There is beauty in everything . . .

Sustainable dresses by Matta ~ With designer Cristina

Clothes made with intention and from sustainable means are the next step, after organic foods, when you are trying to live closer to the earth. I’m so thrilled to have been able to play and explore with the line Matta. The designer Cristina Gitti has a deep connection to India, and when you wear the soft, cotton, dresses you can feel the lovely shakti energy coming through. I wear mine at home when cooking, working, or gathering herbs in the garden. I also wear them with a jacket and pair of old cowboy boots for daytime or evening excursions. They make me dream of warm, summer, monsoons in India with a cup of chai.

I first became obsessed with the old, vintage, 70’s cotton Indian dresses in high school. I remember finding a worn one in a Berkley thrift store, and I would wear it with some old leather Mexican sandals in the summer time. I remember vividly when suddenly, about ten years ago when these dresses began to sell for over $500 in LA and NYC. I then began wishing I hadn’t lost a few along the years. When I saw Matta’s line emerge, I was thrilled to see someone carry the heritage of the old Indian fabrics, colors, designs and vibrations of these bohemian beauties. Dressing is often a way of story telling for me, and truly when I wear one of these I am transported to the energetic field of the place they are birthed from.

See below a sweet interview with the lovely Cristina from Matta ~

~What makes your soul sing? Traveling is what I love, and being surrounded by trees, being in nature.

~ What was your first Matta dress and what sparked it? A block-printed tunic. It all started with an Indian postcard I found of a home in Rajasthan, pastels and bright tones in a sunny summer afternoon. In a way, it was vintage looking, and I wanted to wrap myself in that nostalgic warm scene and enjoy that sort of a slow afternoon.

~ You seem to have a deep connection with India ~ when did you first go? It was 1995. During my first trip, I slept only a few hours each night for a month. I would stay awake in bed and listen to sounds, it was a very warm spring, and I was traveling from a snowy winter in New York.
I had landed in such a different place, and I wanted to absorb everything around me. It wasn’t all sweet, there are so many layers in India like in every country and culture I suppose. I still find myself making my way through the layers every time I visit.

~ Do you have a favorite beauty secret? I just returned from Japan, and I found myself again in love with Ofuro, the Japanese ritual of bathing.
Ofuro is not a bath meant for washing, you are supposed to enter into it already clean. It invites relaxation and inspires a Zen state of mind with a deep connection to your body. My skin gets much softer when I keep at it, and I love those moments of complete abandon (almost as much as I love Hammams and thermal baths and natural hot springs).

~ Do you have a mantra or motto you live by? There is beauty in everything. I look for it constantly.
Truth. Be true to the self. Listen to your inner voice and to nature all around you.

~ Do you have a morning ritual? I try to be slow. I get out of bed to a few lazy movements and soft stretches of my body while I warm up water for my first cup or herbal tea. Sitting and holding my tea, feeling the warmth and smell, enjoying that quiet moment before the day starts.

~ Are you a mermaid or forest fairy? Forest Fairy ☺

~ What are two places in India and one place in NYC that we should all visit? I love to return to Pushkar in Rajasthan. The town is built around a lake considered a holy site by Hindus and Sikhs. Pushkar has many temples and ghats where pilgrims bathe. The sunset is exceptional, and you can hear chants from different temples while watching the sky reflect on the lake. It’s magic.

I also like Goa in the South of India. The region was conquered in the 16th century by the Portuguese and still reflects the cultural influence and heritage. It is home to quite an engaging international community. Many people settled there after the seventies. I like the evening markets and to take long walks on the beach, especially in the northern part, which is still untouched and incredibly beautiful. Lots of yoga and meditation there, great food, palms, and coconut trees moving in the wind.

In New York, I like the Shakespeare Garden at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, especially when it’s early in the season and there aren’t too many visitors like at the end of May or mid-September. And I like the Isamu Noguchi Foundation. I find peace in beauty.

~ How did you find your path in life? What is one piece of advice you would give an ethical designer like yourself? It somehow all happened by chance!
I have always been fortunate and met interesting people. I learned a lot from them. The drive to travel and explore the unknown and unfamiliar has always been a strong element in my life. And the fascination for other cultures and the respect I have for them opened many doors.
I think being curious is the most important piece, and speaking what feels true to you, being authentic.

~ Where do you see your self in a decade? I like to dream of myself living near the sea. Possibly moving back to the Mediterranean where I was born and raised. I’d love to spend more time surrounded by nature, grow most of my food, and cook for my family and friends. I’d love to do pottery, make jewelry, paint, and learn Brazilian Portuguese. I would also love to continue making clothes, maybe more one of a kind pieces, and share what I have learned…

*First four photos by Kristine Lo

Tags:clothing, eco-friendly, ecofashion, sustainable clothing, sustainable fasion