My journey began in Lake Thun, Switzerland. A small village, isolated from the hustle and buzz of city life, became a sanctuary and the birthplace of my creative process. I found my purpose in storytelling, starting with illustrating and graduating to design, ideas blooming into garments as a playful and evocative collection started to form. 

I worked alongside a talented seamstress and learnt how to sew with my own hands. I wanted to surround myself with talented and skilled artisans and collaborate with avant-garde artists to create beautiful pieces to enhance daily life. I feel lucky to still work with some of those original collaborators, and the whimsical roots of this collection can still be found throughout my work. 

When I first began work on my debut collection, it was without a solid plan or shape. I had learned at school the approximates of the process but the reality was wildly different. I thought that I might need to travel the world and have bold, exotic adventures to mine precious gems of inspiration, but as I and my work matured I came to realise my most treasured inspiration came directly from my daily life. 

This collection was inspired by four women comic book characters. I was drawn to their complex characters, and found parts of myself within them. This collection feels like a birth, an authentic expression of DA the brand and the artist. It encapsulates my vision and is a truly revealing and personal project, an experimental dive into textiles and materials and techniques and tools. 

The theatrical, romantic energy of Comic continues to influence and shape my work as I explore new ways to provide wearable daily pieces that evoke the same feeling.

Comic has shown me a deep passion for artisanship, for crafting and attention to detail. The nature of the process has made me fully appreciate the precision and care required to create a product that truly feels special. 

I would like to make note of the exploration of leather and fur in this collection. Early on in my career I was ignorant to the realities of using leather and fur. The use of animal ''products'' was so wide-spread in the fashion industry  it failed to register with me that I was harming innocent beings. Although I worked exclusively with ‘recycled’ materials on this collection that had already been harvested, I woke up to a devastating truth.

Four years after the creation of Comic, in 2017, I experienced a profound awakening and a serious change of heart. I stumbled upon three documentaries - The True Cost Seaspiracy, Cowspiracy that changed my life, opening my eyes to the fashion, beauty, and food industries and the devastating impact they have on our planet and its inhabitants.

These discoveries caused an immediate shift within me, as if a switch had been flicked. They led me to adopt a vegan lifestyle and, after three years, to continue as a vegetarian; gradually reducing my use of animal products. I pursued my research on these topics with passion and became deeply committed to animal welfare and the importance of ethical fashion.

Today, my awareness is stronger than ever. The love and compassion I have for animals continue to motivate and inspire me to make positive changes in both my personal and professional life and to share what I learn with others.

Sharing this collection, along with the early stages of my journey, serves as a reminder that curiosity and courage lead to transformation — not the kind that centres only on the self, but one that extends to others as well. I’ve learned that to harm another is to harm the self, and each day I have the opportunity to take steps toward creating a healthier and safer world for all of us.

This lesson sits at the forefront of my mind every single day. It is my guiding compass.