Intricate furrowing and weaving, handmade fabrics made of threads and scraps, and painting and ceramic works, Karen Quirion upholds her artistry and the craftsmanship of KQK as the lead character of her newest story. Karen’sceramic works are now an integral part of the brand. The dialogue between her fashion and ceramics flows naturally and reinforces the organic language of KQK. Their Fall/Winter 2022 Collection dialogues with circularity: the circularity of nature, a circular way of thinking, and a sustainable circular economic model for its brand.
Quirion finds beauty in the relationship between nature and brutalist architecture. Greenery flourishes and collapses in nature’s cycle, creating a poetic conversation with the buildings it invades. KQKinnovates with techniques to convey the implicit poetry Karen sees and cherishes. The subtle balance of blacks, browns, and greens with labyrinthine leather & nylon furrowing and tortuous wool & cotton weaving convey the befitting emotion.
On her path to uphold higher operating standards for herself and her brand, the concept of a circular lifestyle sparked Karen’s interest: collections show linearity and the waste KQK produces is reused and remade into new fabrics and products. This is demonstrated here in handmade thread pieces and handmade separates fully conceived and realized with fabric scraps.
A sustainable circular economy involves designing and promoting products that last and that can be reused, repaired, and remanufactured. This retains the functional value of products, rather than just recovering the energy or materials they contain versus continuously making products anew. KQK is built upon these values: all of what it creates is unique, one of a kind, and made to last a lifetime; it focuses on true sustainability – closing the loop and bringing circularity into purchasing and consuming behavior.
Karen Quirion’s designs materialize her ideals, esthetically and meaningfully, and her collections stand strong for it. Her newest collection is affirmative and captures the reflective values of her studio and her team.