Bella  Stern

Set & Material Designer

Developing new ways of creation that bring in nature as a partner and collaborator

About

An American bio-designer, researcher, and set designer based in Paris, merging her scientific background with artistic intuition.

As a researcher, the heart of her practice is mycelium, the root-like system of fungi. Far from the sterile environment of laboratories, she brings this living material into intimate, everyday settings, prompting reflection on growth, decay, and the value of impermanence. Her low-tech processes embrace unpredictability, turning waste materials like coffee grounds, shell fragments, and textile scraps into elegant forms that biodegrade gracefully.

Her curious and creative spirit has propelled her work in prop styling and set design, where she is able to create and transform spaces and all the while maintaining a low level of waste.   

With a Master’s in Fashion Studies from Parsons Paris and a dual undergraduate degree in Psychology and French from Villanova University and a Sustainability minor, her interdisciplinary approach feels both studied and instinctual.

Selected Collaborations

Clients: Aesther Ekme, Alan Crocetti, Chanel, Dior, High Snobiety, Isabel Marant, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Kenzo, Lacoste, Lou de Bètoly, Louis Vuitton, Maison Kitsuné, Mola Oddity, Nana Jacqueline, Products by Betsy Johnson, Sia Arnika, Víron

Publications: Archive Futures, Arena Homme +, Atmos, Badlon Magazine, Exhibition Mag, Faith Love Hope Magazine, Family Style, Homme Girl, Numéro, Printing Fashion, Revue, T Magazine, The Face, W China