Profile: Teresa Marcelino – Only Natural Design Competitions

Teresa Marcelino

London College of Fashion

My name is Maria Teresa Marcelino, and I am a fashion and textile designer whose practice is rooted in material exploration, craftsmanship, and the reinterpretation of cultural heritage through contemporary design. Raised in a Portuguese family with a strong tradition of textile making and craft. My work investigates how inherited knowledge can be translated into contemporary textile design, creating innovative and sustainable materials that establish a dialogue between tradition and modernity. I studied Fashion Design at the University of Lisbon, where I developed the research methods, critical thinking, and technical skills that continue to underpin my creative process. Alongside my academic education, I had the privilege of learning the traditional Almalaguês weaving technique from my aunt, preserving a family craft with origins dating back to the eleventh century. This experience fundamentally shaped my understanding of textiles, revealing how craftsmanship can carry generations of knowledge while remaining open to reinterpretation and innovation. I am currently completing an MA in Fashion Textiles at London College of Fashion, which I will finish in September. While the programme explores knit, print, and embroidery, my practice has become increasingly focused on knitwear. Working across these disciplines has enabled me to develop hybrid textiles that challenge conventional boundaries between textile techniques. Weaving remains the conceptual foundation of my practice; rather than reproducing traditional woven structures, I reinterpret their logic, rhythm, and construction through knitted textiles, transforming inherited craft knowledge into contemporary material expressions. My practice is driven by a commitment to bridging traditional craftsmanship with contemporary textile innovation. Through material experimentation and research, I seek to create textiles that honour my Portuguese heritage while exploring how traditional techniques can evolve to address the future of fashion. My goa lis to change relationship between craft, technology, and sustainability.

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Meia Liga

Category: Apparel

Competitions: Fashion Competition 2026

Meia liga‘ reimagines Portuguese textile traditions through a contemporary menswear lens, rooted in craft, care and community.  It explores the value of inherited knowledge and handmade processes. The inspirations come from growing up in Portugal, where textiles formed part of my life. Influenced by my aunts and grandmothers as weavers of Almalaguês and artisans. The project brings together personal heritage with technical references such as Fair Isle and the blurred aesthetic of Gerhard Richter’s paintings. These influences inform the development of textiles that merge structure with disruption, modern with traditional, creating hybrid textiles.   This collection focuses on longevity, mending and the use of natural fibres, highlighting the importance of slow making. The samples embrace a comforting and warm visual language. It reflects both the domestic environments they originate from, and the emotional value embedded in handcrafted textiles. Through reworking traditional techniques, the project aims to preserve and evolve cultural practices .  Furthermore, it celebrates the role of women in my life and craft, acknowledging the generational passing down of skills, care and knowledge. This collection seeks to reinforce the connection between maker, material and wearer, while also reflecting my connection to my heritage and culture. It envisions a community-based approach to menswear where storytelling, sustainability and heritage intersect. The target audience is a combination of Craig Green, Dries Van Noten and Jonathan Anderson. It proposes a future in which craft is not only preserved but reinterpreted to create garments that carry both cultural significance and contemporary relevance.