COR BOTANICALS
Co-creation with Bela Rofe | Amsterdam
2020
Born in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cor Botanicals was a collaborative design research project developed with artist Bela Rofe. It envisions an ecosystem that deepens the relationship between humans and nature intertwining traditional craftsmanship, biology, ancient wisdom, circular fashion, textile art, color intelligence, activism, and experimental research. More than a project, Cor Botanicals was an ongoing exploration of slowness, sensory connection, and ecological awareness. It invites reflection on how color, material, and place can reconnect us to the living world.
The pandemic drastically altered the way we live and create - social distance, lockdowns, and restricted access to indoor spaces made collaboration and engagement more difficult. At the same time, we were encouraged to explore the outdoors more consciously. This shift toward urban nature reshaped our creative process.
During this time, we began taking field trips to nearby parks and forests, gathering plant-based dye materials, and studying the subtle palette offered by our immediate environment. The process became a way to ground ourselves, learn from nature, and cultivate a new kind of attention.
Natural Dyes
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Urban Foraging
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Slow Design
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Upcycling
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Color Intelligence
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Natural Dyes • Urban Foraging • Slow Design • Upcycling • Color Intelligence •
Harvests
What began as speculative research culminated in a capsule collection of upcycled garments. Using curated second-hand pieces as a base, we dyed each one using pigments extracted from locally sourced plants and vegetable waste. The process embraced imperfection, variability, and the poetic beauty of nature’s rhythms.
Each garment became a carrier of memory and transformation, holding traces of its former life and the land it was re-dyed in. The collection brought together Cor Botanicals’ core values: circularity, locality, material storytelling, and re-enchantment.
By blending traditional dyeing practices with contemporary fashion thinking, we created a collection that reflects a slower, more attentive way of making - one rooted in care, reciprocity, and place.
Capsule collection showcase at The Maker Store, Amsterdam
Avocado-Dyed Fabrics & Yarns
Avocado-Dyed Fabrics & Yarns
Lichen-Dyed Fabrics & Yarns
Hibiscus-Dyed Fabrics & Yarns
Alkanet-Dyed Fabrics & Yarns
Avocado-Dyed Fabrics & Yarns
Cabbage-Dyed Fabrics & Yarns
Hibiscus-Dyed Fabrics & Yarns
Still Earth, Moving Bodies
Memories of a photoshoot in Noorderpark, September 2020
In the quiet aftermath of lockdown, we returned to nature - barefoot, breathing, climbing trees and dancing in soft light. A gentle ritual of reconnection, captured in movement and stillness.
Special Mentions & Credits
Photos by Beatriz Sandini and Bela Rofe
A special thank you to my dear collaborator Bela, whose different perspective and innate sensitivity to hidden beauty deeply enriched this project. Our Cor adventures during the pandemic remain a beautiful reminder of how creativity and companionship can transform uncertain times into something meaningful.