W: Blue Ray I: Mario Ilic
Benedikt Simon Salchegger’s 2025 graduate collection, titled "FOUND&LOST," was a standout presentation at the University of Applied Arts Vienna (Die Angewandte). Mentored by the acclaimed British designer Craig Green, Salchegger delivered a collection that functioned as both a haunting post-apocalyptic vision and a masterclass in resourceful avant-garde design. The collection stood out for its ability to transform the mundane into the monumental, challenging traditional definitions of luxury and craftsmanship.
The conceptual core of the show was heavily influenced by Luc Besson’s 1983 film Le Dernier Combat, which depicts a wordless society surviving in a desolate landscape. Salchegger translated this cinematic desolation into a "speculative future" narrative, asking how humanity might express beauty and identity when traditional resources have vanished. The resulting aesthetic felt like a mix of dark humor and genuine nostalgia, portraying a world where survivors attempt to recreate high-fashion silhouettes from the ruins of the past.
Materiality was the most striking element of the runway. Rather than using traditional textiles, Salchegger leaned into the "unreliable" and the "discarded," utilizing industrial trash bags, tape, and heavy adhesives. This choice forced a departure from standard tailoring, moving instead toward sculptural experimentation. One of the most innovative techniques involved using textile glue to "freeze" old clothes—many donated by friends and family—into permanent, draped shapes. This gave the garments the appearance of historical relics or museum pieces preserved in time, while the trash bags ironically retained scents like lemon and lavender, adding a strange sensory layer to the experience.
The silhouettes themselves created a dialogue between historical grandiosity and industrial decay. Some looks evoked the heavy, comforting drapes of a domestic setting, while others utilized deadstock fabrics to create complex, layered ensembles. There was a clear tension throughout the show between the "nasty" textures of synthetic materials and the delicate, hand-worked effort required to assemble them. Under the influence of Craig Green’s structural style, Salchegger managed to push beyond simple utilitarianism into a more emotional and philosophical space.
Ultimately, "FOUND&LOST" succeeded because it did not just look like "recycled fashion"; it felt like a necessary evolution of dress. It was a highlight of the 2025 Modeklasse show for its ability to make the "ugly" feel profoundly elegant. By elevating trash bags and glue to the level of couture, Salchegger proved that creativity is often most potent when it is born out of necessity and the fragments of what we have lost.