Victor Novotny - AMD Akademie Mode & Design

OUROBOROS – AMD Akademie Mode & Design

I am Victor Novotny, fashion designer and founder of the fashion label ARCHIVE D’ACCRO. From a young age, I was a very creative and craft-oriented person. Over time, my passion for fashion grew stronger and stronger. During the pandemic, the dream of building something of my own, something that embodies my artistic and design aesthetic vision, began to take shape. Together with Kai Foitzick, we founded our brand ARCHIVE D’ACCRO in 2021.
At the same time, I began my fashion design studies at the Akademie Mode & Design to deepen my knowledge and refine my skills. In 2023, I completed an internship with master tailor Eva Simon, where I gained deep insights into the art of pattern-making and honed my technical skills. In my work, I place great value on a clear, aesthetic design language, sophisticated pattern techniques, and high-quality fabrics. I am particularly drawn to experimenting with unconventional materials such as stainless steel, concrete, or silver, opening up new perspectives in fashion. For me, design means pushing the boundaries of the familiar and consistently developing each idea further.
In my graduate collection titled OUROBOROS, which also marks the first MAINLINE collection of ARCHIVE D’ACCRO, I explored the theme of the gradual takeover of control by greed. This work earned me the “Best Graduate” award and the opportunity to present my collection at Graduate Fashion Week in London, the largest international stage for fashion design graduates.

OUROBOROS
The collection explores greed as a deeply rooted element of human nature and examines the cyclical shifts in the character of society. Greed is viewed not as a fixed state, but as a force that unfolds in repeating patterns over time.
At the beginning of this progression, greed appears as a driving and even advantageous force. As it intensifies, however, it transforms into something ruthless and destructive. This concept is visualized through a self-developed design technique: the cultivation of crystals on textile surfaces.
These crystals symbolize greed. Initially ornamental and beautiful, they gradually evolve into an autonomous, parasitic entity, growing uncontrollably and eventually taking over. At this point, humanity is entirely lost, and the body becomes consumed by greed. Toward the end of the collection, a moment of hope emerges. Greed is shed like the old skin of a snake, allowing the possibility of liberation. The final look represents the breaking away from uncontrollable desire and marks the beginning of a new cycle.
OUROBOROS – an eternal loop of destruction and rebirth, in which humanity remains trapped while continuously seeking a way out.