Merel approaches designing as making collages. These collages center the body and the fabric. In order to maintain a open perspective in the process, she designs by creating first, then writing, leaving room to discover new images. This results in a unique graphic visual language.
All of this results in an elegance where the body and the design support each other. The body thus surpasses the identity of merely being the wearer, merging with the designs into an inseparable whole. This physicality is emphasized by placing the bodiless design next to it. As a result, we see how the form of the design is shaped by the body it surrounds.
With attention to the craft of pattern making, her designs come to life through a dialogue with the body. Her working method to create these patterns involves deconstructing and reconstructing classic pattern pieces. Through experimentation, unexpected shapes and drapes emerge on the body.
