Date: 11. September 2025
Time to read: 3 min
In the world of fashion, often dominated by fast consumption and unethical practices, Slovenian designer Matea Benedetti has set a new standard with her brand Benedetti Life. Her philosophy combines sustainability, innovation and compassion in luxury fashion without animal-derived materials. Instead, she turns to fabrics of the future – made from olives, mushrooms, pineapple, algae, eucalyptus and recycled materials, including plastics, electronic waste and metals.
GO!2025 x Benedetti Life
On Friday, 13 September, Nova Gorica will become a hub of sustainable fashion as part of the GO!2025 – European Capital of Culture programme. The event, titled Benedetti Life – A Visionary Fashion Spectacle under the Stars, will be the first of its kind in the region, blending art, technology, sustainability and powerful symbolism.
The evening will open with the From Waste to Beauty Awards, celebrating designers who transform discarded materials into refined fashion creations – a reminder that sustainability can be synonymous with beauty and innovation.
The highlight will be the exclusive Benedetti Life fashion show, structured as a narrative journey through several chapters:
- 4th Industrial Revolution – industrial inspiration, recycled metal materials.
- Apocalypse – dance, minimalist aesthetics, the vision of an exhausted civilisation.
- Rinascimento – light, harmony and a new beginning.
- Whale Song – fabrics made of algae and organic cotton, highlighting oceans as the source of life.
- Rainforest – an explosion of colours and energy, with olive and eucalyptus-based textiles, celebrating biodiversity.
As Matea Benedetti explains, every element of the show carries deep symbolism. For each seat, one tree will be planted, while the combination of fashion, dance, music and sustainable gastronomy will create a holistic experience in a beautifully illuminated green setting.
A globally recognised story from Slovenia
Benedetti Life creations have already graced the world’s most prestigious red carpets – from the Oscars to Cannes, Venice and Milan – and have been featured in leading media outlets such as Vogue (Italy, Brazil, UK, Germany), The New York Times and Forbes. Among the brand’s ambassadors are world-renowned figures, including Janja Garnbret, Jan Oblak, Ana Roš, Maggie May Baird and Petra Němcová.
Matea Benedetti is an internationally acclaimed Slovenian designer and a pioneer of sustainable luxury fashion without animal-derived materials. Her work, which fuses art, science and a vision of the future, is grounded in circular economy principles, innovation and ethical aesthetics. Her collections have been showcased at the Oscars, the Cannes Film Festival, COP28 in Dubai and at leading international forums.
As a lecturer, motivational speaker and ambassador for sustainable development, she advocates for dialogue on ethics, compassion and responsibility in today’s society. Her guiding principle can be summed up in her own words:
“Through fashion design I encourage a global shift towards conscious consumption, respect for natural resources and ethical aesthetics. I believe in beauty that does no harm. And I believe in Slovenia as the heart of a new, better fashion: where true luxury grows from pure sources and pure intentions.”
Benedetti Life is much more than a fashion brand – it is a platform for storytelling about nature, endangered species and compassion. Each collection is a tribute to the planet; each piece carries its own message. With a vision that inspires both locally and globally, Benedetti Life helps shape the future of fashion: more beautiful, more responsible and more compassionate.
In sustainable and animal free luxury fashion by Matea Benedetti, we highlighted her pioneering use of innovative materials such as apple and pineapple “leather”, along with her international recognition.
In When high fashion and football unite, we showcased her collaboration with Jan Oblak and a collection that merges high fashion with environmental responsibility.
