ARKADIUS: FREEDOM IS CREATIVITY’S BEST FRIEND
Arkadius by Carlos Graça.
At the peak of his career, Arkadius was the talk of London's fashion scene. Suzy Menkes called him “the next Galliano”, while Colin Mc Dowell noted “some say (...) Arkadius is like Byron, mad, bad and dangerous to know. Others think he is a fashion great genius”. His shows were eagerly awaited by renowned industry critics who craved the boldness and audacity that defined his collections.
He stood among a revolutionary group of designers who entered the new millennium with strong opinions, provocative statements, and manifestos. Alongside Chalayan, McQueen and Galliano, Arkadius pushed beyond the physical limits of clothing, exploring its conceptual and symbolic potential. He brought a unique Eastern European energy to the forefront of fashion, becoming the first designer at Central Saint Martins to emerge from behind the Iron Curtain. Far from having a "small-town" complex, he took pride in his roots, transforming Polish folk traditions into something sexy and cool. His memories from attending church as a child inspired iconic wearable art pieces making the Holy Mary wear the trousers. Arkadius didn’t look away from political topics either, he frequently addressed global conflicts using his fashion as a pacifist manifesto. His bold visions shocked some and captivated many.
Arkadius’s career was a dramatic blend of contrasts—glitz, glamour, and fame, followed by financial collapse and scandal, all within the span of a decade. His meteoric rise and sudden disappearance turned him into an enigmatic, almost mythical figure.
Now, the exhibition Arkadius: Powerful Emotions. Confrontations, at the Central Museum of Textiles in Łódź curated by Marcin Różyc, offers a retrospective of 14 collections featuring over 200 pieces from the museum's collection. The buzz surrounding the exhibition is well-deserved. It marks the first comprehensive showcase of his work, restoring Arkadius’s creative legacy. While for a long time in Poland his designs were overshadowed by sensational tabloid stories, this exhibition brings his vision and artistic contributions to the very front - just where they belong.
Arkadius archive
Always Ahead
As we meet online, Arkadius connects from Brazil, where he has called home since 2006. Though no longer in fashion, his creativity manifests today through poetry, photography and interior design. Regularly traveling, his deep connection to nature draws him to some of the most remote areas of South America, and during our conversation, he’s preparing for yet another adventure in the Amazon. Despite stepping away from fashion after the collapse of his label, this chapter of his life is far from being a retreat from defeat. Instead, it feels like yet another pioneering move—just as he was ahead of his time in fashion, he remains attuned to the shifts in the world. As the fashion industry grapples with the consequences of its long-standing unsustainable practices, Arkadius’s choice to live sustainably and off the radar feels timely and thoughtful.
Reflecting on his past work, I ask him to take a look back at his creative process, key themes and reflections that defined his collections—with each one still relevant today—and to revisit a few standout examples from his striking body of work, showcased at the must-see exhibition in Łódź.
Wild Orchids in Heaven by Arkadius (1999) styled with Seeds of Goods mask by Radek Anais Laro, 2024
“Nothing compares to what nature creates”
The first piece displayed at the exhibition comes from Arkadius’s pre-collection titled Wild Orchids in Heaven (1999) inspired by the Chelsea Flower show. It’s hard to believe it was created so early in his career. The contrast defining his aesthetic is already evident— the looks are just as bold as refined. Classical silhouettes with a deceptive simplicity bloom into expressive flower-like shapes The collection is realised in coarse, organically textured seed bags, hand-painted with floral motifs inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe. Reflecting on his approach to research, Arkadius recalls, "I never wanted to do typical research. Of course, as a student at Central Saint Martins in London, I participated in the city’s cultural life—attending all the important exhibitions. But nothing inspired me as much as the Chelsea Flower Show. It was there that I truly saw the beauty of nature, not what artists had created, but what nature had made on its own. Of course, I admire the works of Francis Bacon, Brancusi, Egon Schiele, and others, but nothing compares to what nature creates."
Wild Orchids in Heaven by Arkadius (1999) styled with collar by Lena Kowalkiewicz-Wegner (1972)
Wild Orchids in Heaven by Arkadius (1999) styled with Fossil collection pendant by Anna Orska (2019)
The collection was presented at the prestigious Tommy’s Charity Ball. The looks from Wild Orchids in Heaven were featured in The Face magazine, thanks to the support of the iconic Isabella Blow. "I was very young when we met, just after my first year, and I was already doing things that were quite naughty. I think that’s what struck her. Isabella loved that—naughty, but beautifully executed, using the most exclusive materials and crafted with such precision. If I had used poor-quality fabric or been sloppy, it would’ve been rubbish. But because it was presented in such a refined context, it became something beautiful, and that’s what really touched her.” he recalls.
That's why only seeing Arkadius’s pieces in person and upclose gives his creations true justice. The flawless tailoring and craftsmanship involved elevate even some of his most unconventional ideas. Whether or not one appreciates the aesthetic, it’s impossible to deny the quality of the work.
Though he possessed audacity, boldness, and courage from the very start, Arkadius’s technical skills were acquired through hard work, relatively late in his journey. When he first enrolled in a fashion degree, he had no prior artistic background. His professors quickly recognised his passion and talent, but initially, he lagged behind his peers. He often skipped social events, choosing to focus on perfecting his craft instead. Over time, discipline became second nature to him. "I’ll never forget how I learned to sew a jacket. I bought a high-quality jacket from Savile Row at a charity shop, took it apart, and studied how it was constructed. That’s how I taught myself to sew. If something didn’t turn out right, I would redo the same seam 30 times. Only on the 31st attempt, when it was perfect, would I consider it done. I was obsessively focused on perfection.”
Arkadius in "Holy Mary Wears The Trousers" by Tomek Sikora
“freedom is creativity’s best friend”
Freedom is the highest virtue for Arkadius, a principle evident in both his fashion and lifestyle in the past and today. "My pursuit of freedom is tied to my belief in nature, in a broad sense. I don’t like any kind of indoctrination—whether political, religious, or artistic. I automatically reject it because I believe that we as humans thrive best when we are free, without shackles on our hands or limitations imposed by others. Freedom is the best friend of creativity.” he shares. This philosophy is clearly reflected in his work, but two collections stand out as particularly poignant examples.
One of his most iconic collections, Virgin Mary Wears The Trousers (2002), was built around the concept of a baby—a nod to baby Jesus—representing the fresh, innocent state in which all of us, humans, are born. Arkadius reflected on how the religions we adopt later in life profoundly shape and often divide us. "It’s a shame that religion is often misinterpreted, alienating people and creating wars and conflicts. To me, religion means freedom and love.” he explained. The collection was filled with elements of Christian iconography—rosaries were reimagined as embellishments, and the intricate embroideries typical of liturgical vestments adorned asymmetrical dresses with daring cuts. The final look was one of Arkadius’s most iconic designs: a wearable painting inspired by the image of the Virgin Macarena from Seville’s Cathedral. Symbolically the model wore trousers beneath the painting, reimagining the Holy Mary in a contemporary, empowered way. The silhouettes were worn by models with strength and confidence making religious imagery desacralised and transformed into emblems of female empowerment.
The United States of Mind collection offers a commentary that, unfortunately, remains relevant today. In this line up, Arkadius boldly combines motifs such as the keffiyeh, U.S. dollar, Muslim crescent moon, American flag, and Star of David. It’s a powerful visual statement about identity, politics and global conflict. Through prints, embroidery and embellishment, these motifs are placed side by side, creating a rare and hopeful vision of unity between them. The harmony in their juxtaposition suggests a powerful, bright outlook on the possibility of reconciliation between divided worlds.
The collection had an iconic closure with a striking white dress adorned with doves. Its immaculate whiteness was dramatically interrupted by a bold red detail resembling blood cascading from one of the doves. This haunting and timely image of the "bloody dove of peace" was selected by The Face magazine as the fashion highlight of 2003.
“Polish tradition can be inspiring and sexy.”
“I grew up in the countryside, and it's the countryside that I associate with the most beautiful, innocent period of my life. I was always fascinated by those handmade items—embroidery, carvings, everything crafted with such care. The whole tradition of craftsmanship was a huge source of inspiration for me.” He admits that his life in Brazil often evokes memories of his idyllic childhood, which explains why he feels so at home there. That connection to village life became the inspiration for one of his most famous collections, Paulina. Shown at London Fashion Week SS’01 at the Natural History Museum, the collection was named after his grandmother, a deeply influential figure in his life. The lineup featured both women's and men's silhouettes, with references to rural life and the customs of Kupala Night, the Slavic midsummer holiday.
However, it wasn’t just a replay of folklore and customs—it gave them a playful, seductive twist. Tradition became vibrant and alive, viewed through a loving lens. “Harvesting, haymaking, potato digging—all of that was part of a beautiful folk tradition. Before I created the "Paulina" collection, Polish folklore was often seen as something passé, old-fashioned, and somewhat heavy. It wasn't shown in a modern context, where it could be considered attractive. When I took on this theme, I wanted to show that Polish tradition can be just as inspiring and sexy.”
"Paulina", Arkadius Archives
"Paulina", Arkadius Archives
This collection featured many surrealistic concepts that echoed in high-end fashion collections years later, such as braided ties made of actual hair that we could see in Schiaparelli’s RTW fall winter 2024 collection. Details integral to Polish folk art took on fresh, new forms.
What’s important, in Paulina Arkadius not only drew from folklore as inspiration but also engaged in co-creation with skilled artisans long before such collaborative practices became industry trends. Koniaków lace, which has gained attention in the fashion world thanks to collaborations with brands like Comme des Garçons and lately Magda Butrym, made its runway debut in Arkadius’s collection. “The lace we used for those caps from Koniaków was handmade specifically for us by local artisans. At that time, there wasn’t much happening in Poland, especially in such small towns or villages. So it was a huge compliment for those women that a new designer from London sought them out and asked them to create something.”
Arkadius recalls the Cepelia shops as a place that greatly fed his imagination. It was there that he discovered hand-carved and painted wooden birds embellishing a couple of looks from the collection. These unique pieces were custom-made for the show by artisans from the Polish Podhale region. “If I remember correctly, we ordered about 2,000 of those little birds. Everything was made specifically for us for that show. It was also a nod to those people who had been somewhat forgotten during that transitional period. Today, their work is probably much more appreciated, whatever they do, but back then, it wasn't valued as it should have been.”
“It’s an unequal balance of power”
Le Corbusier, sex work, Empress Catherine I, and Sex and the City—this eclectic mix inspired Arkadius's Prostitution? (2001) collection, considered his most commercial lineup. It was a conceptual commentary on the criticism designers face for "selling out" when creating wearable, mainstream collections. Arkadius questioned the delicate balance one has to navigate between maintaining artistic integrity and meeting the demands of a profit-driven market. The debate feels just as relevant today.
Curious about his thoughts on the current state of the industry, I asked Arkadius what changed since his time. He notes that fashion’s pace has accelerated dramatically and the industry has become overcrowded. “This is a very challenging topic. One major issue with contemporary fashion is overproduction. I remember my second show, ‘Queen of Sheba,’ was featured on Vogue.com alongside about 89-90 designer brands, including major names like Chanel and Saint Laurent. Back then, it felt quite exclusive with only a few new names like mine among the 7 billion people in the world. Today, American Vogue lists around 3,000 names. This increase is alarming.”
"Prostitution?" (2001) by Arkadius
This overcrowding makes it difficult for small, independent businesses to make their voices heard and capture the attention of customers. Arkadius highlights that while creative ideas in fashion still exist, a brand's prestige has become more tied to scarcity rather than quality, masking a lack of true value and creativity. “Customers are deceived by these large corporations, whose prestige now often relies on price rather than the product itself. Charging astronomical prices for items that lack substance seems absurd to me.”
He suggests that craftsmanship might help restore some sense of prestige, but skilled creators struggle to compete with the marketing power of global brands. “Perhaps through craft, we might return to some sense of prestige, but how can these independent creators reach the customers who pay a lot of money for luxury giants which I believe lack added value? It’s an unequal balance of power.” he wonders.
Arkadius and Magda Mielcarz by Jacek Poremba
A Retrospective
It’s astonishing to think that such a valuable body of work spent over a decade in a mouldy container before being miraculously acquired by the museum in Łódź and finally receiving the recognition it deserves. As Arkadius exited the fashion world, he left these pieces in a private storage in Scotland, never imagining they would see the light of day again. "When I was leaving and packing all those things into garbage bags, I never thought that such an exhibition would ever take place, especially not during my lifetime. When I saw the exhibition, I was in shock. The last time I saw these items, they were in a very poor condition." The conservators at Łódź’s museum deserve applause for their remarkable work, especially given the delicate fabrics used in the collection. There’s hay, crinolines, wooden birds, tissue paper, a whole array of unusual, extremely delicate materials.
“I never expected that something like this would happen, so it was an incredibly emotional experience for me,” Arkadius reflected. “It reminded me of my previous life, how much it cost me in terms of health, sacrifices, and work, and how unfortunately it all ended. All those moments, both positive and negative, flashed before my eyes like a slow-motion film. The emotions were so strong that I couldn't hold back and burst into tears.”
The designer also reflected on the emotional experience of reconnecting with industry peers during the exhibition's opening events: “What touched me the most were the comments from other designers during the exhibition's opening. Some admitted that 20 years ago, they didn’t understand my work, but today they see me as an artist. I was never a traditional fashion designer; I was never trained to create neat, comfortable clothes. My artistic language was different, and I think many people didn’t get that back then. Now, with changes in the world, they understand that a designer can have a dialogue with the audience through emotions, not just by making 'cool clothes' to wear.”
Arkadius’s fashion has always transcended material value - it was a medium to express his worldview. Today he rejects the materialism of the industry even further. ”One of the biggest problems in fashion and the world today is overproduction, a relentless pursuit of something undefined, and a failure to appreciate what’s most beautiful – nature in its simplest form." Nowadays he spends just 20 euros on clothing yearly. He prefers to invest in craftsmanship and nature instead. From his travels, he brings back indigenous handcrafts, art pieces, and seeds to plant in his garden. "I want to give something back. Just as I once wanted to share my creativity with people, now I feel I want to share what I can do for our planet.” he says.
The exhibition made headlines in Poland, with Arkadius revealing that he has already received numerous offers to reenter the fashion world. He's however taking a calm approach in planning his next steps. While he does not rule out a comeback, it’s more likely to take a more artistic and liberated form. "I would like to be remembered as an artist who never sold out to the system, someone who stayed true to my own beliefs. I stepped away to stop poisoning the environment and to do something positive," he reflects.
Looking ahead, Arkadius envisions opening a botanical garden and art gallery in Brazil, which would serve as a creative refuge for artists and reflect his commitment to nurturing creativity and nature. "I hope that my book isn’t closed yet," he muses.
Perhaps fashion doesn't need more clothes, but after seeing all 14 of his inspiring collections, I still find myself hungry for more.
Go see the Arkadius: Powerful Emotions. Confrontations, the exhibition at the Central Museum of Textiles in Łódź, on show till July 2025. More details here.