Ludmilla Balkis studied Fashion and Art History at the Studio Berçot school in Paris where she discovered her desire to redefine the relationship with the body in society.

She was a fashion designer for many years and worked at Céline with Phoebe Philo, with unequivocal devotion to minimalism. Her years at Céline were artistically enriching, yet the frantic pace of the collections made her question fundamental points such as consumerism, ecology and work ethics.

This drew her to the French Pays Basque where she is currently based. Contact with the earth and nature sits at the heart of her endeavor, and her voluntary search for imperfection is a continuous one. She draws inspiration from the Japanese approach to clay, informed by the aesthetic of “Wabi-Sabi”, embracing simplicity and irregularity. Her craft remains a manner to challenge the pace of modern life.