Olga' womenswear, installation view of the exhibition

The “Olga” outfit was created as part of the exhibition series, 'In Circulation' launched by the Contemporary Design Department in 2018. According to the concept, the invited designer will select an object or ensemble of objects from the collection of the Museum of Applied Arts, and will create a new design as inspired by the object(s). The first exhibition in the series was that of Artista Studio. The fashion brand’s designers created three unique outfits and accompanying accessories for three fictional female characters, Olga, Maya and Alba (see also 2019.10.1-2; 2019.11.1-2).
Man for his glory / To history flies; While womans (sic!) bright story / Is told by her eyes. These two inscriptions can be read on this cup designed in 1910 but manufactured in 1935. Its striped pattern inspired the beach pajama whose silhouette evokes the thirties–forties style. Today it is hard to imagine that women of the last century bathed in such attire, though at that time showing much of the body was not appropriate. Artista Studio envisioned Olga in a Fiume (now: Rijeka) beach café receiving the cup as a gift from her lover. The golden rim of the porcelain is evoked in the glamourous glitter of the tulle top decorated with pearls. The overall is accompanied by two extravagant bags made of mock snake leather.