Povestea Airi

INSPIRATION

Most of the time, the stories of the designs intertwine with the stories of their designers, so I will start with myself first:

Hello, my name is Astrid-Johanna Zwölfer. Actually, I think I will begin with my grandmother, Anisia. A dressmaker by profession, she was the first to teach me that the clothes we wear are a distinct language, a wonderful language, with unique inflections and nuances. I did not speak this language fluently until much later, when I was in my teenager years and started to work in the field of fashion design as a model, stylist, content creator and digital marketing fashion strategist.

REINTERPRETATION

Every story has a turning point...or better said a starting point. Mine reached when, after a skiing accident, I was bedridden for three months, forced to wear a metal medical corset to allow my cervical spine to fuse after a fracture.

This corset became my source of inspiration, giving birth to Airi—a brand meant to cultivate strength without sacrificing femininity. Through Airi, I wanted to shine a new light on a garment unjustly forgotten and reserved only for the red carpet—the corset.

And here I am, having transitioned from the main character to the storyteller.

Airi's mission

STRENGTH

The woman who wears an Airi corset stands tall in the face of prejudice, social pressure, and the speed at which the times change. She knows her strength lies in the uprightness with which she carries both her unique forms and her self-confidence.

SENSUALITY

The woman who wears an Airi corset understands that sensuality is not a taboo but rather a vital energy that she embraces and expresses with maturity. It is the source of the smile that makes those around her feel warmer and the creativity with which she moves through life.

POSTURE

The woman who wears an Airi corset respects her body and gives it all her care. She offers it challenges to keep it strong and healthy, as well as moments of pampering. Proper posture is the foundation of physical and mental balance, and wearing a corset helps the back return to its natural position.

ETHICS

The woman who wears an Airi corset carries the energy of the hands that drew, calculated, traced patterns, and stitched the carefully chosen fabrics. Amidst the avalanche of fast fashion, which brings with it not only the danger of massive waste but also the rupture between creator and creation, I have committed to working with local tailoring workshops while preserving the specific teachings of this craft passed down from generation to generation.

PLAY

The woman who wears an Airi corset loves to play with styles, colors, textures, create unique combinations, and surprise. That’s why I designed the models like collages to which elements can be added to create new outfits with the same basic piece—the corset. The play can go beyond materials, colors, straps, and accessories.

Play, woman, with the moments of the day, social contexts, and ages. Don’t follow recipes; instead, aim to bring a zest for life to every room you step into. The corset is just the shell. You fill it with your whole self.