NOMENUS QUARTERLY – APRIL 2008

APRIL 2008

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WHAT DOES 'FASHION' MEAN TO YOU? 

MY FIRST REACTION IS PROBABLY NEGATIVE. THE WORD SEEMS TO IMPLY FRIVOLOUS WHIM. BUT I HAVE NO BETTER WORD TO OFFER AS A REPLACEMENT. 

IN OUR LAST INSTALLMENT WE HAD ROBERT FARRELL PHILOSOPHICALLY EXAMINE THE TERM 'FASHION.' HE CONCLUDED, 'FASHION EQUIPS US FOR A WORLD THAT HAS LOST SIGHT OF THE EARTH.' WOULD YOU AGREE? 

VERY POETIC, BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THAT MEANS. 

THE MATERIALS YOU DESIGN WITH ARE A STRANGE DICHOTOMY OF SOFT AND HARD, LEATHER VERSUS KNITWEAR. IS THIS REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUR PERSONALITY? 

YEAH, CONTRASTS ARE MORE DRAMATIC. 

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO FINISH A COLLECTION? IS IT EVER FINISHED, OR IS IT ALL JUST A CONTINUATION OF SOMETHING LARGER? 

I USED TO FEEL DISAPPOINTED AND DRAINED. YOU'RE RUNNING FULL SPEED TRYING TO GET TO THE FINISH LINE AND WIN AFTER MONTHS OF TRAINING. YOU GET THERE AND THEN—YOU'RE DONE. ALL THAT ADRENALINE TURNS INTO POISON AND YOU OBSESS ON ALL YOUR MISTAKES. 

NOW I'VE GOTTEN MORE USED TO STARTING EARLIER AND LEARNING HOW TO CONTROL THE OUTCOME OF A COLLECTION AND TO ALREADY BE STARTED ON ANOTHER. SO NOW IT'S MORE OF A ROLLING-ALONG PROCESS. THE HIGHS AREN'T AS HIGH, BUT THERE'S NO CRASH ANYMORE, REALLY. 

FROM THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN, YOU SEEM TO LIVE IN A HAUNTED WORLD, ONE WHICH PEOPLE OFTEN DESCRIBE AS DARK OR PERVERSE. IS THIS A FAIR ASSUMPTION? WOULD YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF HAUNTED, AND DOES THAT COME OUT IN YOUR WORK? 

THE PERVERSITY ISN'T EARNEST. IT WAS THAT MOMENT OF LIBERATION OF SEEING DIVINE'S SHAVED FOREHEAD AND MAKEUP IN 'PINK FLAMINGOS' WHEN I WAS A KID THAT MADE ME FIND MY PLACE IN THE WORLD. I LOVE DRAMA, I LOVE ROMANCE, I LOVE CAMP. 

WOULD YOU DRESS THE DEVIL IF HE WERE TO PRESENT HIMSELF TO YOU? 

I GUESS I'D DRAPE HIM IN THE INTERIOR OF MY RECTUM. 

IN REALITY, AS IT EXISTS TO US THUS FAR, WE ALL DIE. IS THIS REALITY FRIGHTENING FOR YOU? 

YES. THE FEAR OF DEATH AND THE YEARNING FOR AN ALTERNATIVE IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOTIFS IN WHAT I CREATE AND IN THE CREATIVE WORKS OF OTHERS. 

LASTLY, OPERATING AS AN EXPAT, DO YOU STILL CONSIDER YOURSELF AN AMERICAN? OR HAS RELOCATING TO EUROPE CHANGED YOUR PERSONAL IDENTITY? DO YOU FEEL YOUR AMERICAN UPBRINGING IN YOUR COLLECTIONS, OR IS THAT SOMETHING THAT IS TRANSCENDED BY YOUR DESIGNS?