Morua by Gerry Quinton

Being born and raised in Costa Rica, I wanted a reminder of my heritage as a vital part of my fashion line. In Costa Rica, children take their mother’s name as well as their father’s. Therefore, I chose to name my line after my mother’s family’s name, “Morúa.”

I am very interested in the place where art and fashion meet. Art forms such as music and architecture and mixed media spark my imagination and compel me to experiment. For instance my collection “Metropolis” was sparked by the spellbinding synthesized sounds of the music of Underworld.

The gently pulsating musings “mmm, skyscraper I love you” help build a wearable city inside my head long before I was able to make the garments a reality.

My aesthetic is shaped by my fascination with architecture. In fact, architectural inspirations often lead me to create structural garments, with an emphasis on strong lines and geometric design. I am fascinated with shapes, such as the metal curves and arches of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. Many of my garments have their own infrastructure, by means of corselets, boning, and interlinings to form the framework of the garment.

I look to dreams and imaginations of the wheel of time. The future that might be, and the past that never was. Not to the actual future, but to that intangible place that is the future as we love to envision it. Not the real past, but that nostalgic mirage that permeates our consciousness. I use materials that evoke these illusions into my designs. Historic silhouettes, rich silks and warm wools are used as often as vinyl, rexlace, and various sorts of tubing. The Juxtaposition of these materials fabrics creates interesting contrasts.

By incorporating dynamic sculptured shapes, engineered construction, meticulous craftsmanship and interesting textures, I hope to achieve an ideal blend of art and fashion.

-Gerry Quinton