JUNE 2015
Fashion & Architecture
ISSUE 1
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JUNE A letter from the editor Future fashion
FEATURES
Fashion & Architecture Isabella Falkirk Three Dimensional layered construction; wearable art Iris Van Herpen Couture SS15 Paris Sensing Spaces Royal Academy of arts Dice Kayek Instanbul contrast
Architecture Paper Fashion By students at the Fashion Retail Academy
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t this moment in the 21st century the discussions about architecture and fashion have suddenly become “in fashion�. To many the topic seems suddenly timely or trendy, but unlike theories comparing the artificial construct of the surface of clothes and the surface of buildings, writings about the fashionable in architecture,and the architectonics of clothing and styles of architecture, my inclusion of these two
seemingly disparate topics will try to begin beyond the obvious parallels into ideas of construction, production and consumption. Where as fashion has always been criticized by those with little to do as an artificial and superficial construct of vanity, architecture has had some measure of respect both as a pursuit of beauty and an expression of our culture. But while in the process of researching of the topics, the similarities and overlaps between the two began to resonate more and more loudly. Many obvious
parallels exist (metaphor of skin/surface, issues of identity/time, methods of construction/production) ... It however begins with their similarities as industries“both are situated (in) between economic and symbolic/artistic fields, they have similar conditions of production -team work, use of model, etc. - and similar conditions of consumption, in which the distinctiveness of the original product is wasted away through diffusion. But to some the fashion industry appears more resilient and more resistant to the economic
forces whose mechanisms conspire to control it. Or perhaps fashion seems more capable of using the mechanisms of capitalism (production, marketing, and distribution) for its growth and evolution. oth subjects, fashion and architecture, express ideas of personal, social, and cultural identity, reflecting the interests of the targeted audience and the age’s ambition. Fashion and architecture also perceive the change in a city, and
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show it: one does so by “dressing bodies”, the other by dressing places. A concept expressed in the early Twentieth Century by German philosopher Walter Benjamin, when he wrote that the two subjects belong “in the darkness of the lived moments, to the dream consciousness of the collective”. Since the ‘90s important changes have taken place in the business strategies for fashion: big groups have bought prestigious fashion houses, while flagship stores have acquired an essential importance in
marketing strategies. In this scenario, the architect is called upon and assumes a key role: he or she has to translate their ideas into tangible forms, underlining the brand’s values, giving them a captivating and recognizable image.
Celine Franklin Editor in Chief
FUTURE Photographer - Zee Nunes
FASHION
Fashion ARCHITECTURE THREE DIMENSIONAL LAYERED CONSTRUCTION; SCULPTURAL FASHION; WEARABLE ART
Isabella Falkirk: A recent graduate from the Swedish School of Textiles speaks to Contour about the paradoxes of creating a collection while being under a lot of stress and pressure. Contour: Who is Isabella Falkirk; tell us a little bit about yourself. Isabella Falkirk: That I ended up in fashion was actually really a coincidence. I used to play in a punk-rock band and when we split up, knowing I was not that musically talented I had to come up with something else. Ever since I was a little kid I knew I wanted to do something artistic. I could have been a lot of things; photographer, architect or a cabinetmaker to name a few, but I had to make a decision and the first thing that came up was a preparatory education in tailoring and pattern cutting. It was as described in the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, “When someone makes a decision, he is really diving into a strong current that will carry him to places he had never dreamed of
when he first made the decision”. C: Your collection is called ‘Under Pressure’, tell us about the concept IF: The collection is about stress, it’s about work becoming everything, it’s about not being able to separate yourself from your work, it’s about carrying your work with you all the time wherever you go, and in the end it is about me and my process, my stress, my anxieties and the pressure I felt when making this collection.
IF: I don’t think the pressure will go away ever, but it definitely has become less now since I have started to work at H&M. Hopefully I will complete a Master’s Degree in the future and start my own brand and then the pressure will rise again. C: Your collection is very clean and minimal, something that has become significant in Scandinavian design. What is your relationship to Minimalism? IF: I guess Minimalism is part of my genes and my upbringing. There has always been a part of me who wants to take things away to make it cleaner more pure. I like that there’s nothing to hide behind. But on the other hand there is a part of me who is drawn to “more is more”, everything colourful, crazy and kitschy. I think that’s the rebel in me. Ha ha. C: Designers are constantly under a lot of pressure. How do you manage to stay cool? IF: I listen to loud noisy music to ignore my thoughts spinning like crazy, joke around to take the edge of and tell myself that it’s just fashion – not saving the world! C: In the creative business you often ‘become’ your work. Do you carry your office with you everywhere? IF: Of course, but as a metaphor. It is in my head. C: The fashion industry is moving faster and faster. What is your relationship to ‘fast fashion’ and trends? IF: Contradictory, I become angry and sad when I think of the consumerism that’s taken over the world, where everything is cheap and replaceable, but on the other hand it’s hard not to get intrigued by it. C: You’ve now graduated – the pressure is off. What is the next step?
C: Do you consider Minimalism to be a trend? IF: Yes and no, its popularity definitely comes and goes but in the end it’s a way of life, isn’t it?
C: Is fashion still fun, new and innovative? IF: Yes as longs as it’s about creativity and not blighted with having to make money. That’s why I find it more interesting to look at what other students and underground designers are doing. C: Where do you think fashion will be in 10 years time? IF: Who knows, that’s what fashion is about not knowing what’s next. C: Thank for your time. IF: My pleasure
Oro Suede Puzzle Bag, 2015
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IRIS VAN HE “For me fashion is an expression of art that is very closely related to myself and my body. I see is as my expression of identity combined with desire, mood and cultural setting.� (Iris Van Herpen). Throughout all of her work Iris tries to make clear that fashion is an artisitic expression, it is showing and wearing art. The essence of Van Herpen is expressing the character and emotions of a unique individual woman and to extend the shap of the feminine body in detail. For her new collection Iris Van Herpen has been inspired by nature and architecture (a primary concentration for the artist) and thats what Iris Van Herpen is reflecting through her Haute Couture collection.
ERPEN
COUTURE SS15 PARIS In order to create her collection and fit her theme, she decided to use 3D printing; she managed to create her own styles and signature materials by combining traditional craftmanship, high level of handwork and innnovative techniques. The Avante Garde aspect of her styles spirit goes through creation but also raw materials, she likes radical fabric such as leather, synthetic boat rigging, Plexigas or the whalebones of childrens umbrellas. The result gives a sculptural effect with an astonishing visual impact. The main colours of this collection are light; white and beige but also ray-grey, brown, copper, dark metal silver and metallic aubergine
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ROYAL ACADEMY OF THE ARTS
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Dice Kayek’s ‘Istanbul Contrast’ Couture Collection Wins The V&A’s Jameel Prize 3
A unique fashion project that translates the allure and rich multi-cultural heritage of Istanbul into artistic pieces of clothing has won this year’s Victoria and Albert Museum’s Jameel Prize 3, a prestigious award for contemporary art and design inspired by
Islamic tradition. This year’s recipient Dice Kayek, is a Paris-based high fashion studio ran by a creative duo from Turkey, the sisters Ece and Aye Ege. Dice Kayek’s ‘’Istanbul Contrast’’ collection was chosen from the near on 270 entries from around the world,
making it the first fashion project to win the Jameel Prize. In choosing the duo’s project, the prize judges stated that Dice Kayek’s work ‘’demonstrates how vibrant and creative Islamic traditions continue to be today their translation of architectural ideas into fashion
shows how Islamic traditions can still transfer from one art form to another, as they did in the past.’’ The award ceremony was held on February 2015 at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, UK.
The prize itself was conceived after the redesign and redisplay of the V&A’s Jameel Gallery of Islamic Art, which opened in July 2006 and has been running every two years since 2009 – organized by the V&A and the Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives (ALJCI). Designed to complement the Gallery and the V&A
collection (one of the most important collections of Islamic art in the world), the prize also provides a showcase function for new art and design that reflects the Islamic traditions of the past on display in the museum whilst engaging with a wider debate about Islamic culture in general and its role today. Organised
under the patronage of world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid, the Jameel Prize has been previously awarded to Afruz Amighi (2009) and Rachid Koraïchi (2011). In addition to the Jameel Prize, the initiative also includes an exhibition of the ten shortlisted entries, all of which, again, are inspired by the diversity of
Islamic tradition. The works on display engage with Arabic typography and calligraphy, social design, video installation and miniature drawings. The Jameel Prize 3 exhibition, is currently on display at The Porter Gallery of the V&A Museum
‘’We are deeply inspired by the architectural heritage in Istanbul. The most prominent examples of this heritage have been portrayed in our ‘Istanbul Contrast’ collection, like the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Dolmabahçe and the Topkapı Palaces.’’ Dice Kayek
Ece and Ayşe Ege. Photo © Dice Kayek Archive.
Dice Kayek was founded in 1992 in Paris by the Ege sisters, and has since gone on to establish itself as a successful fashion label. It has been a member of the Fédération Française de la Couture since 1994 and its collections are available in more than 30 countries worldwide. The label’s main designer, Ece Ege has received numerous awards for her work, and the studio has been active, not only in the fashion industry (producing two prêt-a-porter collections a year) but in other fields as well: for example, its marble pavilion ‘’Bathing in Light,’’ a contemporary interpretation of the traditional Turkish hamam, was part of Milan’s Salone del Mobile 2013. Raised in Bursa, Turkey, Ece and Aye Ege’s aesthetic is deeply rooted in the tradition of their country, and one of their sources of inspiration is of course the extraordinary city that is Istanbul. For Dice Kayek, Istanbul is a city of contrasts, combining elements of the East and West within its multiple layers of history. Their 2010 Istanbul Contrast collection contains 26 garments inspired by the city’s wealth of cultural influences, from Ottoman-era royal attire to the golden wings of Byzantine angels seen in the mosaics in Hagia Sophia.
Double-page spread from Dice Kayek’s ‘’Istanbul Contrast’’ book. DOVE: Off-white silk cotton gabardine tailcoat, formed by overlapping layers of folded pleats, evoking a dove’s tail. Photo © Dice Kayek Archive.
Dice Kayek, ‘’Caftan’’ dress, 2015. Hand-woven lamé brocade, referring to the luxurious robes worn by the Ottoman-era ruling class. photo © Dice Kayek Archive.
Dice Kayek, ‘’Hagia Sophia’’ dress, 2015. White satin coat covered with complex, hand-stitched embroidery and ancient glass beads, in patterns inspired by Byzantine mosaics. photo © Dice Kayek Archive.
Dice Kayek, ‘’Dome 2’’ dress, 2015. Light-weight cotton organdie folded to echo the ribs of the city’s mosques and palaces’ lead-covered domes. photo © Dice Kayek Archive.
Photo Š Dice Kayek Archive.
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