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Febuary 16, 2007
MAN
K A B I R
takes us behind the scenes at MAN, as the designers frantically prepare for the impending show.
Since it's memorable launch back in 2005 MAN has become a pinnacle event in the LFW schedule, either marking the commencement or the closure of our whirlwind week. As usual, the designers selected to show, be it a runway show (Carola Euler, Siv Stoldal and Topman Design), a music video (Casette Playa) or an installation (Aitor Throup), are from naturally disharmonious fashion tribes. Yet Fashion East and Topman Design have managed to gather them together for the awesomely serene pow-wow that is the MAN 2007.
First we spoke with high-priestess Carri Mundane of the Cassette Playa tribe and her 'second brain' Tom. They revealed to us, that fashion is like creating a new world. In order for them to reach their chosen utopia with this collection, they have drawn from longstanding ancient and established forms of communication, such as Ansii code art and Hieroglyphics, which they have then skilfully combined with 'the way we communicate now; text messaging, message boards and myspace'. We have sympathy for Tom, or 'Mini-Carri' as he also likes to be called, the print designer for the line. Who works to such a dedicated extent, existing in the 'hallucination that is working for Casette Playa', that he results in 'crying pixels' at the end of a long day. However, we must say the resulting music video, a novel method to display a collection, yet popular of recent times, especially at MAN, did not disappoint.
It was such a shame that Carola Euler and her brood were far too busy on their sewing machines, on-top of also having a shoe crisis, to give us their undivided attention for an in depth interview, of the type we like to conduct. Although we can inform you that Mandi Lennard thought the show was 'MAJOR'. Other industry commentators were in agreement, also adding that they enjoyed the collections simple and wearable nature.
The nomadic Siv Stoldal who has spent the past year on an art project. Her time has been spent traversing the globe, cloaking mammoth sites with mackintoshes from her collections. This project commenced with her own studio and from there she then moved on to a mountain in her home country of Norway. Look out for these wondrous happenings worldwide, who knows where or what she will mack up next! She has now taken her experiences from this project and wrapped them up into this her latest collection. The theme of travel flows through the entire collection, but can be seen most in the caped pieces which can be buttoned together to form a giant tent. The chain and link pattern, which was drawn from her need to use such methods as part of the cloaking project, can be found in her knitwear and the pixelated print used throughout was sourced from a picture of the mountain she ensconced in Norway.
Topman Design's head designer, an elusive grey haired man, was nowhere to be found backstage whilst his team prepared for the show. Apparently, he was sitting front row waiting for the grand event to begin, whilst we searched for him in frenzy. Alternatively, we used our whit and approached Naoko, from the MAC makeup team, and the boys who were ever so eager to jump into her makeup chair. Such a shame then, that the only treatment that these boys received was a relaxing facial massage and a tad of natural dewy shine on the skin. To give them that look of 'young, healthy boys', luckily they had forgiving complexions as not even a touch of concealer was applied.
Last but by no means least, we found ourselves with Aitor Throup, recent graduate of London's Royal College of Art, a highly intellectual young man, hanging around with a couple of suits and a crane. Funnily enough Throup is the only male designer showing at MAN. We were highly excited when he told us that he feels, that in the menswear market there is yet to be a label where customers' choice is driven by product alone. He strives to create garments that are desirable, unique and conceptual. With a belief, that currently the market's choice is driven solely by purchasing garments from their favoured brand. The manner with which he brings us this is by primarily sketching out a sole character; his muse if you will, in various different poses. He then breathes life into his creature
like God, by a means of a scaled clay sculpture. From these maquettes he is able to create a pattern, which then go on to become his body encompassing outfits, from head to toe, shoe to glove. Each collection he develops in his uniquely extraordinary conceptual, yet also somewhat God-like manner, has a brand new character, a new muse; we look forward to seeing whom his next muse shall be.
LINKS
Show Photos
Backstage Photos
FASHION EAST
K A B I R, Senior Fashion Editor, DRAMA Magazine
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The Cassette Playa tribe stand triumphant.
The varied line up of the Siv Stoldal collection.
Makeup artist Naoko hard at work on one of those eager boys.
Aitor Throup hanging around with a couple of suits and a crane.
Photography Ellis Scott
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