LCF X YNAP Tech Tales 2020

TECH

TALES

A Saga of Fashion and Technology through the ages.

Source: https://blog.metmuseum.org/alexandermcqueen/images/6.McQueenNo.13,Spring1999.EL.jpg

YNAP x LCF 2020

Source: https://vaguelycool.wordpress.com/2015/06/12/hussein-chalayan-aw-1998/

F O R E W O R D

This magazine was created as a part of the YNAP x LCF 2020

Collaboration.

Curated

by

Master's

students

at

London College of Fashion, the magazine takes a look at fashion’s evolving relationship with technology, and the many forms this relationship takes.

We closely investigate the work of Alexander McQueen, Manish Arora, and Hussien Chalayan, paying particular attention

to

one

show

from

each

designer.

Each

investigation is supplemented with embedded clips and AR filters inspired by YNAP's archival footage to reflect the evolution of technology in fashion. The work of these three

designers

demonstrates

the

multitude

of

ways

technology can be used in fashion. Going forward, this relationship

with

technology

is

only

going

to

grow

as

digitalization continues to play an increasingly important part in our lives.

Amelia Spinks Writer & Editor

C O N T E N T S

01 Alexander McQueen Spring/ Summer 1999, No.13

07 Manish Arora Spring/ Summer 2007, Women's RTW London

12 Hussein Chalayan Autumn/ Winter 1998, Panoramic

18 End Notes

19 References

20 Meet the Team

Source: http://on21blog.blogspot.com/2014/02/alexander-mcqueen-giac-mo-ngao-nghe.html

ALEXANDER

MCQUEEN

Spring/ Summer 1999

No.13

1

Source: http://firstview.com/collection_images.php?id=660#.X-tXkdj7Q2w

REMEMBERING THE RUNWAY Since

his graduate collection show in 1992, McQueen was

known for enthralling, immersive shows that encouraged enthusiastic discussions. From controversial themes, such as ‘Highland Rape’ (Autumn/Winter 1995), to shows that are

intertwined

with

remarkable

performances

such

as

Michelle Olley in the Spring/Summer 2001 show, McQueen has always pushed the boundary of what to expect from a fashion show.

His Spring/Summer 1999 show, ‘No.13’, is no exception as perhaps one of the most iconic, memorable fashion shows.

McQueen’s

use

of

technology

throughout

many

of

his

runway shows shocked and awed audiences, and this show was a particular highlight. Sarah Mower reflected upon the show in 2018, “it’s a McQueen performance, a coup de théâtre that has made ever-living history, surely up there among the top 10 fashion show thrills of all time” (Mower, 2018).

2

Suddenly, the robots, which have been borrowed from a car manufacturing plant, begin to move, spinning and twisting as Harlow stands in between them attempting to shield herself.

Inspired by the Arts and Crafts Movement of the late 19th century, ‘No. 13’ featured ruffled layers of lace, ruched silks and

impeccable

tailoring,

for

which

McQueen

has

become

known for. McQueen stated: “for me, my basis for anything I do is based on a craftsmanship be it tailoring, be it woodwork or

be

it

anything

else”

(V&A,

2015),

highlighting

the

craftsmanship included in his collections. This is particularly pertinent in this show, with Aimee Mullins featuring on the runway in carved wooden legs. Mullins, a para-athlete, opened the McQueen show wearing a moulded breastplate and two carved wooden legs instead of her usual prosthetic legs. A rare sign of diversity in an industry that had shown little to no representation of disability up until this point.

However,

it

was

the

finale

of

the

show

that

became

a

phenomenon. The lights came up on Shalom Harlow, alone, spinning on a rotating disk, between what appeared to be two robot arms that had been ominously waiting in the centre of the runway for the entirety of the show.

3

Source: http://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/designers/a9939/alexander-mcqueens-best-runway-shows/

Suddenly,

the

manufacturing

robots, plant,

which begin

have

to

been

move,

borrowed

spinning

and

from

a

twisting

car as

Harlow stands in between them attempting to shield herself. They each began to wildly spray her virginal-white dress with yellow and black paint until her dress was doused and paint splatters covered her decolletage and arms and dripped down her legs.

Harlow stumbled off the turntable and towards the audience, “in surrender” as Harlow herself described it (2011).

This moment of the McQueen show was feverishly debated upon, sometimes

in

controversy

over

the

meaning

behind

a

woman

helplessly being sprayed with paint. However, McQueen stated that he took inspiration from artwork by Rebecca Horn, in which two guns shot red paint at each other (McQueen, 2007). Except, he took this concept to the next level by placing a model in between the robots.

The

use

of

technology

in

this

show

created

a

spectacle

for

audiences, being discussed for decades after the actual event. The striking use of technology may have also been a comment on the impending millennium - an idea that several designers in the late 1990s

were

inspired

by

in

a

variety

of

ways.

McQueen’s

relationship with technology continued throughout his career; the final show before his death, ‘Plato’s Atlantis’, Spring/Summer 2010, was one of the first fashion shows to be live-streamed on SHOW studio.

4

WATCH THIS

TAP TO PLAY

No. 13 is remembered for its poignant finale; A former

ballerina,

Shalom

Halow,

spinning

on

a

rotating disc between two metal robots from a car manufacturing plant. These robots spray the model’s pure white cotton trapeze dress into a black and yellow futuristic design as she turns - signifying the effect of technological developments on society.

5

TRY IT ON!

TAP TO OPEN IN INSTAGRAM 6

Source: http://firstview.com/collection_images.php?id=12758#.X-taQ9j7Q2x

MANISH ARORA

Spring/ Summer 2007

Women's RTW

London

7

Source: http://firstview.com/collection_images.php?id=12758#.X-taQ9j7Q2x

REMEMBERING THE RUNWAY A fter

attending

Delhi

Fashion

School,

Manish

Arora

launched his namesake label in 1997, quickly catching the attention of journalists and buyers. Arora’s label debuted at London Fashion Week in 2005 and then was chosen to show at Paris Fashion Week for his Autumn/Winter 2007 collection,

demonstrating

the

thriving

interest

in

his

collections. Arora quickly became known for the use of bright colours and designs, fusing Indian techniques with Western

silhouettes.

The

staging

of

his

shows

included

bright coloured lights and lively music to accompany the models down the runway, allowing the audience to enter into the wild world of Manish Arora.

Arora’s

Spring/Summer

2007

collection

is

no

different,

featuring vibrant colours, striking motifs and a plethora of textures, appliqued and embellished upon the pieces. Arora utilised silks, tulles, sequins and sheer fabrics to create circle-skirted dresses, floaty tops and halterneck dresses.

Each piece featured a motif of some description - including

8

parrots, cherry blossom, peacocks, hot air balloons and bees - or an eye-catching, sometimes psychedelic pattern, employing the latest technology in textile printing to achieve his designs. One instantly recognisable print is The Great Wave off Kanagawa, by Katsushika

Hokusai

(c.

1829-1833),

this

now-famous

painting

decorates the hem of an oscillating skirt. Arora’s clashing patterns and bold prints create electrifying ensembles that can’t help but bring joy to audiences.

Source:http://firstview.com/collection_image_closeup.php?of=50&collection=12758&image=1694871#.X-tbRtj7Q2w

When I started showing internationally, I realised that I had to take my country with me.

MANISH ARORA (V&A, 2008)

“When I started showing internationally, I realised that I had to take my country with me” (V&A, 2008). Manish Arora’s work regularly includes references to his Indian heritage, often in the craftsmanship of the intricate beading and embroidery, stating “I will

come

to

India

and

make

them

in

the

most

exquisite

embroideries...nobody else in the world can do embroideries like we would do in India” (V&A, 2008). Some of the motifs used in print also reference Indian and Hindu culture, one example is the Nandi Ox, that features along the hem of a blouse, a reference to the gatekeeper of Shiva’s abode in Hindu mythology. Arora, in an interview with the V&A, notes that he aims to use “the talent of India but in a vision that was understood by everybody” (2008).

9

Manish Arora’s spectacular collections demonstrated precisely what could be achieved with textile printing technology, often working with fabrics that are notoriously difficult to print on, inspiring subsequent designers to work with similar techniques.

Contemporary silhouettes are often seen in Arora’s collections, to ensure the “vision” can be “understood by everybody”. Bubble skirts, halterneck dresses and bolero style jackets feature in the Spring/Summer 2007 collection, all designs that were particularly popular at the time. Interestingly, there are also some references to western fashion history in the form of breeches and an 18thcentury style frock coat. Demonstrating how Arora mixes the old with

the

new,

alongside

references

and

images

from

different

cultures.Arora makes use of contemporary technology to create bold images and patterns that feature on many pieces in this collection. process

The

and

latest

with

technology

textile

can

printing,

aid

meaning

in

both

Arora

the can

design achieve

bright, sharp designs on his pieces. Inventions in textile inkjet printers

and

digital

fabric

printing

enabled

designers,

such

as

Arora, to easily print onto a wide variety of fabrics to achieve the envisaged design.

Manish

Arora’s

spectacular

collections

demonstrated

precisely

what could be achieved with textile printing technology, often working with fabrics that are notoriously difficult to print on, inspiring subsequent designers to work with similar techniques.

10

WATCH THIS

TAP TO PLAY

For Spring/Summer 2007, Manish Arora stays true to his signature: ‘vivid palette of riotious colours and kitsch motifs’ (V&A, 2015). The butterfly motif is incorporated in almost every way imaginable creating an exhilarating and theatrical show.

5

TRY IT ON!

TAP TO OPEN IN INSTAGRAM 11

Source: http://firstview.com/collection_image_closeup.php?of=2&collection=6591&image=970141#.X-tm3dj7Q2w

HUSSEIN

CHALAYAN

Autumn/ Winter 1998

PANORAMIC

12

Source: http://firstview.com/collection_images.php?id=6591#.X-tm-tj7Q2x

REMEMBERING THE RUNWAY Described

as a ‘conceptual’ designer, Hussein Chalayan is

often inspired by science and technology, interpreting this theme in original, innovative ways. After his 1993 graduate collection, in which he buried his collection and exhumed it a few days prior to the show, Chalayan has been known for his boundary-pushing collections that continue to enthral audiences.

“I’ve always been interested in technology, and there are elements of technology in all of my collections” (Chalayan, 2016). Chalayan demonstrated this interest in technology in his

Autumn/Winter

inspired

by

the

1998

idea

of

collection, pixels

and

titled

‘Panoramic’,

human

data.

This

collection was also shaped by the impending millennium and the expanding role of technology.Although many of Chalayan’s technology,

collections this

showcase

‘Panoramic’

the

impressive

collection

uses

highlighted

of the

potential downsides in the expansion of the digital world.

Chalayan

saw

the

loss

of

individuality

as

a

key

disadvantage of technology, this notion was explored in several different ways throughout the show.

13

Source: https://www.bloomsburyfashioncentral.com/products/fashion-photography-archive/image/hussein-chalayan-fall-winter-1998-58963

I’ve always been interested in technology, and there are elements of technology in all of my collections.

HUSSEIN CHALAYAN (CHALAYAN, 2016)

The show began with a row of models, clothed in identical black dresses with a rounded-point hood surrounding their faces, almost completely masking the models’ identity. The entire collection was made up of blacks and greys, with the occasional pop of red, taking

away

the

uniqueness

and

diversity

of

each

model’s

ensemble. At several points in the show, models emerged with their face completely covered, either by knitted coverings, often with a rounded point adding height to the back of their head, or reflective

metal-like

masks.

These

head-coverings

completely

obscured the model’s identity, making humans appear more like robots or aliens. This interpretation of the theme of technology is particularly rare, taking a look at the negatives, rather than just the positives of an increase in technology and the digitisation of the world.

The

collection

including

consisted

cocoon

of

dresses

a

range

oversized

of

minimalist

turtleneck

garments,

jumpers,

ankle-

length coats and asymmetric knit dresses. The silhouette of each piece became particularly important as Chalayan played around with

shape

and

form,

creating

geometric

contours

in

each

ensemble. With the lack of colour and pattern in the collection, the fabrics used were highlighted, with the shine of silk or the texture of a knit standing out against the abundance of black garments.

14

The model’s hair and make-up reflected the structural collection, with red bluntly-cut fringes featuring on almost all models and coloured squares of perspex attached to many model’s lips - akin to a pixel. This concept soon evolved into mirrors protruding from models' necks or large panes of perspex attached to the side of several models heads - again hinting at digitisation.

Source: http://firstview.com/collection_image_closeup.php?of=41&collection=6591&image=970180#.X-tnT9j7Q2w

“I’ve

always

choreographed

my

shows

to

create

a

cultural

experience for the audience” (Chalayan, 2016). The finale of the show began in complete darkness; two screens above the runway suddenly light up, displaying pixels in a range of muted colours, before the lights go up on the runway. The audience is presented with a lineup of models, each dressed in a nude bodysuit, holding a large cube lit up in the colours shown on the screens above the model’s heads - as if the models themselves are pixels. Chalayan purposely chose this as the last image the audience saw before the room descended into darkness - a look at our potential future with a continued increase in technology.

I’ve always choreographed my shows to create a cultural experience for the audience.

HUSSEIN CHALAYAN (CHALAYAN, 2016)

15

WATCH THIS

TAP TO PLAY

In Panoramic, Chalayan toys with the idea of Pixels.

The show starts with photographs of landscapes that transform into pixels, making it impossible to recognise them.

This

metamorphose

is

revisited

at

the

wherein each model holds a lit up cube: a pixel.

16

finale

TRY IT ON!

TAP TO OPEN IN INSTAGRAM

TAP TO OPEN IN INSTAGRAM

17

As

these

shows

Source: https://newsroom.intel.com/news/paris-fashion-week-intel-enters-european-market-designer-hussein-chalayan/#gs.p950br

Source: http://firstview.com/collection_image_closeup.php?of=161&collection=12758&image=1695406#.X-tpo9j7Q2x

Source: https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/suzy-menkes-alexander-mcqueen-savage-beauty

E N D

N O T E S

have

demonstrated,

technology

has

expanded what designers and runways shows are capable of;

this

can

only

continue

as

technology

develops.

Technology offers unprecedented opportunities in fashion; in what designers are able to create and how these fashions are disseminated. Advancements in technology present a chance for experimental ideas and new forms of fashion shows,

including

the

use

of

AR

technology,

allowing

audiences everywhere to feel a part of the fashion show.

History has shown what designers are capable of with the use of technology, and this relationship will only grow as a response

to

COVID-19,

the

further

democratisation

of

fashion and the creation of a sustainable fashion industry.

Amelia Spinks Writer & Editor

18

R E F E R E N C E S

Mower, S., (2018) ‘Remembering the Potent Performance Art of Alexander McQueen’s Collection No. 13—20 Years Later’, Vogue, 14th September. Available at: https://www.vogue.com/article/alexander-mcqueen-no-13

Victoria and Albert Museum (2015), Fashion in Motion / Alexander McQueen, 19th June. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwiUJ-xK3ZE

McQueen, A., (2007) from The MET, (2011) Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty, Dress, No. 13, spring/summer 1999.

Available at: https://blog.metmuseum.org/alexandermcqueen/dress-no-13/

Harlow, S., (2011) from The MET, (2011) Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty, Dress, No. 13, spring/summer 1999.

Available at: https://blog.metmuseum.org/alexandermcqueen/dress-no-13/

Victoria and Albert Museum (2008), Fashion in Motion / Manish Arora, 3rd September. Available at: https://www.vam.ac.uk/articles/fashion-in-motion-manisharora

Chalayan, H., (2016) from Bolton, A., Manus x Machina: Fashion in the Age of Technology. New York: The Metropolitain Museum of Art

19

MEET

THE

TEAM

AMELIA SPINKS

MA Fashion Cultures and Histories Writing, Editing a.spinks0320171@arts.ac.uk

RUTUJA JADHAV

MA Strategic Fashion Marketing Layout Design, AR Filters r.jadhav0120191@arts.ac.uk

RACHANA SHETE

MA Fashion, Film and Digital Production Video Conceptualizing, Video Editing r.shete0220201@arts.ac.uk

KHUSHBOO SAMBHWANI

MSc Applied Psychology in Fashion Video and Image Research, Video descriptions k.sambhwani0620201@arts.ac.uk

YNAP X LCF 2020

20

TECH

TALES

A Saga of Fashion and Technology through the ages.

YNAP x LCF 2020 © London College of Fashion UAL University of the Arts London United Kingdom.