Valentina Fenza
A celebration of raw individuality
Textile Artist & Maker, CouleurZèbre, Sardinia
Sardinia, Italy Origins
Valentina Fenza is the Sardinian artist & maker behind CouleurZèbre, an independent practice established in France in 2022.
Transforming reclaimed history into a celebration of raw individuality
Conceived as an evolving textile laboratory, CouleurZèbre explores upcycling as both an aesthetic language and a gesture of personal freedom.
CouleurZèbre is an act of freedom against conformity.
Her work centers on the transformation of existing materials into one-of-a-kind wearable pieces and textile objects, including bags, belt bags, and experimental compositions. Guided by instinct and the history embedded in each fabric, her process resists standardised fashion systems and embraces irregularity, contrast, and individuality.
Memory in Material
Clothing as a carrier of memory,
and identity
Raised wearing second-hand garments passed down through her family, Valentina developed an early sensitivity to clothing as a carrier of memory and identity. This formative experience continues to inform her approach, positioning reuse not only as a material choice but as a response to overproduction and homogeneity in the contemporary textile industry.
Self-taught,
Mentored by Petromilli
Entirely self-taught, she later refined her technical skills under the guidance of Carlo Petromilli, whose mentorship supported both her craftsmanship and creative development. In 2023, she created her first upcycled wedding dress, transforming the bride’s mother’s gown into a new piece — an intimate project that reflects her ongoing interest in continuity, transformation, and emotional resonance.
CouleurZèbre Founded · France
Countries Lived & Created in
Valentina’s practice is shaped by movement and cultural exchange. Having lived in Australia, Portugal, Mexico, New Zealand, France, and Spain, she draws on a diverse visual vocabulary defined by bold colour relationships, layered textures, and a balance between spontaneity and structure. Her background in theatre, contemporary and contact dance, writing, photography, and painting informs a multidisciplinary approach in which textile becomes an extension of embodied expression.
Direct Engagement
Markets, movement,
and open research
Working primarily through markets and itinerant experiences, she favours direct engagement over traditional retail formats. Today, her research continues to expand through new techniques and forms, exploring the expressive potential of reclaimed materials while encouraging a more personal and liberated relationship to dress.
The Textile Artist & Maker, CouleurZèbre, Sardinia
“CouleurZèbre is an act of freedom against conformity”
