Liberation in Restraint: Diana Lukash's experience with shibari

October 03, 2025

Through a collaboration with Julien Boudet, photographer and founder of artist-driven creative studio Bleu Mode, and shibari artist Marie Sauvage, fashion is explored as a sensory experience.

Sauvage explains that "shibari is a Japanese practice of binding the body that is rooted in both sensual and Zen principles. It transforms and sculpts the contours of the body with rope, while creating a somatic container for people to embody the emotions brought to the surface of their subconcious." In 2017 she began studying in Tokyo under the guidance of shibari master Hajime Kinoko. Sauvage has since given shibari "a fresh perspective on power dynamics, making rope feel more approachable to a wider audience" through a reverant and feminine perspective.

The relationship between the person tying the ropes, called the rigger, and person being tied, who Sauvage adoringly considers "the muse," is at the root of shibari's essence. The rigger must be vigilant in their observation of the model's physical state, must maintain the model's agency through the duration of their restraint, and the model must trust the rigger. Both an elegant and enduring experience, the sensation of being tied may only be comprehensible through firsthand experience. And though shibari does at times find itself in BDSM, a softness is maintained through its use as a meditative, grounding tool by individuals like Sauvage. To get a small grasp on what it's like, office spoke with Diana Lukash, the model.

Photography by Julien Boudet
Artist Marie Sauvage
Model Diana Lukas
Interview by Alice Mercy
Styling by Eva Silatsa
Styling Assistant Lily Ciannamea
Glam by Alex Feller
Glam Assistant Léa Ivić
Assistants of Bleu Mode Loïc Chapus and Hugo
Production Loïc Chapus

Alice Mercy— What drew you to be part of a shoot involving shibari and fashion?

Diana Lukash— I found myself as the bridge between two amazing artists: Julien Boudet, the visionary fashion photographer behind Bleu Mode, and Marie Sauvage, the shibari artist.

I had worked with Julien before, and at some point he mentioned that he wanted to collaborate with Marie. Since I was in close contact with her, I naturally became the link that brought them together and set this collaboration in motion.

AM— Do you have any previous experience with shibari - either personally or artistically?

DL— Yes! Marie did this for me as part of our personal artistic shoot.

AM— Were you curious, cautious, or confident going into it?

DL— I was very curious! I remember the first time I saw Marie’s page with her shibari art — it sparked something inside me. I wanted to be part of this world and discover more. So I followed that curiosity and met Marie for the first time in Berlin a year ago.

AM— What does it mean to you to be the subject of an image involving shibari?

DL— The first thing that came to my mind was experimenting with movement. For me, as a movement artist, shibari creates certain boundaries that I love to explore and play with — creating different shapes and dancing within the ropes.

AM— How did the ropes shape your sense of agency - did they feel like an amplification of yourself, or a transformation into something entirely new?

DL— No, it’s still me, but yes — a more amplified version of myself, because the boundaries make me stronger.

AM— Did the ropes feel like costume, constraint, or choreography?

DL— It might look like a costume, but it never really feels like one, haha. It can be challenging, even painful at times, but I love it because it opens a new experimental space for my body and creates choreography within constraints.

AM— Do you think shibari in fashion can be understood as beauty, danger, or intimacy - or something more complicated after this experience?

DL— I dream that shibari could become part of fashion as a symbol of beauty, danger, rebellion, and power. Maybe we could even create a brand with Marie, haha — it would be amazing to wear shibari-inspired shorts or tops on the streets, I know I would!

AM— What did you take away from this shoot about yourself as a model and as a person?

DL— This shoot gave me so much love and inspiration. Working with a team that felt like family — Marie, a true master of shibari; Julien, a visionary of concept and style; Alex Feller, brilliant in nails and makeup; Eva Silatsa, a talented stylist; and many others — we created a unique project that inspires experimentation with shibari, fashion, and the art of movement. For me, it was a chance to explore my body in new ways, discover fresh shapes and movements, and step into a completely new creative playground.

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