From immigrating to New York City in pursuit of an artistic career more than 20 years ago, to landing her own Vogue Italia cover and a Warhol Foundation partnership, Carolina Sarria’s rise to prominence has been fueled by an uncompromising commitment to her vision. The Colombian artist and designer describes her process as a balance of contradictions, where opposite qualities meet and mix. Her collections often start with her handmade art, but she also welcomes technology with open arms. Sarria’s eponymous label is highly personal, drawing from her own interests and artistic whims, but she also has a trusted team to tailor her ideas. She appreciates the weight of tradition, but ultimately believes in the necessity of subversion.“My mindset is a bit punk, so there’s no such thing as a ‘basic’ material for me, just as there is no such thing as a ‘precious’ material,” she shared with Hypebeast during a visit to her studio. “Nothing is sacred.” Like her collage approach to design, she has gathered diverse inspiration from NYC’s artistic community, historical countercultures, and themes of modern excess. Her latest FW26 collection, “Poker Face,” is no exception, featuring everything from gambling motifs to poker pieces and origami dollar bills. In conversation with Hypebeast, Sarria expanded on her dynamic creative practice and opened up about her core values as a “nonconformist” designer. How do you define yourself as an artist, and what does your initial creative process look like?I consider myself a multidisciplinary artist. I don’t really start thinking about the garment; I start thinking about art. I also go around to collect a lot of images and found items. That’s probably one of the most fun things for me to do. Once I have the idea, I start gathering things together and putting them on the walls. I love the juxtaposition of things. What excites me the most is the contradiction — it always speaks. I always want to see a surprise, so I start adding together, manipulating, and adding more until I create a mixed media piece.What inspired your new collection, “Poker Face,” and how does it relate to your style?My mindset is a bit punk, so there’s no such thing as a “basic” material for me, just as there is no such thing as a “precious” material. Nothing is sacred. In my mood board for “Poker Face,” I’m playing with real U.S. currency. I make them into origami symbols and incorporate them into the collection. You’ll see poker chips, poker cards, and spikes.For this collection, I had a time in my life that was very decadent, messy, and indulgent. The excesses of Las Vegas, the long nights that are an outlet for many people — I took all that and froze the moment in time, the feeling. All the pieces will have this [AR] tag, and you’ll be able to trigger the tag with a jackpot game. If you hit the jackpot in one of your items, you’ll get another item for free — anyone you want. I made it very dynamic.
Let Carolina Sarria Dress Your Alter-Ego
