outside here
# my honey girlfriend
how much i love their music
the evolution
TDemna Gvasalia's Style
Bright young design star Demna Gvasalia talks to Dazed Digital about IKEA, random encounters and becoming a fisherman.
| Published 03 August 2009
# he latest ‘new Belgian' born in Georgia (ex Soviet Union) to rock the fashion scene is Demna Gvasalia, who won the ITS 3 competition while still in the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, where he also swept away with a slew of prizes. Demna hasn't gotten carried away though- he lives by the sea and still enjoys his time with friends and family...
Dazed Digital: Tell us about your collection?
Demna Gvasalia: The last collection is based on bringing stereotypical garments into a squared dimension, basically reworking garments like a basic skirt, trench, blazer, trousers etc. into an extremely geometrical square proportion. The whole collection is realised in "Stockman" cotton.
DD: Where do you find inspiration?
Demna Gvasalia: In random encounters, in everyday routine, in the present around me.
DD: Who are your favorite designers and why?
Demna Gvasalia: My favourites are those who succeed to convey their very personal vision and stay unique in that sense. Peter Hornstein, because I admire his stubborn vision and admiration of beauty. Madeleine Vionnet for probably the most futuristic approach to minimalism, Azzedine Alaia for craft and beauty and of course Martin Margiela for giving fashion history a truly different angle.
DD: Who do you have in mind when you design?
Demna Gvasalia: I have in mind a certain woman, fortunately I don't know her name. I certainly don't have in mind a "customer", simply a woman who possibly would feel amazing wearing my clothes.
DD: Who would you like to collaborate with?
Demna Gvasalia: Terence Koh and IKEA.
DD: What has winning at ITS meant for you and your label?
Demna Gvasalia: It has meant that dreams do come true. This one came true quite early and it motivated me to be confident and believe in what I do.
DD: What are the difficulties faced being a designer today?
Demna Gvasalia: Finance and mass-productive competition. Also lack of interest in quality.
DD: What are your plans for the future?
Demna Gvasalia: I don't like to plan as long as at the age of 70 I have my fishermans house by the sea and a beloved one going to fish with me every now and then.
DD: Where can we buy your collection?
Demna Gvasalia: Special order.
DD: If you weren't designing, what would you be doing?
Demna Gvasalia: I would be a cook or interior designer I guess, but now I am more than happy to be doing fashion.
Asger Juel Larsen
It is time to get medieval with Asger Juel Larsen's exploration of unusual material blends and silhouettes which create the knights of the future.
Text by Steve Salter | Published 30 July 2009
# Although LCF's Class of 2009 was strangely low on menswear Asger Juel Larsen shone through with his take on modern chain mail and has left a lasting impression. Inspired by the Medieval period Larsen created a modern adaption of armour by producing 'futuristic' ideas of chain mail using alternative materials such as leather, PVC and rubber cords. As the dust settles on other graduate collections, Asger's comes alives with a look book shot by Ellis Scott. Here, the designer talks to Dazed about Romeo & Juliet, endless nights listening to Joy Division and dreaming about Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator donning his designs in Terminator.
Dazed Digital: Describe your collection in your own words
Asger Juel Larsen: With my collection "Many Shades of Black" I created something that is me. All of the pieces are very masculine and some experimental. I like to make show pieces but I find it important that there are still pieces that are wearable. The main focus of the collection is themes of medieval warfare and more specifically chain mail. I have explored the method down to its manufacture, and created a modern adaptation of the armour by producing 'futuristic' ideas of chain mail, using alternative materials such as leather, PVC and rubber cords. As I experimented on the shapes of my silhouette, I have morphed two opposite ideas: the voluminous and the slim. These opposing ideas are apparent in all outfits on the top or bottom half of the body.
DD: What films/books/moments inspired your design?
Asger Juel Larsen: I first started out researching into the era of the medieval knights, and in particular their chain mail armour. I also found the clean boxy cut of the medieval patterns very exciting. From there on I became quite interested in materials like rubber, PVC and leather cords. I therefore started to look into the world of bondage. I experimented with alternative materials and techniques to see how durable each material was. The inspiration for my first key theme was when I watched Baz Luhrmann's interpretation of Romeo and Juliet. In one scene Leonardo DiCaprio is wearing a plated chain mail costume. For some reason this costume has been in the back of my mind ever since and I have always wanted to make something out of a similar material. Paco Rabanne's use of revolutionary materials for the fashion industry was also a great inspirational source.
DD: The collection saw you work with difficult materials like PVC, rubber and chain mail, how was the experience working with them? Any comedy or hair pulling out moments?
Asger Juel Larsen: Quite early in my design process I figured out that I wanted to use alternative materials. I wanted to knit a futuristic armour piece, so I considered different materials such as videotape, bicycle wheel, rubber cord, rope, wire, shoelaces and leather. I found both the rubber and the leather/ PVC cord exciting. Maybe It wasn't the smartest and easiest choice, since I had many endless nights listening to Joy Division while using approximately 1.750 meter of rubber cord, two bottles of baby powder and many broken knitting sticks to make the rubber armour piece. The armour piece was made with 5 meters long leather cords, which I hand stitched together before I knitted the final piece. As far as the real chain mail goes. The methods is called 4 in 1, which basically means that their are 4 rings inside each ring. I bought small chain mail pieces in 6 to 6 cm and combined them together while using a dummy to make sure it draped the way I wanted. During the shows it was not difficult for anyone to see how the models was finding it hard taking the piece on and off. Even though I took out many hair from the piece afterwards the models acted like brave knights.
DD: You worked with Mauricio Stein for the eyewear. How did the collaboration come about?
Asger Juel Larsen: Mauricio is one of the first people I meet when I moved to London and we fast became very good friends. I have always loved his designs and the way he thinks differently in a design process from me. Mauricio also does trend hunting all over the world, and he is therefore very up to date with everything that is going on. We wanted to make glasses which could combine the different looks in my collection and therefore we came up with the idea of making a double lens like a shield covering and protecting the face. Almost like a warrior helmet but at the same time it is possible to open up the lens depending on the look or the mood of the outfit. We have put the glasses in production and more colours will be made. So if anyone fancies a pair of medieval double lens glasses now it's the time.
DD: Where do you see yourself in ten years time?
Asger Juel Larsen: This is always a hard question to answer but hopefully I'm in good health, I am happy surrounded by my amazing friends and family while working on my 20th collection in my own name.
DD: Who is your fashion idol/hero?
Asger Juel Larsen: Different periods, different icons. Like I mentioned earlier I find Paco Rabanne '60s and '70s collections amazing.
DD: If you could get anyone to model/wear your designs who would it be?
Asger Juel Larsen: Maybe Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator. If anything that is pure masculinity.
DD: If you weren't a fashion designer what would you be?
Asger Juel Larsen: I would probably have studied something like War History or Costume Design. Anything from the Roman empire to current warfare interest me. When I was younger I also had a dream of becoming an actor. I love acting and I loved to feel the rush of adrenaline going through my body while standing on a stage.
Pina Bausch
在一次采访中，皮娜·鲍什说当她在表演《穆勒咖啡屋》Café Muller 时，突然感受到了闭上眼睛，像盲人一般在椅子之间舞蹈是多么的神奇与美妙。而上个月，皮娜·鲍什永远地闭上了她的眼睛。这个7月，她本将度过自己的69岁生日。
仅仅在离世的两周前，当皮娜·鲍什的最新舞剧首次公演时，任何人，甚至皮娜自己，都没有想到这会是她最后一次演出。当晚的舞台上尽是新面孔，只有多米尼克·梅西（Dominique Mercy）是德国乌珀塔尔舞蹈团（Wuppertal Dance Theater）多年来的老成员。这一次看起来就像是一个全新的开始，一个新时代的序幕。
现在, 皮娜已逝世, 来回顾她挣扎的身影吧.
fresh stuffs
# the youngest stylist always can saw him at jak&jil, i really adored him
# pretty girl, http://amandabod.blogg.se/
# Top with gigantic shoulder pads from Zara & necklace from Pamela Love. from anywho
a part of my own
to found something so much beautiful
# look at his tattoo, i like this one
# the coffin of mirror
Nakkna: We Are One
Photograph of Nakkna by Emma Jönsson Dysell from New Blood Agency
#
The brand Nakkna started out in 2003 and consists of the fascinating designers; Ella Soccorsi, Claes Berkes and
Camilla Sundin. Their creations is characterized by fine pieces of fabrics, a dark range of colors and sculptural
shapes - mystically and fine presented in a distinct and highly wearable art form.
Dazed Digital: How did you come up with your label's name; Nakkna?
Nakkna: We began with the idea that the sound and form of the name were more important than its meaning
- the result was a name lacking a direct meaning which instead creates associations from its origins and con-
text. The logo consists of two pieces, the symbol and the text. The symbol is a dead mechanical bird, a reaction
against the breed of curlicue illustrations of branches, birds and flowers. Like the symbol, the text is con-
structed with extremely thin lines, so as not to draw too much attention to itself. The goal was to create a subtle
logotype which slowly disappears as if into the darkness.
DD: What other names did you consider?
Nakkna: We felt a little bit like a sect so names like: BRAND was up for discussion.
DD: How would you describe your own design?
Nakkna: NeoMinimalistic, GeoAnatomic and fluid.
DD: What is the best / worst thing about Sweden?
Nakkna: The best thing and also a worst thing is that people are pretty quiet and mind their own business. The
very best thing are the forests and waters and the principle of free access to public records. The worst thing is the
long winters.
DD: Tell us more about your work process?
Nakkna: Mainly when we work with a new collection we're starting by gathering everything we're interested in
for the moment and starting to build up a new "Nakkna-world" with an essence of all the inspiration and ideas.
We're also following a red thread in our process where we're constantly working on earlier ideas and so we're
further develop them.
DD: What inspires you to create?
Nakkna: Our creations are a way to express new knowledge and inspiration in life rather than searching for new
inspiration to create clothing. We're working with themes that are composing a certain feeling into a collection,
which is a conscious choice while the inspiration is lying unconscious and are affecting. We're always absorb-
ing impressions that's influencing us.
DD: What other passions do you have in life?
Nakkna: Food, spirits, music and travelling.
DD: If Nakkna were a music constellation - what would it sound like?
Nakkna: We would sound like a mix of the Italian band OVO and an industrial noise-version of some new age
music-hippie-band/MACHINENZIMMER.
DD: What's your most used idiom phrase?
Nakkna: We are one.
DD: What are your future goals?
Nakkna: We want to evolve and continue research things we are interested in and for each collection become
closer to the truth.
Nakkna now available at Topshop.
Classical
jak&jil
put you out with the wind
all by photographer# MONIKA BIELSKYTE
monika's flicker# http://www.flickr.com/photos/monikabielskyte/
monika's myspace# http://www.myspace.com/monikabielskyte
monika's website# http://www.bielskyte.com/
