ARTEMISI : THE HOLY MATTER
In her collection for SPFW N61, Mayari Jubini brings mysticism, technology, and craftsmanship into dialogue. To understand Artemisi’s visual language, one must also look at the cultural background that precedes her creations.
I remember the first time I encountered Artemisi. My connection with Mayari Jubini’s work took on a new dimension when I heard her speak about cultural references. I recognized a curiosity that drives me as well: the desire to move between different worlds and discover what happens when they intersect. Dostoevsky and Stanley Kubrick belong to distinct forms of expression, yet both can contribute to shaping the same perspective. What caught my attention was not the variety of references itself, but the possibility of transforming them into a distinctive way of seeing the world.
Cultural repertoire is not measured by the number of works we know, but by what we do with them. A book can reshape our perception of characters; a film can stay with us through its atmosphere, rhythm, or the way it constructs a narrative. These experiences intersect, acquire new meanings, and, over time, begin to influence our choices. In the creative process, this accumulated knowledge becomes particularly compelling when it no longer needs to be explicitly referenced to be present.
This perspective helps us understand Artemisi beyond the appearance of its pieces. In an interview published by Hooks Magazine in 2025, Mayari spoke about revisiting experiences that had left a lasting impression on her and transforming them into the brand’s aesthetic. In The Holy Matter, this relationship between imagination and creation finds expression in a collection that relies not only on its chosen symbols, but also on the way shapes, materials, and volumes come together to create an atmosphere of its own.
Presented at São Paulo Fashion Week N61 in October 2026, the collection featured 27 looks shaped by references to alchemy, mysticism, and hands-on craftsmanship. Sculptural corsets, embroidered dresses, feathers, gemstones, masks, and halo-inspired accessories come together to create a universe where the angelic and the profane coexist. The effect emerges not only from the symbolic elements themselves, but also from the contrast between rigid structures and ornate surfaces, which reshape the silhouette and move the body away from its everyday representation.
The masks deserve particular attention. By concealing the faces, they shift the focus to posture, body contours, and the composition of each look. The accessory ceases to function merely as a complement and becomes an integral part of the construction of a figure. There is something ritualistic about this choice: individual identity recedes, while the clothing and its elements take on greater prominence. The image does not rely on a face to convey meaning; instead, it is shaped by the relationship between body, material, and form.
The creation of these images required an extraordinary scale of work. According to figures released about the collection, the process involved more than 20,000 hours of manual labor and approximately 700,000 crystals and gemstones. Some pieces featured over 100,000 individual embellishments, while certain creations required up to 1,200 hours to complete. 3D printing also features in dresses and accessories, expanding the brand’s construction possibilities.
The opening look offers a concrete example of this exploration. Achieving the desired chrome finish required months of testing. After printing, the structure still undergoes several stages of preparation, sanding, polishing, and hand-painting. Technology makes it possible to develop the form, but it does not deliver the finished result. Solutions must be found for the surface, materials must be tested, and the process must be refined until the object aligns with the original visual intention.
This combination goes beyond the simultaneous presence of modern and artisanal techniques. Each process must serve a specific purpose within the creative vision. 3D printing makes certain structures possible; crystals add density and texture; and the finishing process determines how the surface interacts with light. The challenge lies in coordinating these choices so that the complexity of the materials does not overshadow the concept behind the piece.
When clothing moves closer to sculpture, its relationship with the body also demands careful consideration. Weight, support, and mobility become integral to the development of structures that challenge conventional pattern-making. Not every runway creation needs to be designed for everyday wear, but formal experimentation still depends on practical solutions for the body that wears each piece. Freedom of form does not diminish the importance of technical knowledge; it makes its role even more evident.
It is at this point that the discussion of cultural references meets the materiality of the collection. Familiarity with literature, cinema, and other forms of expression can expand the possibilities for association, but it does not determine the outcome. Between a cultural reference and a garment lies a process of interpretation, decision-making, and execution. At Artemisi, this process must respond both to the mystical imaginary of The Holy Matter and to the practical demands of its construction.
My connection with Mayari goes beyond the visual impact of the runway show. I am drawn to the possibility of a designer nurturing her work through experiences that extend beyond the boundaries of her own profession and finding ways to translate them into what she creates. What makes a creation distinctive is not the reference itself, but the way it is absorbed and transformed.
In The Holy Matter, the result is right before us: three-dimensional structures, hand-crafted surfaces, and imagery that moves between the sacred and the profane. Behind them lies a process of research that involves both the cultivation of a discerning eye and the discovery of the means necessary to bring that vision to life.
At Artemisi, cultural references do not serve as captions for the pieces. They emerge through the decisions that make them possible.
