Natalie Zipfl has used pig blood and gelatine to develop a striking and sustainable material called Blood leather.

The material was developed specifically for a clothing collection by Zipfl so that it can be sustainably disposed of through biodegradation when it is no longer required.

The development of Blood leather and the clothing collection, which is named Do you love me now?, is also heavily influenced by performance art and Zipfl's memories of her childhood trauma.

Its striking aesthetic, achieved through the use of pig blood, is imbued with poignancy and aims to translate the designer's life experiences so that the wearer is "pulled into a moment of suffering" that she experienced.

Zipfl is one of 15 designers working in fields ranging from jewellery to footwear and fashion that Austrianfashion.net is spotlighting at Virtual Design Festival.

"Zipfl's designs are bursting with honesty and rawness, and they are meant to blur the line between designer and wearer," said Austrianfashion.net. "The two are one, as they merge through pure experience expressed through art."

Design: Blood leather
Designer: Natalie Zipfl
Contact address: [email protected]
Instagram: @nataliezipfl

VDF x Austrianfashion.net

Austrianfashion.net is a non-profit organisation that promotes contemporary Austrian fashion design. Virtual Design Festival has teamed up with the organisation to present accessories and fashion designs by 15 designers who were born or are based in Austria and produce their products both sustainably and locally. Explore the other designs here.