Felted fashion and accessories by Pasya Wearable Art

Asia Prusinowska is a conceptual designer and textile artist that transforms wool fibers into unique wearable art. After her studies in fashion design, felting became her passion and obsession. The clothes and accessories that she designs look like abstract, fiber paintings full of colours and organic shapes.

Colourful felt clothes and accessories by Pasya Wearable Art. London Fashion Week 2014
Photography: Visual Devotion

Let’s meet her and get to know more about her magical, one-of-a-kind creations.

T.d.A: Can you tell us a little bit about your background — where you started and how you got into fashion and wearable art?

Asia: I am Polish born, happily married for 15 years mother of one son. I have never been interested in fashion or trends, but I have always been a dreamer, an artistic soul and I was looking for something... Since I moved to UK, over 12 years ago I was changing my professions from child nursing, to beauty therapy and to make up artistry but I never felt satisfied, there was something missing in my life... When my son was born I felt completed as a mum but still had this empty feeling, hard to explain... so one day I decided to apply to Cambridge School Of Art to study BA Fashion Design and see what future brings on. I was self-taught, with no formal art or design qualifications. My mother introduced me to the sewing machine when I was eleven. I used to make clothes for my dolls and later for myself. I have always been a very crafty, hands on person. I used to spend long hours drawing and painting in my bedroom, paying attention to details, especially colours and texture.

My family have a medical background but my grandmother beside her nursing profession was always aware of fashion trends, subscribed to fashion magazines and had a massive collection of hats and precious bags. She was a real lady of class, dressed well from top to toes. I believe she influenced me a lot.

The fashion design course was a great opportunity for me to explore different media and discover my own creative process. During my Surface Textiles studies I was introduced to needle felting. I was fascinated how I could blend colours and create an abstract fiber painting. I started my own research about different felting techniques and that was it, the moment when I found my medium for my artistic expression. Felting become my passion, my obsession, my meditation, I finally felt completed.

I graduated with a 1st Class Honours Degree in Fashion Design from Cambridge School Of Art in July 2013 and straight after graduation I went to Amsterdam to showcase my final collection. Two months later I launched my fashion label PASYA Wearable Art, specializing in handmade felted creations, self-expressive pieces, from accessories to couture fashion.

Hand-felted wool silk wrap/shawl by Pasya Wearable Art.

Photography: Vanessa Mills

T.d.A: I’ve read in your website that you are interested in humanistic psychology, psychotherapy, spirituality etc. Are these ideas influence also you work?

Asia: Yes, my projects are very personal and concentrate on the process of self-discovery, to understand the inner and outer self. I always discover something new about myself through my creative process. It is like a personal transformation, my own journey. I like challenging myself on all levels: physical, emotional, intellectual. I use my creativity as a self therapy, my own unique non verbal artistic expression.

Hand-felted wool clutch bag and mittens by Pasya Wearable Art.
Photography: Vanessa Mills.

T.d.A:How would you describe your creative process?

Asia: As a conceptual designer I concentrate mostly on the process, mainly research, experiments and then textiles creation. The philosophy of my design process is based on psychology, the human body, emotions and original textile work. As an artist I use elements from variety of art forms including performance art, body painting and abstract art to translate my designs. I do not design to fulfill a practical function, I design to communicate and tell stories.

Wool felt dresses by Pasya Wearable Art. Bloggers Love event 2014.

Photography: Andy Oliver

T.d.A: Many artists have tremendous ups and downs in the creation of their work. For some periods they feel totally uninspired while for other periods the feel confident and creative. Does this happens to you and what do you do to overcome it?

Asia: I believe it happens to all the artists, we are just so sensitive souls. I try to use my life experience, emotions those positive and negative within my projects. As I mention before I use my process as a self therapy, so every time I am down I get creative, start designing and loose myself completely within the process. It just makes me so happy.

Hand-felted branch necklace by Pasya Wearabla Art. 

T.d.A: What materials do you use?

Asia: I work with variety of fibers and yarns: wool, silk, bamboo, ingeo corn, mohair, llama and more.

T.d.A:Can you name two of your favorite artists/ designers? 

Asia: I am not influenced by any artist or designers. I never look at the others work to get inspired it just come from within my soul.

More information about the designer: Website