Hi, I'm Abi - the founder of Mater Suspirium. This brand has been a dream of mine for a long time. I started my career in Finance in New York but always dreamed of being a designer, so I applied to Parsons School of Design and attended classes in the evenings after work. During those years, a passion for tactile quilted textures and fine art emerged. I am enthralled by the idea of fashion as art - not everyone can paint, but everyone has to get dressed each day. And in doing so, they reveal something about themselves. I want my designs to evoke a deep care for craftsmanship, individuality, and a touch of surrealism.

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Mater Suspirium is a rough translation of "Mother of Sighs" in Latin. It comes from Thomas De Quincey's opium-fueled prose poetry collection 'Suspiria de Profundis'. In it, he conjures up a vision of three spirits who rule over life's miseries - Our Lady of Tears, Our Lady of Sighs, and Our Lady of Darkness.

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This work inspired the original movie Suspiria, its recent remake, and of course, our brand.

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We are passionate about sustainability, and donate a percentage of our proceeds to clean water initiatives. Clothing dye is harmful to the environment and we strive to use our brand to minimize this impact.