“ I look for this harmoniousness between shapes to form a composition or system.” Photo courtesy of Nusi Quero No Jacket Required from p7 “What architecture and architectural education imparted most upon my process was the idea of multiple, codependent systems that interweave and cannot exist without one an- other,” he says. “That’s something I’m very drawn to now, mostly in an aesthetic way. All of my pieces and work right now deal with systems. There are always at least two aesthetic languages communicating.” To date, Quero has released three batches of his works, the most recent dropping earlier this month. Compared to his previous output, Quero says his new designs improve upon comfort and fit, thanks to some research into the geometry in- herent in human bodies. Using these guiding principles, Que- ro’s most recent pieces accentuate those parts and places that everybody shares. For example, a bralette features two parts broken apart by adjustable ties. “Lately, I’ll 3D-print a piece and then perform surgery — cutting them up, bending them with heat, workshopping them to better understand the physics and geometric har- Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for MTV/ViacomCBS Left: Quero’s most recent designs accentuate the parts and places that everybody shares. Center: This piece was adapted for Beyoncé’s album cover. Right: SZA wore a piece designed by Quero to the MTV Video Music Awards. “At first, I didn’t have a manifesto or some goal that drove the Photo courtesy of Nusi Quero mony of it on a body,” Quero explains. “With this new drop, there’s only one size, and they work for most bust sizes and body types. I’ve started to cut away at the areas that are body- size dependent. It’s not perfect, but I’m trying more and more to make them as versatile as I can.” In the Instagram caption accompanying the reveal of her Renaissance album cover, Beyoncé said she hopes her new collection of songs empowers listeners with the freedom to “release the wiggle” and feel “unique, strong, and sexy.” Simi- larly, Quero intends to embolden those who wear his pieces to express themselves in any way they see fit. artwork to its place, but it emerged, and now it’s a duty,” Quero says. “When you have a Supreme Court elected by a vastly pa- thetic minority deciding what half of the population can do with their bodies, I think it is the role of anyone creating things to make people feel empowered in some way. People want to be free, and people deserve to be free, especially in our fucking self-expression. That empowerment is inherent in the work — it’s not so profound; it’s life-changing, but it might make some- one feel more confident one night, or it might make someone feel like a fairy or an alien or some shit. That’s an amazing thing to do for people that I never thought I’d be able to do.” [email protected] 8 8 MONTH XX–MONTH XX, 2008 AUGUST 4-10, 2022 NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS |
