CYTO
Category: Apparel
Competitions: Fashion Competition 2025
Through a microscopic study of cellulose, the most abundant biopolymer, CYTO presents a speculative wearable symbiotic portal, weaving together the cellular worlds of plants and animals across dimensions of time and space. Handcrafted techniques mimic machine precision, reflecting this duality and creating an intimate interconnection on the wearer’s body. CYTO nurtures a seamless, circular bond with nature, where cellular units echo the fluidity of the wearer’s epidermis. Plotted across the body, cellular “warps” intertwine the rigid structure of plant cells with the dynamic fluid mosaic model of animal membranes, forming a transcendent cosmic cellular tapestry. Inspired by the fabric model of time, this work envisions a garment that lives and breathes as an extension of the wearer, blurring boundaries between biology and design. As fabrication processes evolve, CYTO reimagines the future of 3D printing through a handcrafted approach that emulates machine-like precision and structural integrity. Using cellulose pulp extracted from textile waste and drawing from ancient papier-mâché techniques, each cell is meticulously sculpted and dehydrated into place. Over 700 hours of symmetric, meditative assembly across three months formed an intricate matrix tapestry. CYTO bridges traditional craft and advanced fabrication technologies, reinterpreting future methods and regenerative design through the power of human-made, handcrafted work—celebrating the synergy between nature, technology, and the human touch.
