIDENCE OF AN INTIMATE BODILY EXPERIENCE. CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH THE PROCESS OF CREATING THEM? WHERE DOES IT BEGIN, AND HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHEN A PIECE IS COMPLETE?
That's right, they do! My work is about showing my state of consciousness and focuses on the human body, especially my own body and the traces I leave in the world. From my footprints on the beach to the fingerprints on a coffee cup, and also the way I wear my clothes and the little marks—like scratches—I leave in the interior of my house. We all leave blueprints of our experiences in life. I am fascinated by that and feel the urge to visualize these marks in my photograms/paintings.
My process starts by getting myself in the right frame of mind through the ritual of waking up one or two hours before sunrise. I love this moment. It is a moment of transition where night becomes day and where something becomes something else. It is a surreal and wonderful place to be and to start creating.
Every work begins with a preparation process. I start by choosing the type of paper, size, and shape and then collect all the ingredients and tools needed to make light-sensitive paper. This process requires precision and focus. It is a challenging part because the entire process must be done in pitch darkness to avoid any exposure to UV light! I can only rely on my instinct and intuition.
Since most of my artworks are made while traveling, doing this process with precision in different locations is always a challenge. But I believe that this is also part of my artwork. My previously prepared photo paper reacts to daylight and is exposed when I feel ready. These ‘performances’ of making the artwork are always unannounced and take place in public spaces. Time is the invisible agent that makes the reaction happen and ultimately records the moment. Natural conditions such as sun, wind, temperature, sand, dust, and water interfere with the process, and that is what I love. The bright colors and textures arise during and after this process, influenced by pigments, liquids, and inks. The entire process is like playing—experimenting with different elements until I instinctively know when a piece is complete.
HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHICH MOMENT/MOVEMENT YOU WILL CAPTURE WITH YOUR ART?
I follow my intuition. It is a powerful and important human asset.
My works are the result of meticulous rituals, where I follow a script with instructions I have set for myself to capture movement in time. The script acts as a structural framework where I am the initiator and often the 'performer'. These are the ingredients of my work: the script that sets up a situation, human contact, and the natural circumstances that make the experience possible. The outcome varies, from small-scale photograms to human-scale compositions.
Our intuition is our compass and is unique to each of us. I trust mine completely. The moment of creation, or the choice of movement, is based on my intuitive feeling, and it is pure. I strongly believe that there is no right or wrong in it. It helps me connect more deeply with my true self.
YOU HAVE TRAVELED A LOT DURING THE PAST YEARS, PARTICIPATING IN DIFFERENT RESIDENCY PROGRAMS. WHAT HAS BEEN THE IMPACT AND ROLE OF TRAVELING IN YOUR WORK?
Traveling and participating in residency programs is indeed an essential aspect of my creative process. I love exploring new places, countries, and cultures because traveling invigorates me with energy, ideas, and insights. Through exploration, I learn new things and, in turn, discover more about myself. Although it can be challenging—and sometimes tough—these experiences always lead to growth. In new environments, I often find myself reinventing how I function and create my art. It’s all part of the journey, and I enjoy it.
This means that my work is influenced by different factors such as location, culture, season, temperature, natural elements, my body, my emotions, and timing. I try to ‘feel’ and ‘read’ the room. For example, the result of an artwork made on a tropical island feels and looks different from an artwork made between cold mountains. You could say that my work is shaped by the environment, just as growing up in the countryside is different from living in a big city. Both experiences shape who I am and thus shape my art.
In recent years, I have felt the urge to consciously touch the materials I work with, such as paper, sand, plants, water, pigments, ink, and more. This tactile connection keeps me grounded in my surroundings. At the end of my making process, I create a handmade white box for each artwork, which then gets a place on a shelf in my archive. This growing archive represents a collection of personal memories. By arranging these boxes in chronological order, one can follow the evolution of my artistic style and travels.
YOUR WORK IS VERY PERSONAL, WITH YOUR BODY AT THE HEART OF YOUR CREATIONS. IT URGES US TO RECONNECT WITH THE ESSENTIAL PARTS OF OURSELVES. HOW HAS THIS PROCESS RESHAPED YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF PHYSICALITY AND VULNERABILITY?
Yes, it is true that my work is very personal.
My artworks depict communal shared experiences that manifest on my body. In addition, my work searches for a limitless universal language. I use my body as a tool to create my art, and I am not ashamed or uncomfortable portraying it. It is certainly something personal, but at the same time, I create a visual language and use my body as a tool, a visual grammar. Everyone has a body and can relate to someone else’s body in some way. So when I use my body, it is not about a private message but about an understandable meaning that everyone should be able to connect with.
Unfortunately, we still live in a macho world where men can’t show their feelings too much. But why is that? Rabin Huissen
I don’t struggle as an artist to break the barrier between my creations and my personal body. It’s so important, at least for me, to feel comfortable in your own body. I’m also aware that I make myself vulnerable by doing this. I’ve taught myself to say that it’s okay to show my feelings and that I don’t have to be ashamed of them. Unfortunately, we still live in a macho world where men can’t show their feelings too much. But why is that?
It took me a long time to get to know and love my body. Really! As a male teenager, I never felt truly connected to it. Later, as I got older, I started doing yoga. During these group sessions in front of the mirror, I saw how beautiful the human body is—how it works and how you can use it to feel better. I became fascinated by it. Taking care of my body was something new to me because I grew up in a masculine society where men don’t pay much attention to their bodies. But even as a male artist, working with a male body is something unusual. In my art, I use my own body to say something about the present. It also helps me understand it and how to take care of it. It is not just a vessel. The body is a powerful instrument. It helps me understand the world around me and how to relate to it. It lives, breathes, transforms, and grows all the time. The concept of the body runs like a common thread through my artistic practice.
THE COLORS SEEM TO BE AN IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR WORK – THE WAY YOU USE THEM, COMBINE THEM – IS THERE A SPECIAL CREATIVE PROCESS BEHIND HOW YOU SELECT THEM?
Yes, the colors in my works have an intentional meaning or contain a 'secret' or 'code.' In my work, I have many secrets and codes that are developed for personal use only, as a personal reminder of date, time, location, action, or state of being, etc. I hope that the colors and textures have their own energy and speak for themselves.
An example of a color code that I work with relates to the seven days of the week. If I make an artwork on Monday, logically, it is yellow. For me, yellow relates to Monday, pink to Tuesday, and green to Wednesday, etc. The intensity or brightness of the color depends on how I feel at that moment. Therefore, the interpretation of the intensity or brightness relates to my feelings.
Besides adhering to my conceptual idea of color codes, the intensity or brightness is very personal. But not only color plays a big role in my work—texture and materials do as well. They speak and give direction to how the artworks should be read. All these ingredients in a work play an important role in the whole picture. The color, size, texture, and even the back of the work are just as important as the front, which is why I see my work as a sculptural object rather than a two-dimensional image.
IF YOU WEREN’T AN ARTIST, WHERE DO YOU THINK ALL THESE IDEAS AND EMOTIONS WOULD HAVE GONE? WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING INSTEAD?
If I weren’t an artist, I would have been an architect. The reason I feel this way is because I consider my own body as my home. I believe that the body is not only a vessel but also the place where our soul lives. It helps me understand the world around me and how to relate to it. It is always living, breathing, transforming, and growing.
A house is also temporary. We need to understand it in order to determine how to take care of it. I feel a strong passion for architecture and the idea that a place, space, or building can give you a sense of connection. I think I could put all my ideas and emotions into architecture. So, if I weren’t an artist, I would definitely have become an architect!
AS AN ARTIST, WHAT IS FREEDOM TO YOU?
Freedom means everything to me, and my art practice can take me there. Art is a vehicle that can take you anywhere!
IS THERE A PARTICULAR ARTIST THAT STRONGLY INSPIRED YOU IN YOUR ARTISTIC JOURNEY?
Yes, there are a few artists who have inspired me and still do. But my great hero is still the conceptual artist stanley brouwn. He was an example of conceptualism from the 60s, and his best-known works include This Way Brouwn.
Later in the 70s, brouwn created a new measurement system using his own body as a standard to investigate how distances are perceived. By combining an abbreviation of his name and units of measurement based on his own body, he introduced the "sb-foot," "sb-cubit," and "sb-step."
As brouwn said: “My work is a way of existing, a way of being.” For me, this is truly inspiring!
WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU?
I am very excited about the future!
It started off great with the completion of two publications this year. One is my first monograph, and the other is an art publication about an exhibition I did—in a work of art that is also a building.
In addition to this great opportunity, I am starting an art residency in the spring on the southern island of Kyushu in Japan, which I am very excited about! I will be doing research on Shinto philosophy and how it is implemented in Japanese architecture. This is where my fascination with architecture comes in! (laughs). The residency space is in an old traditional Japanese house.
I want to better understand Shinto, the architecture built with this philosophy, and how I can integrate it into my art practice. I strongly believe that this work period in Japan will strengthen my artistic vision.
I think that my special collaboration with ceramic master Genta Yamamoto will make it even stronger. Master Yamamoto is famous for his glaze and pottery that is still used for Japanese tea ceremonies. He finds the clay and glass in the surroundings of his studio and kiln. In addition, he dedicates his life to the rhythm of nature. So inspiring, don't you think?!
What I am most looking forward to is how I will delve further into Japanese culture and how my body relates to it. This will result in an exhibition in Japan, but also at the Fotomuseum in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, at the end of 2025.
Portraits : Jacqueline Fuijkschot
Images of the artworks : Christina Nesterova
Images of the artworks : Christina Nesterova
Lou De Bètoly
A Contemporary Reinvention of Forgotten Treasures
On February 1st, Lou De Bètoly transported Berlin Fashion Week into her world of surreal craftsmanship and playful couture. “It’s classic, surprising, and somehow glamourous” – as she described her latest collection to EDGELINE.AW25 felt like a whispered secret. A delicate yet daring exploration of artistry and reinvention. Staged in the historic Spiegelsaal at Clärchens Ballhaus, the show’s setting was as hauntingly romantic as the collection itself. A lone grand piano stood at the center, casting an air of old-world elegance as models descended the staircase, draped in pieces that blurr the lines between tradition and subversion.
Known for her ability to weave past narratives into modern silhouettes, Bètoly tackled the collection with an almost instinctual process. Backstage, she spoke about her approach to design, the one that doesn’t start with a fixed concept: “I have a very intuitive way of working, almost like a surrealist writer” she shared. “I always start with the material, and then I build a story around it.” The result was an array of garments that embraced both structure and fluidity, nostalgia and irreverence. Vintage nightgowns were painstakingly pleated into weightless gowns, brassieres became architectural bodices, and humble textiles found new form through meticulous craftsmanship.
One of the most striking elements was Bètoly’s ability to disguise the origins of her materials. “I like when you don’t see at first, the upcycling,” she remarked. Indeed, her transformation of everyday objects into high fashion pieces was seamless. “You saw that there were these bike reflectors – I collected them for three years, from my home to work”. While bike reflectors became shimmering halter tops, leather jackets were sliced into cascading ruffles. Vintage silk blanket was reborn as an opulent evening dress and handmade knit pieces incorporate chicken feathers from the designer’s parents' garden, blending personal history with recycled materials.
The collection explored contrasts that create dramatic tension: structured tweed suits juxtaposed with airy, deconstructed silks, tough leather molded into unexpectedly soft shapes. A standout bridal look featured decomposing lace intertwined with crystalline embellishments, walking the fine line between fragility and opulence.
For the French designer, Berlin represents just one of the influences: “This city isn’t as established as others, which leaves space for experimentation,” she explained. “Every district has a different energy. If I had to describe Berlin style, I’d say it’s Matrix mixed with 2000s Paris Hilton.”
AW25 reaffirmed Lou De Bètoly’s reputation as a designer unafraid of pushing boundaries. Through an intricate balance of humor, craftsmanship, and subversion, she continues to challenge the expectations of couture, proving that discarded materials can hold as much allure as the most coveted fabrics. If not more.
My Book, Her World:
Sofiya Loriashvili
Sofiya Loriashvili doesn’t just capture images; she immortalizes the unspoken. The ache of recovery, the weight of war, and the beauty found in chaos. Her lens chronicles a life marked by extremes: fighting addiction, depression, navigating medical institutions, and carrying the legacy of her Ukrainian roots amidst turmoil. With My Book, her latest release, Sofiya opens an intimate window into 7 years of unfiltered moments. Raw portraits of friends, artists, fractured love, and fleeting euphoria. Each image blurs the line between personal confession and universal truth, cementing her as a daring voices in contemporary photography, constantly pushing the boundaries.This conversation peels back the layers of her artistry, exploring the stories behind her images and the resilience that fuels them.
YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS OFTEN FEEL LIKE A MIRROR TURNED INWARD, REFLECTING NOT JUST YOUR SUBJECTS BUT YOURSELF. DO YOU SEE YOUR WORK AS A FORM OF SELF-PORTRAITURE, EVEN WHEN YOU ARE NOT IN THE FRAME?
I start from myself and my own experience to talk about general subject. But I think we all do this.
DOES ART FOR YOU COME FROM SURVIVAL, CELEBRATION, OR THE TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO?
It’s a necessity.
WHO OR WHAT IS YOUR MUSE, AND HOW DOES IT CHANGE WITH TIME?
Places, I’ve always been inspired by places and objects. Places have way more soul than humans. My father is an architect, I think it comes from that.
CAN YOU SHARE A MEMORY FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD IN UKRAINE THAT YOU FEEL ECHOES THROUGH YOUR ART TODAY?
When I was very young my father told me that everything that I’ll do through my teenage life would be shit. I’ve never forgot his words. I have no opinion if it’s right or wrong but someone I think it shaped the way I create.
MANY ARTISTS USE THEIR PAST AS A FOUNDATION TO CREATE. DO YOU FEEL YOUR ART HAS HELPED YOU PROCESS YOUR PAST, OR DOES IT COMPLICATE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH IT?
I love being nostalgic, I embrace my past a lot. Sometimes it makes me feel sick, but I have no regrets.
YOUR IMAGES PROVOKE SUCH STRONG EMOTIONS AND FEEL AS THOUGH THEY’VE BEEN PLUCKED FROM MOMENTS OF CHAOS AND STILLNESS ALIKE. HOW DO YOU CAPTURE THAT TENSION SO NATURALLY?
I think this is the definition of photography. To stop a moment .
ARE THERE RECURRING THEMES OR VISUAL MOTIFS YOU FIND YOURSELF DRAWN TO WHEN DOCUMENTING PEOPLE CLOSE TO YOU?
Sex, love, friendship, pain
TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR LATEST PUBLICATION, MY BOOK, AND WHAT IT REVEALS ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY
My book is a 7 years diary that reunite every type of photography work that I do. From documentary to mise en scene. It is a portfolio and a memory book.
How would you summarize it in 3 words?
Love, sex, death
Sofiya launched a crowdfunding campaign for the next installment in her series. Information on how to contribute is available on her website and fundraiser page. Proceeds from the upcoming book will be directed to organizations aiding those impacted by the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Photos: Sofiya Loriashvili
Leo Monira : “I want to scream, because I am proud of who I am”
Leo Monira – a sonic anarchist and design provocateur who is redefining what it means to be an artist in a world saturated with conformity. From their raw, industrial DJ sets that feel more like underground rituals than club nights to their fashion creations that deconstruct the very idea of clothing, Leo operates at the edge of chaos where the rules are burned, and creativity is reborn. In this exclusive with Edgeline, we dive into the mind of this artistic insurgent who refuses to settle for anything less than absolute disruption.WALK US THROUGH YOUR CHILDHOOD AND THE ROAD TO YOUR SELF DISCOVERY.
Raised in the French Alps, my childhood was pretty average. As an only child, I spent a lot of time playing video games in my room. My parents were quite unstable as a couple, and my mum and I left home when I was 14. She mainly raised me by herself, with help from my grandparents. As a teenager, I definitely lacked references to identify with, which I eventually found online through music and alternative culture.
WHO WAS YOUR FIRST IDOL WHO INSPIRED YOUR PATH AND WHY?
Queer icons from the ’80s, such as Leigh Bowery, Klaus Nomi, Pete Burns or post-punk bands, were the first references where I felt like I could truly identify in a world that felt overwhelmingly heteronormative and binary. The way they fearlessly experimented with their identities and rejected conventional norms was deeply inspiring to me. It gave me a sense of belonging at a time when I was searching for that kind of representation.
HOW DOES YOUR MUSIC REFLECT YOU, HOW DOES IT ENABLE YOU TO EXPRESS YOUSELF?
The way I present myself—through my identity, makeup, clothes, and the music I play—is all interconnected, reflecting the intense energy I constantly feel inside. Growing up as a queer person, I often felt the weight of shame imposed by the outside world for simply being who I was. At first, I tried to hide and limit myself to fit in. But today, I no longer want to hide; I want to scream because I am proud of who I am. I believe that energy comes through in my music.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST LEARNING EXPERIENCE?
Moving to London at 21, coming from a working-class background, and trying to find my place in the world as a creative was definitely a challenging learning experience. I worked for over a year in fast food to save enough money to make the move, hoping to find a place where I could truly belong. When I arrived, it was even more difficult than I had expected. I faced financial struggles and uncertainty, but ultimately, it was for the best. It forced me to push my limits, adapt quickly, and stay resilient. While it was tough, those challenges ultimately taught me valuable lessons about perseverance, self-reliance, and staying true to my vision.
WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST SUPPORT IN YOUR ARTISTIC JOURNEY?
My mum has been my biggest support throughout my artistic journey. She’s always believed in me and what I was doing, even when things were uncertain. Her constant encouragement and the way she validated both who I am and what I was doing has been invaluable. Having someone like that in your corner, who truly understands and supports your vision, is something I’m incredibly fortunate to have.
Thank you Leo for giving us a peek into your journey. We’ve uncovered the depth—now for the quirks! From ridiculous spends to dream collabs, hidden talents, and party chaos.
WHAT’S THE MOST RIDICULOUS THING YOU EVER SPENT MONEY ON?
Honestly, I don’t really spend money. I’ve lived on a tight budget my whole life, and the first money you earn is the money you don’t waste. Plus, marketing, trends and social pressure are constantly creating new 'needs' for us, which just means spending more, working more, and earning more. I hate working, so I keep my needs to a minimum.
IF YOU COULD HAVE DINNER WITH ANY ARTIST WHO’S NO LONGER ALIVE, WHO WOULD IT BE?
I hate eating and talking at the same time.
YOUR FAVORITE PARTY SPOT?
Back in London, I used to go to parties in grimy warehouses and squats. Those are my best party memories—messy, dirty, and unforgettable.
YOUR DREAM B2B COLLABORATION?
The Horrorist. He’s been a huge inspiration for me in electronic music. A collab with him would be insane.
PLATFORMS OR LEATHER PIECES?
Definitely platforms. They’re like an extension of my body—I can’t live without them. I actually injured my foot last year and tried to walk in platforms right after… it got severely infected and developed into cellulitis, a type of foot infection. The infection started spreading up my leg, and the hospital struggled to treat it, leaving me with a few months of recovery.
HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR COFFEE?
I don’t like drinking coffee.
IF YOU WERE AN ANIMAL, WHAT WOULD YOU BE (AND WHY)?
A cat. They’re just the cutest, and I love falling asleep to cat videos on YouTube.
FAVORITE GIG COLLABORATION YOU’VE HAD SO FAR?
China was unforgettable. I got to perform in Shanghai and Beijing, which felt surreal. I started DJing pretty randomly, so I never expected it would take me to the other side of the world.
Who would you bring to a deserted island with you?
French Toast, my best friend and the funniest person I know.
TELL US YOUR BIGGEST HIDDEN TALENT?
I can move my ears.
YOUR FAVORITE TRACK OF ALL TIME?
You Spin Me Round. Absolute classic.
Photos: Fany Bardin
In conversation with Thebe Magugu
With his “Reconciliation” collection, Thebe Magugu turned the runway into a personal manifesto. A bold interplay of storytelling and craft. Known for merging cultural reverence with bold, visionary design, he taps into his roots, weaving together a narrative of reconnection with his estranged father and his Malawian roots. In this interview, EDGELINE dives into emotional stories woven into this collection’s pieces.Anita Steinwidder: Deconstructing Fashion, Reconstructing Art
Anita Steinwidder isn’t just an artist; she’s a visionary excavator of forgotten things. Known for her label STEINWIDDER, for which she has been turning discarded textiles into story-laden garments, Anita now sculpts immersive art from the objects she finds. Each piece is a radical resurrection—a whisper from fashion’s past reimagined with daring vision. In this interview, we dive into Steinwidder’s relentless journey, exploring how she spins abandoned relics into boundary-pushing art, giving a new life to the forsaken.WALK US THROUGH THE BIRTH OF YOUR FIRST ART PIECE AND STEINWIDDER
To explain my artistic journey, I have to start with the very beginning. Born and raised up by my grandparents in a very small and secluded village in the countryside of Austria, the manual skills, traditions and values of the grandparent generation had a very strong impact on my personal development and later on my artistic language. I can’t say that it was poverty that influenced my childhood – it was more the attitude of my grandparents stamped by war and postwar-traumas and their awareness that times could change again, that gained a very strong esteem for everything needed for live: nature and living creatures, food, clothing, work and efficiency, a healthy environment, etc. And so, the awareness for the worth of things and their repair and reuse was consciously present in my mind from the early beginning.
The first tribute artwork I did for my grandmother was an installation made of her used tights - some mended over and over again - till she couldn’t wear them anymore, but still kept them.
Edit Robert Oberzaucher
Talking about fashion design, I don’t want to withhold my first national and international successful fashion series - made of used socks (first release in 2005) - which was the beginning of my work with used textiles and textile waste - over the years honored with shows, exhibitions and projects in Shanghai, Beijing, Havana, Colombo, London, Paris, Berlin, Zurich, Vienna and 3 Fashion Awards.
IS THERE AN ART PIECE THAT HAS A SPECIAL PLACE IN YOUR HEART (AND WHY?)
Well, every art piece I do, has a special place in my heart, cause my objects, assemblages and interventions are an overall expression of my personality, of the journey to my inner-self, of my relations to and experiences with people I meet or lack on my life-journey, but also an expression of the changing culture of time and social culture we are all facing.
But to pick at least one, I’d like to show you THE SECRET BEARING MOTHER, an assemblage dedicated to my mothers, made from a deconstructed pair of historical female shoes. And the question of the WHY is evident: To understand the circle of life, you have to go back to the very beginning – as I said in my first sentence of this interview. THE SECRET BEARING MOTHER is my mystic piece of seek and hide.
From the series REBUILDING: “Mother and Father” (2020)
Photo: Klaus Fritsch
Photo: Klaus Fritsch
TELL US MORE ABOUT SOURCING OF THE MATERIALS FOR YOUR ARTWORKS AND THE CREATION PROCESS
Since 2014 I worked as a textile artist and created three-dimensional mixed media artworks and textile interventions on found objects. My inspiration comes from an intense involvement with the finds, which are related to my rural origin, as well as other items that correspond to my very unique meaning of something being “valuable”. Actually, I don’t even search for material – it simply finds me.
AFTER TRANSITIONING FROM FASHION DESIGN TO THREE-DIMENSIONAL ART, DO YOU FEEL YOUR CREATIONS GAINED A DIFFERENT VOICE, OR IS IT AN EVOLUTION OF THE SAME VISION? WHAT WAS THE REASON TO MOVE FROM FASHION?
I think that the transition between design and art is fluent in my case, cause in my fashion series I tried to test the limits of wearability. Additionally, I always saw and created clothing as a three- dimensional wearable sculpture – every piece is unique and handmade by myself with support of a small team of co-workers in my studio in Vienna. So generally the move from fashion to art was the next logical step in my development – and I also think that my artworks still carry my personal recognizable artistic language.
HOW HAS FASHION IMPACTED YOUR CURRENT WORK? IS THERE AN INTERSECTION BETWEEN THE TWO?
The intersection between my work as a fashion designer and my work as an artist now is sustainability, by using existing resources in form of textile waste or found, used things. And for sure I gained some textile processing techniques in my time as a fashion designer, which I simplified for my artistic works, cause now I do everything with zero power consumption by sewing, knotting and weaving everything by hand.
Photo: Klaus Fritsch
IS THERE A PARTICULAR MATERIAL OR OBJECT THAT YOU HAVEN’T WORKED WITH BUT FEEL DRAWN TO EXPLORE AS PART OF YOUR CURRENT WORK
Yes, I thought about doing a series with used, discarded high heels and already started collecting some.
IF YOU WERE TO DESIGN A PIECE THAT CAPTURES THE “SPIRIT” OF VIENNA TODAY, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE?
Well this question is not so easy to answer – probably this would be a multi-layer piece – some of the layers are rough and not comfortable to touch, some are bright and refurbished. The deeper you source, the darker the soul of the object; a lot of dust and historical precious material; and then also some layers which are touching the soul with their soft, familiar surface. Everything fixed together with a lot of stitches.
ARE THERE ANY ROUTINES OR RITUALS YOU HAVE BEFORE STARTING A NEW PIECE?
Before I start a new series I always clean my space perfectly. And before I start working with a new object, I normally put the thing on my working table for some time, which can be a day, a week or sometimes even months. I try to understand the object with all my senses, before I definitely know how the right intervention will look like.
IS THERE A PLACE THAT INSPIRES YOU THE MOST IN YOUR CREATION PROCESS?
I live and work with my animals (a cat and a dog) in my studio, which gives me the comfort of a flat and working place in one. This is also the place where I store my material, and due to the fact that the main inspiration comes with the finds, this is currently the best and most inspiring working place for me.
WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON?
Currently I am working on the continuation of my series TROPHIES – TROPHÄEN, which are textile interventions on either found, dead animals, prepared by nature, or stuffed animals, which are part of hunting traditions, I know from childhood on.
This series is a homage to life and death, a critical statement to the power human being exercise over living creatures and it includes my topics like preservation and conservation of something which is very valuable to me.
Photos: Klaus Fritsch
Photos: Klaus Fritsch
Portrait Photos: Klaus Fritsch
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