By Julia Radovich
Some projects exist beyond fashion. They are acts of resilience, systems of care, and new forms of authorship – expressed through fabric, form, and collaboration.
This is the case with Tempus – a collection created by Venezuelan designer Joy Acevedo together with the artisans of Espero Atelier, in partnership with the Musée d’Orsay.
In this conversation, Acevedo and Espero’s director Maya Persaud reflect on time, integration, craftsmanship, and the power of being seen – not as victims, but as creators.
What matters more in a project like this – offering a profession or offering a voice?
Maya Persaud (M.P.):
With the development of technology, we live in a time where the gap between the rich and poor is widening. With Al, the gap may get even bigger. I am convinced that it is important to give a voice to the invisible, those behind the scenes, who don’t necessarily want to be seen but take pride in their work and should be recognized. Every year, we collaborate with a guest designer and give them a carte blanche to design a collection using only the dead stock fabric we have. Our in house team of designers/pattern makers and sewers then turn that collection into reality-closely collaborating with the designer. On July 3rd, the day of our show, our sewers and pattern makers will be present at musee d’Orsay to explain to visitors how they participated in the project and what their work entails. They are very excited about being part of this event.
Joy Acevedo (J.A.):
I think both are equally important, developing a career in the area of your choice and talent leads to being more satisfied with life and makes the process of immigration and integration easier. Having a voice and being able to bring our different backgrounds and expressing them through fashion is an equally enriching exchange for the creator and the audience.
The collection is called Tempus – ‘time’. Whose time is it about: personal, historical, or institutional?
J.A.:
The collection was inspired by time – Tempus – in all its forms. The Musee D’Orsay, being the center of inspiration for this collection, has emblematic clocks that have marked the time previously for passengers and currently for people who come from all over the world to admire art. While designing and drawing this collection, I thought of the time each of us would spend creating each element of the collection. Couture is special because it takes a lot of time, attention to detail and effort, and this can be felt and perceived in each piece that has been carefully created. I also believe that time is a gift, and putting time into our work is a way of giving this gift away to someone else.
M.P.:
Time is the only thing that passes that you can never get back. It is the most precious thing I feel that we possess. My employees, most of whom are refugees, are aware of this fact. They feel for their family members and friends who were left behind in war zones unable to enjoy the freedom that they have.
Time is everything and we should always be aware of how we are using our time. One of my employees from Afghanistan said “I think of death every day. It is a reminder to me to enjoy every minute I have on this planet because at one point, we will no longer be here” And all this time I thought I had to turn to Carl Jung for this kind of wisdom.
How do you avoid turning the participants’ personal stories into aesthetic empathy or marketing language?
M.P.:
It is such a slippery slope. I try to have as much empathy as I can but of course I will never be able to truly understand or feel what my employees have been through. Each person is an individual and I never liked categories. What I can say is that they are much stronger and wiser than many people I have met.
Having lived through such extraordinary circumstances perhaps creates sometimes extraordinary people? I know personally that getting out of my comfort zone has enabled me to grow. I think there is some magic in getting out of your comfort zone.
J.A.:
I think there is a very big misconception of what being an immigrant truly is. It’s not something to feel pity for but rather admiration. I’ve gotten to know each story from the team at Espero who sewed the collection with me and I can identify the power and resilience that each one has developed throught the hardships they have experienced. I come from Venezuela, my family had to sell everything they owned and leave the country because of the dictatorship, so l know what it feels like to lose everything and start over in another country, learning a new language, and adapting to a new system. I’m very happy to have done this project because we pushed ourselves to create something that is at the same level as any other professional in the industry. I think this collection is a story of empowerment, of resilience, and of not letting all these hardships stop us from being excellent in our trade.
Why was the Musée d’Orsay the right place to present this collection?
What kind of dialogue does it create?
M.P.:
We have had an ongoing partnership with musee d’Orsay since 2023. One of their objectives is to enable everyone to have access to the arts and culture, regardless of socio-economic background. One of my employees told me that “art saved his life”. Our employees, some of whom had never entered a museum before feel more accepted and part of French society by being welcomed so warmly in these spaces. The musee d’Orsay team are very kind and empathetic. That helps a lot. Through our partnership, our employees have free access to the museum as well as its events for an entire year.
J.A.:
Espero and Musee d’Orsay have a partnership that allows the team to have access to the richness of French culture, since art is a door into understanding history, culture and the essence of a place. The museum allowed us to not only do a day exposition of the collection but also a private runway show. It is exciting to think that we can showcase our “art” in the same place that is the home to legendary painters such as Van Gogh, Cezanne, Renoir and so many others.
Working with deadstock from luxury houses – is that about sustainability, politics, or something else entirely?
M.P.:
It’s about sustainability. It is well known that fashion is one of the most polluting industries. I try to do as much as I can to avoid waste although I know that I am still part of the problem. We try to create awareness about waste and the fashion industry and try to only work in the circular economy.
J.A.:
I was happy to work with Espero as I share their vision for sustainability and waste awareness. I think the structure of the production process is also equally important. Designing a collection using deadstock made me consider each piece closely as we only had limited amounts of materials, so even though it was a challenge, everything was carefully accounted for.
P.S. Biographies:
Joy Acevedo:
Originally from Venezuela, Johanna Acevedo studied business and art in the U.S. before moving to Italy to train in fashion design, pattern-making, and accessories. After over five years of hands-on experience in Rome and Florence – and working with top fashion houses like Louis Vuitton and Gucci, she moved to Paris to launch her own brand, ACEVEDO PARIS blending traditional French craftsmanship with hand-made modern design.
Maya Persaud:
Originally from the USA, Maya Persaud is the Director and co-founder of Espero France. After completing her Masters in Social Anthropolgy of development at SOAS, she volunteered and worked for NGOs before creating a fashion brand Lotty Dotty. After seeing the waste first hand compounded with the refugee crisis, she decided to pursue activities in helping to protect the environment and to help people find their place in French society.
