Exploring the Fusion of Human and Machine in MACHINA by Ana Isabel Melgarejo Munoz de Cote
YKK is honored to collaborate with rising fashion designers who are exploring bold ideas and innovative techniques. This blog features one such designer whose senior collection incorporates YKK® zippers as both functional and expressive elements in her storytelling.
MACHINA
Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) graduate Ana Isabel Melgarejo Muñoz de Cote approaches fashion as a form of visual storytelling. Originally from Mexico, Ana combines fashion, costume design, and cultural influences to create work that blends artistic expression and innovation into meaningful contemporary design.
“My main focus as a designer is storytelling and how it is constructed into visual art,” Ana explains. “I’m interested in blending culture and innovation in contemporary design.”
For her senior collection, MACHINA, Ana explored the relationship between the human body and Formula 1 engineering. Drawing inspiration from the anatomy of racing cars, including engines, airflow systems, and tires, alongside human anatomy, she developed silhouettes that represent the fusion of human and machine.
“I wanted to showcase the merging of human and machine,” Ana says.
A key element of the collection was the use of YKK® zippers as both functional and aesthetic design components. Rather than serving solely as closures, the zippers became part of the collection’s visual narrative.
“Through the zippers, I was able to showcase them not just as functional pieces, but as part of the design itself,” says Ana. “I used them to help tell a story through the metal details, the silhouettes, and the torn zippers. They highlight the idea of breaking something apart and rebuilding it into something more elevated, reflecting the fusion between human and machine.”
Bringing the collection to life required significant experimentation, particularly when incorporating zipper details into leather garments. After sewing more than 50 zippers across prototypes and final looks, Ana developed new techniques and confidence in her craftsmanship.
Reflecting on her experience with YKK, Ana credits the support she received throughout the design process.
“The support I had was really helpful from the start, from choosing what types of zippers would work best to helping me whenever I had questions,” she says. “The team was amazing to work with.”
Ana also appreciated the quality and versatility of the zippers, including specialty reverse zippers that helped achieve the clean, streamlined aesthetic she envisioned.
“I like using zippers not just as closures but as part of the design language,” Ana explains. “The quality of the zippers was really nice and easy to work with.”
By transforming functional components into storytelling elements, MACHINA demonstrates how innovation and design can work together to create fashion that is both visually compelling and conceptually meaningful.
We look forward to seeing where Ana’s creativity and passion for design take her in the future.
Check out Ana’s full collection on Instagram: @byanaisabel.studio
Photo credit: Rumen Zdravchev, Gianella Martell
