Barcelona has already become an extraordinary chapter in my creative journey. After completing studies in Visual Arts, Film & Photography, & Graphic & Digital Design at LCI Melbourne, I arrived at LCI Barcelona to immerse myself in Fashion Design & sustainable textile practices. This semester has been a whirlwind of sketchbooks, moulage experiments, printmaking, upcycling projects, & conversations about the future of fashion, all unfolding within one of the most vibrant cities in Europe.
A glimpse inside the studio process.
From sculptural moulage folds & garment sketches to textile printing experiments & salvaged material constructions, this board captures some of the early explorations shaping my work this semester at LCI Barcelona.
Studying Fashion Design at LCI Barcelona: Semester So Far
Moving from Melbourne to Barcelona to study Fashion Design at LCI has been an incredible experience already, & we are only part way through the semester. It has been intense, inspiring, chaotic, & deeply creative in the best possible way.
The campus itself is fantastic. The facilities are excellent, the professors & mentors are generous with their knowledge, & the student services team are incredibly supportive. Everything feels geared toward experimentation & learning through making. The location is also perfect. I can walk almost everywhere I need to go, which means the city itself becomes part of the creative process.
This semester I am studying several areas within fashion practice: Fashion Design, Print Design, Knitwear, Textile Products & Sustainability, & Styling. Each subject feeds into the others, so the weeks feel like a constant exchange between drawing, researching, constructing, printing, & experimenting with materials.
My sketchbook has been growing quickly as ideas develop. I have been exploring silhouettes, experimenting with fabric manipulation & moulage techniques on the mannequin, & generating a wide range of design concepts. Alongside this, I have been learning different textile printing processes including block printing, sublimation printing, & creating laser-cut stencils for fabric printing. Working between digital & physical processes has been particularly exciting.
Sustainability is woven through much of the work we are doing. Each week we have a sustainable sewing exercise or design challenge. One exercise involved creating a new garment from two second-hand jackets. Another project used salvaged fabrics to produce a patchwork dress. Even smaller items become part of the experimentation process, such as making a reversible wallet from reclaimed textiles. Next week we move into jewellery making, continuing the theme of working with materials in inventive ways.
Recently we also visited the Design Hub for a fascinating session about emerging sustainable fibres & material technologies. The discussion explored biodegradable, compostable & bio-engineered textiles that are beginning to reshape the future of fashion. Seeing how material science intersects with design opened up a completely new layer of thinking about what clothing can become.
Beyond garment making, we are also producing zines, presenting research, & developing conceptual thinking around fashion systems & sustainability. The workload is definitely intense, but it feels meaningful because every project connects to a bigger conversation about design, materials, & responsibility.
Despite the busy schedule, I have still managed to explore some of the beauty surrounding Barcelona. I visited Montserrat, which is extraordinary, & I spent a weekend in Rome visiting family & attending the opening night of a good friend’s exhibition. Being able to balance study with these moments of connection & exploration makes the experience even richer.
Another joy of being based in Europe is reconnecting with creative friends across the continent. Plans are underway for a reunion of MAI alumni in Berlin where we will see Marina Abramović perform Balkan Epic together. I have also booked to see Bangarra perform at the Venice Biennale in July after their Golden Lion win, which I am incredibly excited about. In April I will also be attending Abel Azcona’s Art as Autobiography performance workshop.
Barcelona itself has been wonderfully welcoming. I have a fantastic flatmate, & I have connected with artists, creatives, & a peer support network here in the city. Last week I celebrated my birthday with this beautiful community, which made being far from home feel surprisingly close to family.
It has been a hectic few months, filled with sketchbooks, fabric scraps, printing inks, late nights in Illustrator, & constant learning. But it is also one of the most rewarding creative periods I have experienced.
Does it get any better than studying fashion, making art, travelling across Europe, & connecting with extraordinary people along the way?
Right now it certainly feels like I am exactly where I am meant to be.
Next on the agenda: more textile experiments, jewellery making, continued development of my garment concepts, & deeper research into sustainable fibres & material innovation. With Berlin, Venice, & several creative collaborations ahead, this semester is only just getting started.
Larissa Sarina is a transdisciplinary artist & fashion designer currently studying at LCI Barcelona. Originally from Melbourne, zer practice moves between fashion, sculpture, performance, photography, & textile experimentation. Much of zer work focuses on transformation, sustainability, & the creative potential of salvaged materials.
Through sketchbooks, moulage, printmaking, & experimental garment construction, ze explores how fashion can function as both art & storytelling. When not in the studio, ze is usually travelling, collaborating with creatives across Europe, or researching new material possibilities for sustainable design.
To follow more of my studio process & upcoming projects, you can explore my portfolio & sketchbook updates at larissasarina.com
Larissa Sarina BAGLIERI 