IMperfection
A fresh graduate from University of Art and Design Cluj-Napoca (MA studies), Gabriela Dejo explores the concept of ‘imperfection’ in her eponymous collection presented at UAD Fashion Design Gala 2014. The notion of beauty as imperfection has become more significant over the last years, a direction which has grown as ‘human’ reaction against the rapid advances in technology and the idealized world of the digital era. In her own way, Gabriela searches an emotional version of reality in asymmetric cuts, printed fabrics inspired by nature, straw accessories, clothes that could easily melt into the natural landscapes. In designer’s words: “…in a chaotic world, there are still simplicity, principles and good taste; these can be found in the culture of the Far East, in the Japanese aesthetic. Reduced to pure essence, wabi-sabi is the Japanese art of finding beauty in imperfection and profundity of nature, in accepting the natural cycle of growth, decay and death.”
“IMperfection” – MA collection by Gabriela Dejo/ Coordinating teacher: Prof. PhD Anca Pia Rusan
Photography : luviar.ro by Mihai Andrei Popa/ Photo Assistants : Maria Balea & Marius Dobra/ Make-Up & Hair : Anca Marchis/ Model : Fica Balancan
HUNTERS by Ioana Ciolacu
The “Designer for Tomorrow” fashion talent award has been presented as part of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin since 2009. As an initiative of Peek & Cloppenburg Düsseldorf and its online shop Fashion ID, the award provides a visible platform for creativity. It offers top up-and-coming fashion talent the opportunity to be discovered and to receive a great deal of attention from the fashion industry and the public.
In July 2013, Ioana Ciolacu won the fashion talent award and since then she`s been on a sponsorship program, during which she went on a voyage of inspiration to Paris, visited Stella McCartney’s design studios and went to choose fabrics in Hamburg – and much more besides. As the highlight of the program, the Romanian designer is now presenting the new S/S 2015 collection, her first solo fashion show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin (read more here).
Ioana Ciolacu ‘Hunters’ collection consists of 25 feminine outfits. Inspired by the relationship between hunter and prey, the designer knew how to develop a clean and smart collection, perfectly suited for contemporary lifestyle. Starting with the quality of the fabrics, the modernity of shapes and silhouettes introduced, continuing with the accuracy of finishings and the refined solutions found from necklines to hems, everything was impeccably conducted to get a coherent ensemble which is also highly commercially appealing.
The ‘Hunters’ theme served as a nice pretext to develop digital prints inspired by plumage of birds, along with structured and laser cut details designed to highlight the silhouettes. Elegant, sporty, urban with a luxurious touch, the collection is well balanced and flawless – a tremendous achievement for a young designer, paving her way to the challenging world of high fashion.
To get a full picture of Ioana Ciolacu’s collection, check the show video from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin - ’Designer for tommorow’.
Literally Red Carpet!
Obviously, Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren have a long time obsession with the red carpet issue and the celebrity cult of our times. Since couture fashion is usually displayed on various red carpets around the world, for their Fall 2014 Haute Couture show, designers decided to resume the topic shifting perspective in a paradoxical way. The outcome is a collection entirely made out of red carpet or similar fabrics.
To use a visual gag as a starting point for a fancy collection became already a Viktor & Rolf signature concept. The fabrics wrapped around the body recall the image of a Scarlett O’Hara using a curtain to improvise a new outfit. Technically speaking, I guess that was not the easiest thing to do. Anyhow, the well crafted dresses, apparently spontaneously folded, draped and knotted in exaggerated V & R bows should be rather considered as conceptual art pieces. It is hard to imagine someone wearing them at a red carpet event, it would be pleonastic.
Viktor & Rolf Fall 2014 Haute Couture/ images via style.com
UAD Fashion Gala 2014
Each year, the end of June, the Fashion Design Department of the University of Art and Design Cluj Napoca reveals a new generation of young designers. Each year a number of BA and MA graduates show their work in a special event – UAD Fashion Gala. For most of them, this is the opportunity to display their first personal collection in front of a big audience, an important step marking the beginning of their fashion career.
This year’s edition was a special one. Celebrating 20 years of Cluj Fashion Gala, the graduation show was held at the National Theatre where, after a rigorous selection, 24 collections were brought into the spotlight. The show began with a scented moment as the Romanian perfumer Octavian Sever Coifan created the “Jubilee” fragrance to celebrate 20 years of fashion education in Cluj-Napoca. The theatre was filled with special guests from the textile and clothing industry, partners and sponsors, journalists and photographers, designers, alumni and many other fashion enthusiasts. The evening ended with an awarding ceremony of the most promising talents.
Overall, it was a strong and diverse year covering a wide range of creative pursuits, from the more mature and sophisticated approaches to ironic and twisted takes. While many students decided to play safe, some of them have enjoyed to take risks or to add a funny touch. The collections reflected global trends, personal visions on contemporary style and fashion design, various aesthetic orientations and, worth mentioning, most of the items displayed could actually be worn. Obviously, there was a particular concern for men clothing, a pursuit for ‘new’ and innovative fabrics, a great interest in Romanian cultural heritage as a rich source of inspiration.
I’m going to get back with more details in other articles. For now I have made a small selection trying to spot some major directions:
SMART & CLEAN
Crina Moldovan (BA) – CUBE
Lucian Rusu (MA) – Radical of Image
HUMOROUS
Vitos Ildiko (BA) – Fake Disneyland
Georgiana Giuroiu (BA) – Folcloriada
Sabina Pop (BA) - Voievod 2.0.
SOPHISTICATED
Bako Emese (BA) - Al Jebr
MASCULINE
Andrada Sucuturdean (MA) – Madame Monsieur
Carla Put (BA) - Street Spirit
PARTICULAR MALE STYLE
Alina Lipotchi (BA) - You’re A Big Boy Now!
Luis Drajan (BA) – Me, Luis
Codruta Nascu (MA) - Metonymy
Anamaria Put (BA) - Surrender
BOLD
Demeter Evelin (BA) - Maasai Cricket Warriors
Carmen Trif (MA) - White Shadows
Mihaela Lungu (MA) – Inside/Out and In-Between
SOFT TOUCHES
Nazarica Bartos (BA) - White Picket Fence
Ingrid Teodosiu (BA) – Inner Feelings
Ruxandra Moldovan (MA) - Organic Structures
ODD
Teodora Barbu (BA) – Shamanic Jungle
The Fashion Design Graduation class of 2014 was coordinated by Professor PhD Anca Pia Rusan, Lecturer PhD Lavinia Ban, Tutor PdD Smaranda Bercea. The MA Graduation class was coordinated by Professor PhD Elena Basso Stanescu and Professor PhD Anca Pia Rusan.
Photo credit: Daniel Robu
Momenting The Memento
The launch of Danilo Venturi‘s new book, Momenting the Memento, is relevant in many aspects.
Danilo Venturi, the author of Luxury Hackers, writer, lecturer, consultant and Head of Department Business & Communication at Polimoda (International Institute of Fashion Design and Marketing, Florence), is specialised in Art Direction and Strategic Branding for Fashion and Luxury. Known for his contagious passion for connecting the dots and for his interdisciplinary approach to fashion, Danilo Venturi creates new languages to define fashion phenomena today, inventing new contexts for discussion and debate.
Momenting the Memento: Fashion, Education & The City is closely connected to an eponymous event – the IFFTI CONFERENCE 2015, which will be held from 12 to 16 May in Florence. Gathering many artists, designers, journalists, curators and opinion leaders, and open to professionals and students in the fields of design, fashion, art and architecture, the conference will host various debates on fashion and design in relation to six key-terms: BODY, SPACE, IMAGINARY, CALLIGRAPHY, CRAFT and DRESS.
The ideas discussed in the book are highly relevant in the context of contemporary fashion movements, outlining the need for shifting perspective in our way of thinking fashion, teaching fashion or building the future of fashion. In Danilo Venturi’s words: Momenting the memento means to give life to archi[textures], new memories of habitus meeting the habitat, instead of archiving and celebrating the previous ones. Quit recycling the past and start upcycling the future. So, let’s take fashion out from its reliquaries, let’s Renaissance shine again out of the current multi-clustered, conflictual [but also convergent] spirit of the time. Let’s education be writing instead of only be reading. Let’s the statues come out from the colourful postcards and walk like alive humans, let’s give to Florence a Renai[chance] before the posthuman is going to be reduced to the postman, and our so modern isms are becoming obsolete wasms.
The book is prefaced by Linda Loppa and contains never before published interviews by Filep Motwary with designers, journalists and opinion leaders, from Tim Blanks to Christian Lacroix, Bruce Pask, Robin Schulie, Diane Pernet and Rick Owens.
Book info:
MOMENTING THE MEMENTO : Fashion, Education & the City/ edition – Skira/ author – Danilo Venturi/ introduction and curation – Linda Loppa/ cover artwork – Yeong Win-Ni/ photography and interviews – Filep Motwary/ artwork and illustrations – Karolin Schran/ editing – Abigail Rands/ digital – Gianpaolo D’Amico
Marc in Wonderland
Out of Control, Baby - an editorial in Wonderland, the summer issue/ Photo: Thomas Whiteside/ Styling: Matthew Josephs/ Hairstyle: Dennis Devoy/ Makeup: Sam Addintgton/ Models: Yumi Lambert and Senait Gidey/All clothes: Marc by Marc Jacobs Fall 2014 collection, designed by Katie Hillier and Luella Bartley/ images via fashiongonerogue.com
