Hussain Chalayan

Hussain Chalayan fashion pieces have a strong and unique sense of narrative . In one of his most performative shows (February 2000) models walked into a living room set wearing undergarments and then removed fabric covers from the chairs and wore them as dresses, one model then stepped into the round wooden coffee table and pulled it up, transforming it into a tired skirt. In another (Spring/Summer 2016) the models wore white overcoats and stood under a shower which dissolved the fabric and revealed Dimond encrusted dresses beneath.

For Hussain Chalayan’s Central St Martins BA collection he presented a series of oxidised garments which he had buried in his friends garden and left to decay for months. His intention with this work was to show the short lifespan of fashion and how easy it is to recycle. The pieces are heavily textured from rust and are coloured in uneven terracotta and burnt orange tones. The original fabric was silk which Chalayan buried with iron fillings and this process has completely transformed the textile.

I think that this work is captivating, it is unlike any other collection at the time such as the clean and minimalist work of Calvin Klein and Helmut Young or the luxury of Christian Dior and John Galliano. I love that the models seem to have walked directly from nature onto the catwalk, it gives the collection a free spirited and relaxed energy. Also I think that simple cut of these dresses highlights the rich and unusual quality of the textile.

This collection relates to my current work because I am creating a headpiece which appears grotesque and rotten as an exploration of ‘evil’ and ‘death’ in my Vanitas inspired response to ‘Reframe the Past’. I am planning to use textiles to replicate fungus, mold and blood etc. and would like to experiment with a range of techniques such as embroidery and dying fabric to create the natural textures. Inspired by Chalayan I would like to experiment with treating fabric for example I think I will use gelatine to stiffen the material.

I am also inspired by Chalayan’s 2016 collection because I have decided to create a rotting hat within a white pristine hat and so there is a performative element to my design. My intention behind this is to explore how aging and immorality often occurs in secret, covered by makeup or a good facade. I was considering using water soluble or very fragile fabric like Chalayan so that the outer hat wears away and the insides are revealed, however it is more important to me that the headpiece is bold and visually strong rather than it having a complex narrative and so I have chosen to use an opaque durable cotton instead.

Research This page is part of the collection 'Part 2'.

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