FLAIR MONDADORI AUSTRIA – JANUARY 2010

JANUARY 2010

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YOU ONCE SAID 'I TRY TO MAKE CLOTHES THE WAY LOU REED DOES MUSIC.' HOW DOES HE MAKE MUSIC? 

I ONLY LISTEN TO THE '70S STUFF, AND I WAS THINKING OF THE MINIMAL CHORD CHANGES AND THE CREEPY SWEETNESS OF THE SIMPLISTIC LYRICS. I CAN'T SAY THERE'S ANY COMPARISON, BUT IT WAS KIND OF WHAT I WAS AIMING FOR. 

YOU DON'T FOLLOW THE RULES OF THE FASHION INDUSTRY. YOU EVEN REFERRED TO THE EFFORTS OF OTHER FASHION DESIGNERS TO ENCOURAGE ECOLOGICAL AND ETHICAL AWARENESS AS HYPOCRITICAL. WHAT ARE YOUR RULES? 

OH DEAR, DO I REALLY SOUND THAT JUDGEMENTAL? I CERTAINLY DON'T MEAN TO. AND I'M CERTAIN THAT EVEN THE SMALLEST DEGREE OF CONCIOUSNESS HELPS. BUT PERSONALLY, AS A DESIGNER MAKING EXPENSIVE CLOTHES THAT NOBODY REALLY NEEDS, AND DOING SHOWS THAT HAVE MODELS AND HAIRDRESSERS WITH HAIRSPRAY FLYING ALL OVER THE PLACE, I FEEL A LITTLE SILLY EVEN ADDRESSING IT. SUFFICE TO SAY I AM CONSCIOUS OF TRYING TO PRODUCE MORE THAN I CONSUME. 

ARE THERE ANY ROLE MODELS IN THE FASHION BUSINESS WHOM YOU ADMIRE OR BY WHOM YOU ARE INSPIRED? 

LEGIONS. THERE ARE A LOT OF GLAMOROUS CHARACTERS THAT GET MOST OF THE ATTENTION, BUT THERE ARE COUNTLESS DEDICATED AND TALENTED PEOPLE THAT HAVE A DETERMINED WORK ETHIC AND DEDICATION TO PERFECTION. I THINK FASHION IS A LOT SMARTER THAN ART NOW. FASHION HAS TO SPEAK TO PEOPLE'S GUT A LOT FASTER. 

IN COOPERATION WITH EASTPAK, YOU LAUNCHED THE COLLECTION CALLED DRKSHDW. AS AN INDIVIDUALIST, WHAT IS THE APPEAL OF A COLLABORATION? 

IT WAS AN EXPERIMENT THAT FRANKLY WAS SOMETHING I PROBABLY WON'T REPEAT. THE EASTPAK ORGANIZATION IS FANTASTIC, BUT I'M A DICK. I'M NOT REALLY A GOOD COLLABORATOR. IT TAKES ME A LONG TIME TO DEVELOP A COMFORTABLE COMMUNICATION WITH SOMEONE, AND I PROBABLY ALREADY HAVE TOO MUCH ON MY PLATE. 

WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT YOUR STYLE OF FASHION, THEY OFTEN DESCRIBE IT AS 'DARK AND GLAMOROUS GOTHIC-CHIC.' DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT OR COULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR LOOK DIFFERENTLY? 

WELL, I THINK THAT ANYTHING OVER-ANALYZED OR EXPLAINED LOSES ITS MAGIC. I'M JUST HAPPY THAT ANYONE FINDS SOMETHING TO RESPOND TO. IN THE PAST I'VE DESCRIBED MY VIBE AS 'EILEEN GREY AND JEAN MICHEL-FRANK DESIGN A LEATHER BAR AND INVITE KISS OVER.' OR 'BIBLICAL, BRUTALIST, BAUHAUS, BAKERSFIELD.' OR ' BROKEN IDEALISM.' YOU'RE WELCOME TO TAKE YOUR PICK. 

WHICH GARMENT IS A MUST-HAVE IN EVERY WOMAN'S CLOSET THIS SEASON, AND WHICH TREND CAN BE DISMISSED? 

SHOES USUALLY SAY IT ALL, SO BLACK LEATHER HIGH-HEELED BOOTS ARE SOMEWHERE TO START. I HONESTLY CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING TO DISMISS. I SEE ANYTHING UNATTRACTIVE AS A CHALLENGE TO TWIST IT INTO SOMETHING GOOD. THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM FOR SOME PERVERSITY. 

YOU ARE OFTEN CATEGORIZED AS 'WALKING ON THE DARK SIDE,' SO STATEMENTS LIKE 'I LIGHTENED UP' AND 'I WAS TOYING WITH PRETTY THIS TIME' SEEMS EXCEPTIONAL FROM YOU. WHERE DID THAT CHANGE OF MIND COME FROM?