{"id":1238873148,"date":"2026-04-03T11:45:43","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T15:45:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wwd.com\/?p=1238873148"},"modified":"2026-04-03T11:45:59","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T15:45:59","slug":"eugene-riconneaus-seaweed-fiber-couture-dress-1238873148","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wwd.com\/sustainability\/materials\/eugene-riconneaus-seaweed-fiber-couture-dress-1238873148\/","title":{"rendered":"Eug\u00e8ne Riconneaus Debuts Dress Made From Scalable Seaweed Fiber"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t\t\t
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\tPARIS \u2014<\/strong> Under the glass dome of the Grand Palais, designer Eug\u00e8ne Riconneaus unveiled his first dress that could mark a turning point in sustainable fashion. The couture piece is made from a scalable, seaweed\u2011based textile developed through his ER Ocean Recherche project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\tHe titled the look \u201cOcean Apocalypse,\u201d but the dress is more than a boldly named statement. It\u2019s Ricconeaus’ personal proof of concept that his deep dive from design into materials R&D has paid off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\tThe dress stood alongside fluffy bowls of SeiFibre and SeiYarn<\/a>, ocean-derived fibers produced using marine biomass that Riconneaus began developing during the pandemic<\/a>. The process converts algae and cyanobacteria into his proprietary Sei, a nano-structured marine material. Sei can then be transformed into textile fibers for yarns and fabrics, coated canvases and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\tThe result at ChangeNow was tufts of soft fiber and rolls of spun yarn, as well as a series of T-shirts and fabric samples that showcased the material\u2019s quality and versatility, from thin silk-like textures to sturdy, thick jersey. The material is now ready to move from laboratory to industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\tWhile still in early commercial stages, the fibers have been integrated into different weaves and blends with plant-based materials<\/a>, performing well in independent testing, including demonstrating antibacterial properties, he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\tUnlike many lab innovations that get stuck in prototype form, Sei has a clear path to scale, Riconneaus told WWD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\tPartnerships with mills and textile producers in Lyon, France; Portugal, and other European centers mean the material can be spun and woven at volumes that are meaningful to designers and brands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cWe need to bring designers into the lab,\u201d he said, so they can communicate key aesthetic elements like look and feel to co-develop materials that are functional and desirable. Its potential could empower designers to lead innovation and creativity, rather than waiting for technology to trickle down from industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\tAs a designer, his own inability to find acceptable materials was a key driver for his work, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\tThe flatness of his ER Ocean Recherche organization, where he communicates with the science team via WhatsApp, increased the urgency \u2014 and excitement \u2014 in the lab. \u201cWhen you manage the science team, and they know they are going to work for a dress that will exist, and they already see the prototype \u2014 it\u2019s very concrete,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\tThat close-knit ethic extends to other brand teams that are currently experimenting with the material, who are able to provide immediate feedback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\tHe also said brands need to be active in development to push suppliers forward. \u201c[Suppliers] need more work and are so busy looking for more orders that they don’t do innovations. Then we have us \u2014 the innovators or scientists. We go to meet them and say, \u2018Look, we have the technology, we can drive the whole system, and we work together.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\tThe seaweed-based fiber is being tested across a spectrum of applications \u2014 from casualwear to complex weaves \u2014 and can be blended with cotton, lyocell, cashmere or wool. Early versions have been produced in white or with color integrated during fiber production, and Riconneaus noted ongoing work to refine dyeing processes without compromising the fiber\u2019s properties. The T-shirts on display were in a bright yellow and chalky khaki.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\t\u201cIt\u2019s about making innovation visible, desirable and legible to brands,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\tHe also hinted that the couture dress is not just a one-off. He is currently planning to return to fashion and is working on a larger collection created with the Sei materials to present during Paris Fashion Week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The designer\u2019s ER Ocean Recherche project transforms marine biomass into versatile Sei fibers, debuting in a dress and T-shirts at ChangeNow, with plans for a larger collection in the 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