I’ve always been drawn to what others overlook – the frayed, the discarded, the imperfect. For me, art begins where waste ends. Whether it’s salvaged wire twisted into jewellery, natural fibres transformed into wearable textures, or found objects reborn as sculpture, I thrive in that space where materials carry memory. Each piece tells a story of resilience & reinvention, much like the people & communities I work alongside.
My name is Larissa Sarina, & I’m a transdisciplinary artist completing my Bachelor of Design Arts at LCI Melbourne. My practice moves across sculpture, performance, photography, fashion, & wearable art, but at the heart of it is one driving question: How can creativity transform both materials & lives in a way that is sustainable, inclusive, & powerful?
Why Upcycling Matters to Me
We live in a world drowning in excess. Fast fashion churns out polyester garments at breakneck speed while oceans fill with microplastics & landfills swell with textiles that could have had a second life. I refuse to add to that cycle. Instead, I see possibility in every scrap, every “unwanted” material waiting for a new form.
Upcycling isn’t just a technique; it’s a philosophy. It challenges us to look again, to slow down, & to consider value differently. When I cut, stitch, weave, or sculpt, I’m not just shaping fabric or fibre – I’m shaping a narrative about survival, transformation, & hope. Using natural & sustainable materials grounds this work further, creating garments & artworks that feel alive, connected to the earth rather than manufactured apart from it.
Where I Am Now
Right now, I’m about to recommence my studies, pulling threads from visual arts, graphic design, film, photography, & fashion into a practice that refuses to stay in one box. My current focus is fashion at its most experimental & collaborative. I’ve been exploring the possibilities of balloon fabric, & I’m developing projects with Blanc in Athens, ReCraft in Barcelona, & Hamburg-based glass sculptor Sigrid Dobner. Each collaboration pushes me to rethink materials & processes in unexpected ways.
I’m also preparing to work on an haute couture dress – a major project that brings together everything I’ve been researching this year. The final piece is aimed at 10 Corso Como in Milan, a place that represents both innovation & artistry in fashion.
My practice right now is about pushing beyond the limits of fabric, form, & collaboration – creating work that is not just wearable, but that challenges how we think about fashion, sustainability, & art.
What to Expect Here
This blog will be my open studio. Each week, I’ll share where I’m at – from messy experiments to finished pieces, from research insights to reflections on sustainability & creativity. You’ll see behind the scenes of my process as I navigate my final year of study, building towards a social enterprise rooted in the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, social, & economic.
Think of it as an ongoing conversation about what it means to create in a world where nothing should be wasted, & where imagination is our most renewable resource.
Closing Thoughts
If you’ve ever felt the thrill of turning “nothing” into “something,” you already understand why I do what I do. I invite you to follow along as I keep reshaping materials – & maybe, in some small way, reshaping the way we think about art, fashion, & sustainability.
After all, waste is just unrealised potential. I’d love to hear your thoughts – how do you connect with sustainability in your own life?
Larissa Sarina BAGLIERI 