Gaia

Today I would like to introduce you to extremely talented lady - Gaia Hannan. Knowing her interests, I believed she is the perfect person to ask about folk and its influences in her life. I was pleased when she agreed to an interview.

Gaia, originally from Portland, Oregon, USA, started sewing at a very young age making clothes and unusual costumes. She studied sewing and fashion design through school, and at age 18 moved to New York City to study fashion design at the prestigious Pratt Institute. In 2001 Gaia transferred to Central Saint Martins in London, England to finish her degree in Performance Design for Theater. There she continued to focus on making large unusual objects for the stage. At the moment  Gaia works as a Creative Production Director in  Studio Soüfflé -company that set up and cooperate together with a friend.(Check their great designs at : http://www.studiosouffle.com/)

I’ve asked her a series of questions and would like to share the most interesting fragments with you.

Me: Gaia, can tell me what was your first memorable contact with folk culture? What was your first impression of it?

Gaia: When I was about 13 years old, I saw a movie with some swing dancing in it. I loved the clothes, the atmosphere and the energy. I had always been into costumes and sewing since I was very young so I started studying more about the era and what they wore and why.

Me: Was there anything that especially captured your attention in folk culture/ fashion? (colors/styling/prints etc ?)

Gaia: The very easy but well thought through and designed silhouettes, the materials, the fine lines, attention to detail, quality, femininity, masculinity. The 1930s was a very important time in history, because it represented the first generation, to experience the emancipation of women and freedom and so the clothes started to change and moving into the 40s women's clothes took on a very strong powerful presence. There was a lot of excitement during this time, because the government struggled to keep society under control, but the rebels were just beginning to start the rock'n'roll movement. 

Me:  I understand your deep interest in folk. Does it have any influence on your daily life?If yes- how folk influences your life/ activities/ work?

Gaia: My every day style is influenced by it. My hobbies have turned into work and I often have work teaching 1930s American style dancing or performing at events.

Me: What about things you create? Are your designs influenced by folk in any way?

Gaia: When I design clothes/fashion, there absolutely is a heavy art deco influence. I am always thinking and dreaming of the day, I can have a house that is completely art deco, that I can design.

Me: I think we have a common dream Gaia!  Tell me, have you got any favourite fashion designer, who is influenced by folk art? (or favourite folk inspirations?)

Gaia: Edith Head was a fantastic costume designer. She has a wonderful story of how she became a designer and she has many fantastic tips for other designers.

Me: Folk is very traditional and rather conservative style. Do you think there is space for folk in fashion in 21st century?

Gaia: Yes, absolutely. I would categorise it as "cult" and I think it has become very popular now to dress and act from certain time period. I know a few people who live their lives by very strict code of conduct, from say, 1937 exactly.... it will be interesting to see if this trend continues because you have to be a little crazy dedicated to maintaining the look. Many of the original garments from these eras can be a lot of work to care for. So I am always impressed with my friends who show up so immaculately turned out with the perfect hair, make up, accessories and attitudes, nutters!

                Interviewing Gaia was a great pleasure! Such a creative, talented and simply amazing woman! Please check out their website (http://www.studiosouffle.com/) to see their great work!

Coming up: interview with Paulina Palian – fashion designer and creator of FOLKmania collection!

Slava Zaitsev Haute Couture

Zaitsev create very classic and folk garments mostly influenced by the traditional Russian folk clothing styling them according to current fashion trends.He focus on tiny details making his designs very precise and well-tailored. He adores colors what's visible in his works (he is a painter as well as a fashion designer). Russian folklore tradition has always been an inspiration to Zaistev's unique style. He expertly mixes classic shapes with traditional peasant costumes, surprising the public with his unconventional approach to fashion. He searches for harmony between form and content, trying to prove that a person can be not only an observer of the world's beauty, but a firm part of it. He uses mostly printed textiles, fine fabrics, embroidery, fur etc. Despite suffering many hardships in Russia over the years, Zaitsev refuses the leave his homeland. He is convinced that Russia has an extremely rich culture, which can inspire fresh ideas in fashion

Slava Zaitsev Haute Couture: Zaitsev stated that his mother, Maria Ivanovna, was a cleaning lady and never owned a fancy dress. In 2004, the New York Times stated, "(i)t is her stolid image that he has been dressing all these years in flounces and feathers, poufs and peplums, gold and glitter." During the Soviet era, he regularly complained that he designed collections for the "larger" woman in the 1970s, but only models up to size 48 were accepted for production.

Whilst Zaitsev regards fashion designers Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, Gianfranco Ferré and Hubert de Givenchy as idols, his own creations are strongly influenced by traditional Russian and Slavic styles, and his collections include a variety of theme-based shows reflecting his take on the industry at the time. Past collections include the Millennium of the Christianisation of Russia in 1988; Russian Seasons in Paris in 1988; Agony of Perestroika in 1991; and Recollections of the Future in 1996 – 1997. In his creations, Zaitsev includes elements such as traditional Pavlovsky Posad shawls and embroidered quilted jackets, which have been featured in collections such as Expectation of Changes.

.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/rbth/culture/6874384/Russian-fashion-designer-Slava-Zaitsev-seduced-the-West-and-became-The-Red-Dior.html

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19780910&id=rAAkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hGcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3826,4528616

                      A/W 2009 collection of Russian designer Slava Zaitsev.

Slava Zaitsev creates exciting, over-the-top haute couture. In early April, when the Russian AW 09/10 fashion shows took place, Zaitsev’s collection ‘Red Dior’, dedicated to the 100-year anniversary of Dyagilev’s Seasonsin Paris.

After researching at his design and construction ideas, it’s clearly understandable, why Zaitsev is one of the most revered fashion designers in Russia. I truly believe that fashion design is rather expressing his patriotism  rather than a work placement. I'm impressed by the richness of the colors and prints he uses.

Valentino

Design program of the spring-summer 2014 created by Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli for Valentino collection has historical and folklore base. This season the story to tell by Valentino's collection is coming from Mediterranean and its most ancestral culture featured by handcrafted folk and decorative techniques. "We believe that fashion should be nourished on the other perfect newbies and we approached the world of opera, after a visit to the laboratories of the Rome Opera ... A wonderful place. We were enchanted by the magic of this workshop, a small jewel of Italian art. With its wonderful costumes and its spectacular scenery, " explained the designer, who recently celebrated the launch of the book Valentino :' Objects of couture'.

"It's a symbol of a certain Italian we like to tell and to preserve. And we have worked in this collection of fantasy as does any costume. Trying to remove the patina of triumphalism that cloaks the theatrical world.” Models appears decorated with small antique coins ,evocative raw metal jewelry, depicting griffins , beetles and zodiac signs. In the whole collection based mostly on folk inspirations we can spot vary of decorative aspect, design and styling ideas: fringed capes , tunics stained with Middle East embroidery, folds brodée soul of voile pants from the large crags , old prints and gifts coats sauvage effect .

 Most of the dresses appear in Caucasians motifs, boleros from unwanted trimmings, the same lace that decorates the beautifully colored dress or layered to create another garment giving it totally different qualities. Designers to soften the look of some garments gave more linear shape to the others; the geometric dress is more linear from the coats, the great T -shirt from dress or tunic of a disarmingly simple elegance. 

Designers(Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli) promised to  “focus on globetrotting and searching for one’s roots” with “rediscovered local allure transformed into global synthesis” taking in “an imaginative journey, exploring different knowledge, inconographies and traditions with a keen eye and rapid movements” while “ indulging in tactile artisan craftsmanship” which the best example is the final show- stunning and surprising.

Multicoloured embroidery had an artisanal, Russian doll appeal on full length coats – and reappeared later cast in glittering sequin.Dresses of patchworked fur and light silk embellished with crystals denoted the rich, what underline the typical Valentino romance style.

The beautiful folk designs by Valentino are mostly based on incredible focus on details, especially in print and accessories.  In most of the designs black is the background colour for the print design which mostly is done in bright contrasting colours.  The length of the dresses make them look distinctive but the fabrics keep them comfortable, modern and chic.

http://www.burdastyle.com/blog/styling-inspiration-valentino-spring-2014

Delicate and extremely feminin folk motifs in Valentino Haute Couture SS2013
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmj1o-Ncpt8 simply stunning


Muted folk motifs in different shades of gold and not only on Valentino Haute Couture Hiver 2013/14
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nwcdr_RSpNc

Junya Watanabe

Junya Watanabe folk inspired designs....

SS 2009

Junya Watanabe's spring/summer 2009 collection is visibly inspired by African folk culture as well as European Folklore (appearing as white laced fabrics used mostly in Eastern Europe folklore.

Girls balanced enormous headdresses of dried flowers tied with gingham or broderie anglais swatches. The colours mostly introduced by African prints in red, blue, and green tones.

In Junya watanabe designs folk has a different approach, it doesn’t only appear in exact and very direct way- very often the folk style of Watanabe is represented by the way he is designing. His work have got very ‘organic’ look. Draping is very common for Watanabe and seems very natural. The fabric is almost controlled more by the gravity only slightly led by the designer.  The colours used as well refer to folklore and rustic life. The head covers seem appropriate for a rural girl in Africa as well as European one from many years ago. Definitely agriculture had a big influence on this collection (the headdresses designs) as well as on traditional, African prints.

Intresing aspect of this collection is the way Watanabe combine his outfits- using folk fabrics(especially contrasting African prints) to design European style modern garments. The pattern cutting of the garments and silhouette designs are the only to make the outfits fresh and fashionable again. This collection reminds me of works of Yinka Shonibare (http://www.yinkashonibarembe.com/) , by the inversion of cultural aspects. 

http://www.agimag.co.uk/politically-fashionable-loewe-and-watanabe/

( http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/spring-summer-2009/ready-to-wear/junya-watanabe  )

  

SS 2014

Dark folk of Watanabe.

The SS 2014 collection seems to be inspired by hippie/punk approach to folk/ethnic fashion.

Vogue.uk refers ; ‘Hippies, the American West, ravers and anything that could slip into a modern-day or apocalyptic version of “folklore” ‘- ‘a show that was much appreciated by the designer’s admiring fashion folk (who were all wearing autumn/winter 2013’s patchwork jeans).’

Folklore might have been the starting point of the collection but it slightly wandered off into wonderful territory somehow making us feel like one moment we were in the future and the next in the past - with layered tribal fringed dresses oh-so casually and coolly teamed with a leather biker jacket and studded, very studded, ankle boots.

The colour palette seem rather settled, in natural, sandy, brown, black shades –underlining it’s folk background.  The garments  have got very organic shapes, the layers of fabric seem freely flow in the air as the models walk down the catwalk. The fringes make the silhouettes look even more natural and less controlled. Watanabe’s designs always seem to be half controlled- He almost allows the garments to appear from the fabric while he manipulates it.

The styling, especially the hairstyles, underlines the free hippie/folkie feeling of the designs. Messy hair, appearing as a massive braid construction are accompanied often by stunning feathers which are almost appearing as extension of models hair. The ‘close to nature ‘aspect is again underlining the main folk/ethnic idea of an image of modern rebel being nature minded.Tailoring split off into fringing at its hems to make for the most sophisticated of scarecrow looks and braided hair progressively collapsed as the show went on, ending with huge feathers spiking out.