Duality of Comfort and Uncertainty as Inspiration for the Creator. Constant movement, search for balance, and need for comfort, especially emotional comfort, are what the current state of uncertainty encourages. As self-protection and preparedness are no longer considered dystopian – the idea of personal protection ranges from functional/practical protection to emotional security because sentiments and comfort remain priorities. Security, seen as comfort can be interpreted as the pursuit of security for the sake of insecurity, or defense, triggered by fears, anxiety, or uncertainty. On the other hand, security can be interpreted as clarity and (self-) belief in oneself, the present, and the future. Are we essentially seeking or avoiding comfort? With human history being about coming to terms with the unknown, ritual and routine remain important aspects of many lives. The range of garments in the collection has been chosen to approach the theme from different points of view in fashion design, encompassing both everyday fashion and illustrative. The garments give the wearer the opportunity to make independent design decisions, determined by the specific choice of hardware and its placement in the garments. The consumer is free to interpret the garments according to their personal relationship to the theme – to expose part of the body, to open holes, to tighten the clothes as if they were spinning into a cocoon, creating the sculptural and illustrative qualities of the clothing. The accessories become important metaphors: the bags allude to an attachment to the past; with the gloves, I accentuate the hands, using this as a reference to the human touch. Photos and video by Mantas Platūkis Model: Agata Stupakova. “Portmantò” is about human feelings – anxiety about the unknown and the search for comfort. The theme of the project is born out of personal experiences (emotional/psychological) and the desire to identify them. We live in a time of unpredictable progress and constant movement, which potentially creates a sense of mistrust and makes us victims of that progress and change. The fear and anxiety caused by such changes trigger defensive reactions and security-seeking ideas, leading to a search for harmony. The collection transforms feelings into garments that become a reflection of the past, carried into the future. The name of the collection, “Portmantò”, is born from the French word portmanteau, which is 1 — a suitcase opening into two parts — a reference to the sentimental carriers appearing in the collection; 2 – a linguistic tool combining two words into one – an allusion to security and the unknown that are combined and harmonized in the project. The image of the “Portmantò” protagonist conveys the duality of the theme and illustrates a sense of security. Walking in the unknown, adapting to the new, and using the affection for the past, is, above the form, which is the artist’s most precious tool. Photos and video by Mantas Platūkis Model: Agata Stupakova.