Hussein chalayan
(1970-Present)
Biography
Cypress born, England transplant Hussein Chalayan attended London’s Central St. Martin’s College of Art and Design while apprenticing with a Savile Row tailor (Alford). His 1993 graduating collection “ The Tangent Flows” established him as a hot new talent in the fashion industry. The collection featured a series of garments that were buried in a friend’s garden for six weeks and disentombed just before the show. The clothing represented cycles of life, death, and urban decay. The concept was to showcase the rituals of burial and resurrection from the world of fashion to the natural environment (Quinn).
Chalayan has collaborated with mavericks from other disciplines such as architects, artists, aerospace engineers, textile technologists, and musicians (Quinn). His designs are highly intellectual and conceptual thus supporting the idea of fashion designers as artists. In 1995, Chalayan designed clothing for Icelandic musician Bjork’s album and tour. That same year, he won a competition for financial backing to develop a collection for London Fashion Week with his mathematical formula inspired line. The designer introduced a menswear line in 2002 and Internet retailer Yoox.com bought the rights 5 years later. His mainstream success is with Puma when he was appointed creative director in 2008 (Palomo-Lovinski).
Chalayan has collaborated with mavericks from other disciplines such as architects, artists, aerospace engineers, textile technologists, and musicians (Quinn). His designs are highly intellectual and conceptual thus supporting the idea of fashion designers as artists. In 1995, Chalayan designed clothing for Icelandic musician Bjork’s album and tour. That same year, he won a competition for financial backing to develop a collection for London Fashion Week with his mathematical formula inspired line. The designer introduced a menswear line in 2002 and Internet retailer Yoox.com bought the rights 5 years later. His mainstream success is with Puma when he was appointed creative director in 2008 (Palomo-Lovinski).
Designs
Critical Analysis
Hussein Chalayan reflects the zeitgeist of the early 2000s with his technology inspired collections and complex mathematical pattern-cutting techniques. 1999 resonated a new age of technological progress and sparked the growth of Internet (Bargeron). Climate change was a hot topic and global warming became a household name. With this concern for the environment growing, technology took advances with the Prius and hybrid vehicles. Cell phones, GPS, and the Plasma television were all reimagined in this era as well (Bargeron).
So with technology evolving around every aspect of society, Chalayan was at the forefront of those advancements in the fashion world. He was fascinated with the use of digital applications incorporated in his collections. In his Fall 2007 collection, he created a dress that included Swarovski crystals and over 15,000 LED lights (Palomo-Lovinski). 2 years later, his Fall designs were replete with fabric innovations such as a breastplate that suggested a robotic influence contrasting with a dress of natural textures of rock or earth. Critics questioned the salability of Chalayan’s designs but the designer retorted that there is a sense of functionality to his designs and that “[his] clothes should be something women wear because they like them, because they enjoy the intimate space between [his] clothes and their bodies” (Palomo-Lovinski).
Although his designs are unique and cutting edge, Chalayan gained inspiration from avant-garde designers Yohji Yamamoto, Rei Kawakubo, and Issey Miyake and from experimental designers Pierre Cardin, Alexander McQueen, and Elsa Schiaparelli. From Yamamoto and Miyake, he observed the relationship to fabric to the figure, focusing on asymmetry and layers. His conceptualist ideas are akin to Kawakubo’s philosophical and intellectual pursuits by learning to propel the concepts of image and fashion forward. Pierre Cardin’s use of science fiction and space age inspirations are evident in many of Chalayan’s collections season after season. In Chalayan’s Spring 2010 collection, he featured evening dresses with porcelain hands as clasps as an ode to the original aficionado of unconventionality Schiaparelli. Chalayan and McQueen share influences of the juxtaposition of technology and the natural world. Both have used pieces that embody a larger concept rather than stand on their own to express the relationship of the body and clothing.
As aforementioned, Chalayan is very influenced by technology and the natural world. His transformation dresses and remote control dresses are works only imagined from science fiction or perhaps even science itself. It was important for him to be aware of fashion’s connection with the larger issues of society, culture, and design. He believes that “when people talk about clothes, they don’t talk about clothes in the context of society, in the social or cultural context; they just take them at face value.” He is inspired by the idea of “the big picture” and how the details connect rather than anything momentary or trivial. Unlike other designers, he does not try to distance his work from that of the world of fine art. Contemporary and performance art are sources of inspiration when introducing collections and fashion shows.
“I really do think that I am an ideas person. People often don’t realize that whatever an idea is, ideas are always something valuable. There is
something to be respected in every given idea, no matter where it comes from”.
-Hussein
Chalayan (Palomo-Lovinski)
So with technology evolving around every aspect of society, Chalayan was at the forefront of those advancements in the fashion world. He was fascinated with the use of digital applications incorporated in his collections. In his Fall 2007 collection, he created a dress that included Swarovski crystals and over 15,000 LED lights (Palomo-Lovinski). 2 years later, his Fall designs were replete with fabric innovations such as a breastplate that suggested a robotic influence contrasting with a dress of natural textures of rock or earth. Critics questioned the salability of Chalayan’s designs but the designer retorted that there is a sense of functionality to his designs and that “[his] clothes should be something women wear because they like them, because they enjoy the intimate space between [his] clothes and their bodies” (Palomo-Lovinski).
Although his designs are unique and cutting edge, Chalayan gained inspiration from avant-garde designers Yohji Yamamoto, Rei Kawakubo, and Issey Miyake and from experimental designers Pierre Cardin, Alexander McQueen, and Elsa Schiaparelli. From Yamamoto and Miyake, he observed the relationship to fabric to the figure, focusing on asymmetry and layers. His conceptualist ideas are akin to Kawakubo’s philosophical and intellectual pursuits by learning to propel the concepts of image and fashion forward. Pierre Cardin’s use of science fiction and space age inspirations are evident in many of Chalayan’s collections season after season. In Chalayan’s Spring 2010 collection, he featured evening dresses with porcelain hands as clasps as an ode to the original aficionado of unconventionality Schiaparelli. Chalayan and McQueen share influences of the juxtaposition of technology and the natural world. Both have used pieces that embody a larger concept rather than stand on their own to express the relationship of the body and clothing.
As aforementioned, Chalayan is very influenced by technology and the natural world. His transformation dresses and remote control dresses are works only imagined from science fiction or perhaps even science itself. It was important for him to be aware of fashion’s connection with the larger issues of society, culture, and design. He believes that “when people talk about clothes, they don’t talk about clothes in the context of society, in the social or cultural context; they just take them at face value.” He is inspired by the idea of “the big picture” and how the details connect rather than anything momentary or trivial. Unlike other designers, he does not try to distance his work from that of the world of fine art. Contemporary and performance art are sources of inspiration when introducing collections and fashion shows.
“I really do think that I am an ideas person. People often don’t realize that whatever an idea is, ideas are always something valuable. There is
something to be respected in every given idea, no matter where it comes from”.
-Hussein
Chalayan (Palomo-Lovinski)
Influence
Besides the inimitable technological and fashion achievements he has created, his design philosophy and his perspective on aesthetics make Chalayan an icon. Like Miyake, Chalayan believes in the importance of pragmatism in design although neither of the designers’works appears to be practical from first glance. His take is that “…what makes something modern is its functionality. That’s what modernism was created for. The design of something comes from its function” (Palomo-Lovinski). Furthermore, the designer is constantly seeking new solutions to problems. He continues to revisit themes in prior collections to find areas of improvement. He possesses the ability to explore visual and intellectual principles monitors the spectral alignments of urban societies through such tangibles as clothing, buildings, vehicles, and furniture and through such abstractions as beauty, philosophy and feeling (Quinn).
His designs have already influenced the likes of Rick Owens, Viktor & Rolf, Thakoon Panichgul, and Haider Ackermann. In Owens’ Spring 2010 collection, he took inspiration from Chalayan’s robotic chestplates to create romantic yet tragic designs emphasizing strong shoulders, sharp shapes, and the relationship of the body to garment. Design duo, Viktor & Rolf looked to Chalayan for their conceptual clothing and perspective of fashion as art. Thakoon’s Spring 2010 collection was reminiscent of the prints and layers from Chalayan’s 2003 designs. Ackermann and Chalayan both are transplants from different countries and have used their struggles with identity as concepts in their works (Palomo-Lovinski).
Hussein Chalayan’s work ethic, design philosophy, and universal perspective warrant the designer endurance in this modern fast-paced society. He is the part of harbinger of the future of fashion that has and will continue to create a lasting influence on the fashion industry. His collaborative work with artists and engineers of varying disciplines opens new frontiers for other designers to explore. His own designs have not created any significant trends that the mainstream has witnessed but has paved the way for a more conceptual trend for designers’ intellectual work ethic and abstract design process rather than any particular style or clothing trends. His most recent debut for House of Vionnet’s Spring 2014 demi-couture line is proof that the unconventional can obtain a permanent place in the fashion industry that is too often replete with novelty trends. “Hussein represents what Vionnet stands for,” Goga Ashkenazi, chairman and creative director of the House, insists. “He is an artist—approaching it in an interesting, unconventional way” (Yaeger). The quality and aesthetic of his designs will undoubtedly represent the 21st century and the perpetual progress that the world has gone through since the Industrial Revolution (Bargeron). Not since then has technology and industry advanced so quickly and Chalayan exemplifies that progress.
His designs have already influenced the likes of Rick Owens, Viktor & Rolf, Thakoon Panichgul, and Haider Ackermann. In Owens’ Spring 2010 collection, he took inspiration from Chalayan’s robotic chestplates to create romantic yet tragic designs emphasizing strong shoulders, sharp shapes, and the relationship of the body to garment. Design duo, Viktor & Rolf looked to Chalayan for their conceptual clothing and perspective of fashion as art. Thakoon’s Spring 2010 collection was reminiscent of the prints and layers from Chalayan’s 2003 designs. Ackermann and Chalayan both are transplants from different countries and have used their struggles with identity as concepts in their works (Palomo-Lovinski).
Hussein Chalayan’s work ethic, design philosophy, and universal perspective warrant the designer endurance in this modern fast-paced society. He is the part of harbinger of the future of fashion that has and will continue to create a lasting influence on the fashion industry. His collaborative work with artists and engineers of varying disciplines opens new frontiers for other designers to explore. His own designs have not created any significant trends that the mainstream has witnessed but has paved the way for a more conceptual trend for designers’ intellectual work ethic and abstract design process rather than any particular style or clothing trends. His most recent debut for House of Vionnet’s Spring 2014 demi-couture line is proof that the unconventional can obtain a permanent place in the fashion industry that is too often replete with novelty trends. “Hussein represents what Vionnet stands for,” Goga Ashkenazi, chairman and creative director of the House, insists. “He is an artist—approaching it in an interesting, unconventional way” (Yaeger). The quality and aesthetic of his designs will undoubtedly represent the 21st century and the perpetual progress that the world has gone through since the Industrial Revolution (Bargeron). Not since then has technology and industry advanced so quickly and Chalayan exemplifies that progress.
Work Cited
Part 2 Hussein Chalayan Autumn Winter 2000. Perf. Hussein Chalayan. 2011. YouTube. Web. 9 Sept. 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsNLsnnAY8Q>.
Alford, Holly Price, and Anne Stegemeyer. Who's Who In Fashion. Fifth ed. United States: Fairchild, 2010. Print.
Chalayan, Hussein, and Caroline Evans. Hussein Chalayan. Rotterdam: NAi,
"Technology." American Decades: 2000-2009. Ed. Eric Bargeron and James F. Tidd, Jr. Detroit: Gale, 2011. 451-454. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 29 Aug. 2014.
Evans, Caroline. Hussein Chalayan. Rotterdam: NAi, 2005. Print.
"Hussein Chalayan —Vogue." Vogue. Vogue, n.d. Web. 28 Aug. 2014.
< http://www.vogue.com/tag/designer/hussein-chalayan>.
Palomo-Lovinski, Nöel. "Hussein Chalayan." The World's Most Influential Fashion Designers: Hidden Connections and Lasting Legacies of
Fashion's Iconic Creators. New York, NY: Barron's, 2010. 182-85. Print.
Mood. Digital image. Stylesight. WGSN, n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2014. <http://www.wgsn.com.subscriptions.fidm.com/myfolders/get_download.html?dl_id=38826336>.
Quinn, Bradley. "Chalayan, Hussein." Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion. Ed. Valerie Steele. Vol. 1. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2005. 247-249. Gale
Virtual Reference Library. Web. 28 Aug. 2014.
S/S 1998. Digital image. Stylesight. WGSN, n.d. Web. 8 Sept. 2014. <http://www.wgsn.com.subscriptions.fidm.com/myfolders/get_download.html?dl_id=38827606>.
Thawley, Dan. "Hussein Chalayan's Second Demi-Couture Collection for Vionnet -Vogue." Vogue. Vogue, 10 July 2014. Web. 02 Sept. 2014.
Yaeger, Lynn. "Hussein Chalayan Debuts at the House of Vionnet - Vogue." Vogue. Vogue, 21 Jan. 2014. Web. 29 Aug. 2014.
<http://www.vogue.com/866802/hussein-chalayan-debuts-at-the-house-of-vionnet/>.
Part 2 Hussein Chalayan Autumn Winter 2000. Perf. Hussein Chalayan. 2011. YouTube. Web. 9 Sept. 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsNLsnnAY8Q>.
Alford, Holly Price, and Anne Stegemeyer. Who's Who In Fashion. Fifth ed. United States: Fairchild, 2010. Print.
Chalayan, Hussein, and Caroline Evans. Hussein Chalayan. Rotterdam: NAi,
"Technology." American Decades: 2000-2009. Ed. Eric Bargeron and James F. Tidd, Jr. Detroit: Gale, 2011. 451-454. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 29 Aug. 2014.
Evans, Caroline. Hussein Chalayan. Rotterdam: NAi, 2005. Print.
"Hussein Chalayan —Vogue." Vogue. Vogue, n.d. Web. 28 Aug. 2014.
< http://www.vogue.com/tag/designer/hussein-chalayan>.
Palomo-Lovinski, Nöel. "Hussein Chalayan." The World's Most Influential Fashion Designers: Hidden Connections and Lasting Legacies of
Fashion's Iconic Creators. New York, NY: Barron's, 2010. 182-85. Print.
Mood. Digital image. Stylesight. WGSN, n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2014. <http://www.wgsn.com.subscriptions.fidm.com/myfolders/get_download.html?dl_id=38826336>.
Quinn, Bradley. "Chalayan, Hussein." Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion. Ed. Valerie Steele. Vol. 1. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2005. 247-249. Gale
Virtual Reference Library. Web. 28 Aug. 2014.
S/S 1998. Digital image. Stylesight. WGSN, n.d. Web. 8 Sept. 2014. <http://www.wgsn.com.subscriptions.fidm.com/myfolders/get_download.html?dl_id=38827606>.
Thawley, Dan. "Hussein Chalayan's Second Demi-Couture Collection for Vionnet -Vogue." Vogue. Vogue, 10 July 2014. Web. 02 Sept. 2014.
Yaeger, Lynn. "Hussein Chalayan Debuts at the House of Vionnet - Vogue." Vogue. Vogue, 21 Jan. 2014. Web. 29 Aug. 2014.
<http://www.vogue.com/866802/hussein-chalayan-debuts-at-the-house-of-vionnet/>.