Concept
Merchandise Development for the Modern Dance Laboratory //RIZOMALAB//
«The Circle Without a Circumference.» The Laboratory constantly tells its two halves:
«Yes, and…»
I created a merch concept that mirrors this.
The gray long-sleeve is dense and structured; it speaks to form and labor. Inside it is a neon undershirt, almost invisible. The two halves do not merge into one, nor do they conflict. They simply coexist—and that is the whole.
The difference is visible from the back. The circle is open, and in the gap, a second element appears: quiet and vibrant within a single piece. VIEW 01. You can wear it all together, or just half of it.
Core Design Solutions and Fabrication
Palette: wet asphalt, grey-green, dusty linen. Acid lime #7FA524
The «PROSVET 01» set consists of two standalone pieces that can be worn together or separately:
Long Sleeve (Outer Layer) — oversized, dropped shoulder, long sleeve, deep U-cutout on the back. Made from a 2-ply loop knit footer weighing 240 g/m².
Tank Top (Inner Layer) — sleeveless, slim fit, made from an acid-dyed viscose lining mesh weighing 65–80 g/m². It is only visible through the U-cutout, extends 2 cm below the hem of the long sleeve, and shows through at the neckline.
The pieces are connected at four points: inserted into the neckline seam of the long sleeve and secured with two 1.0 cm tabs at the sides at chest level. The inner layer can be worn separately.
Total materials and hardware per set: ≈ 1,545 ₽ (excluding labor). Prices are wholesale benchmarks and are subject to confirmation upon batch order.
The main structural solution is the U-cutout on the backrest, finished along the open edge.
The idea wasn’t to create clothing for dance. The idea was to create clothing structured like the concepts we are exploring.
Half the process involves the body—skill, density, effort. The other half involves energy practices, attention, readiness, and reaction agility. Within the lab, these are two distinct vectors, and we don’t choose between them—we say «YES, AND…» and sustain both.
PROSVET 01 embodies both literally. From the top is the gray, dense, calm—the element that holds shape. Beneath it is the acidic, vibrant, translucent—the element that breathes and moves. From the front, the piece looks assembled and almost severe. From the back, the circle is open, revealing the second layer. This is the same principle as on stage: the external form and the internal life happen simultaneously, and the viewer sees both.
The final exhibition is the materialization of the process. Merch is the same materialization, only you can wear it.
Partners
Budget
Brand’s own contribution: design and photography — ₽72,000. Requested grant amount — ₽505,786. Total project budget — ₽577,786.
