Pipenco: a tribute to the women who came before her
It's said that you can always tell if a designer loves women through their designs. So, when Lorena Pipenco debuted her SS25 collection as a tribute to the women who influenced her life growing up in Romania, we saw the birth of a collection that reimagined their strength - and stood with their turmoil.
Shot by Phi Vu
Viewed through the lens of her younger self, Lorena Pipenco collaborates eco-conscious production with sentimental design, driving a collection with tradition, youth, strength and resilience at its core.
Leblue Magazine recently spoke to Pipenco after the arrival of her SS25 collection, unpacking the tributes behind the designs and hearing the stories behind the seams.
With designs she describes to be woven with memories of the women who have shaped her life, Pipenco’s SS25 collection is a very personal one. Her Romanian heritage, especially her relationship with her grandmother, are sewn into the seams of each of her pieces – and it was through her grandmother’s hands that Pipenco learned to understand not only about fabric and technique, but the importance of storytelling in every stitch.
“The women in my life carry a history of craftsmanship, resilience, and community—qualities my mother and grandmother passed down to me.”
In her designs, it’s through the lens of her family’s journey during post-communist Romania that she expresses resilience – and it was after they moved to London that this vision began to grow. Her new home became a “canvas of liberation” – a celebration of texture and colour, opening her space to patterns, leopard prints, florals, bold geometrics and soft pastels. And as she began to change the way she dressed, she began to change the way she thought.
“My family embraced the clash of prints and the interplay of fabrics, creating a vivid tapestry of expression that was as much a reflection of our journey as it was of our spirit.”
Every texture her family used told a story, and every pattern had meaning; she was beginning to see the world through a lens of contrasts. There was beauty in the chaos - and these early influences have been woven into each collection she’s created since. Each piece is a celebration of freedom, of textures, and of the vibrant chaos that comes with finding your true self.
When choosing the framework for her SS25 collection, Pipenco wanted to revisit these childhood experiences, reframing them through textures, silhouettes, and shapes. Using oversized, heavy, and moulded wools and playful styles (like the iconic Mary Jane-inspired boot), she created a nostalgia in the designs, toying with the tension between childhood innocence meeting adulthood.
Shot by Phi Vu
Throughout the process, Pipenco reimagined traditional Romanian fabrics, tapestries, and lace, and revisited her memories growing up – a method that was both challenging and rewarding. The natural imperfections in older fabrics like these are reminders of their history, and preservation is important. Working with each unique texture requires creative adjustments and leads to new design ideas, all helping shape a collection that shares the story embedded in the fabric. And through combining her nostalgia, curiosity and empowerment within the design, Pipenco allowed her pieces to have a profound connection to her past.
“I want them to connect with the complexity of the pieces, as if they’re rediscovering memories or parts of themselves in a new, layered way.”
From memories of watching her mother sketch line-ups of women dressed in gowns, to her grandmother making clothes for the entire family, the rituals Pipenco remembers as a young Romanian girl became the foundation for her journey as a designer.
But it was her time at Parsons New York that cemented her position as a designer.
Her early projects revived her interest in her Romanian heritage - and it was exploring this historical craftsmanship that soon made her realise that her design philosophy needed to be deeper.
She dug behind her creative processes to realise the motivations behind her choices – constantly asking “what are you trying to say?” and “why?” – in a bid to uncover the stories she was trying to tell. And, like a self-guided therapy session, she discovered that her love for texture came from the attachment she’d placed on her family’s burst of expression after moving to London.
“It’s a way of peeling back the layers of my experiences, and that's how I create the best work.”
Her time at Parsons strongly influenced her personal style and built a creative process that, despite being overseas, strengthened her connection to family. Working in a small class of 16 people, they ate, slept, and worked together every day, pushed through creative blocks together, and celebrated each other’s successes. Many of her friends from Parsons have now gone on to build their own brands, like herself - and there’s no hiding the fact she’s incredibly proud of them.
Studying at Parsons allowed her to understand the value of collaboration, of building a community, and how sharing your work with others can help you understand your own vision. And with a passion to work comes a vulnerability that matches - a crucial component to Pipenco’s identity.
“Looking back, those moments were some of the most cherished of my life. There was something so freeing about being surrounded by people who shared the same passion for design.”
When it comes to her brand’s identity, one piece stands out in particular. The Jumbo Mary Jane boots hold a special place for Pipenco, being the first pieces she ever started selling. A Mary Jane sock illusion boot that distorts the shape of the familiar childhood shoe, they push the boundaries and share the awkwardness between youth and adulthood – a feeling we all know too well. It’s a playful approach to a design, with meaningful attachment to its silhouette – the ultimate model of Pipenco’s values.
Emotions and stories weave themselves through each element of her designs, and the harshness of the world can be seen through the eyes of childhood. Pipenco attaches purpose to her pieces, deepening her sense of identity as a designer, and as a woman, reflecting on her heritage, her family and her own beliefs.
“Ultimately, this journey has shown me that every piece has meaning, every stitch carries part of my story, and I hope that resonates with those who experience my work.”
But Pipenco’s role in the fashion industry goes beyond sentimental value. Her promise to commit to sustainable practices allows her brand to be a part of circular fashion. With one of the biggest challenges in the fashion industry today being fabric waste, Pipenco believes in the beauty of fabric manipulation and repurposing, and how more companies should see its potential, pushing for more innovative ways to reuse existing textiles and clothing.
“By rethinking how we use materials, we can reduce waste, preserve resources, and contribute to a more circular fashion industry.”
Shot by Phi Vu
You can shop Pipenco in New York: Forecast in Williamsburg and ROOME by Orchard Street. They’re also available online on the Ap0cene store and have their own website, where the full SS25 collection is now live.