The dress is a house for the body

This set of images documents the friendship between two human beings from different times and cultures. Through this process, they created a discourse that reflects the values about preserving friendship between generations.

A collection of images from the "The Dress is a House for the Body" project that document the friendship between Juan Borgognoni (1991) and Alicia Ros (1943).

Alicia is a psychologist and philosopher who has always expressed her relationship with reality through clothing and food. She invites Juan to document all the dresses created by her personal dressmaker, Carmina Barrera, for over four decades.

Carmina, who was born in Madrid in the 1930s, made ceremonial uniforms for her husband, who worked as maître de maître at the Hotel Ritz in Madrid. For three years (2018–2020), Alicia and Juan use the fashion created by Carmina as a vehicle to interpret the idiosyncrasies of the "here and now," creating a discourse that dialogues generationally, caressing the poetry of intimacy that both experience while traveling through Europe photographing each garment.

The photographs are an ode to life, existence, and the enjoyment of contemplation and the search for pleasure. Juan reflects on the experience of working with Alicia, who, at 80 years old, had more energy than him. He also emphasizes the importance of creating a vision of fashion or design in a slow and unique way, defying the fast-paced world we live in.

This project is also an exploration of the relationship between the body and the clothing. Each dress capture in the series represents a moment in lifetime and a reflection of the cultural and social context in which it was created (before pandemic).

The images reveal the intimacy and trust between Alicia and Juan. The slow and deliberate approach to the project allowed them to merge their journey creating a discourse that transcends generations, cultures, and borders. They showcase the power of fashion to communicate emotions, values, and ideas and the importance of preserving traditions and craftsmanship.