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Hussein Chalayan

From fashion and Back.

Photo: Chris Moore

Since his first collection in 1994, Cyprus born fashion designer, Hussein Chalayan is internationally known for his innovative use of materials, progressive attitudes to new technology and social criticism. Fully established at the forefront of contemporary fashion design, his creation has been appreciated.

Motivated by ideas drawn from disciplines not readily associated with fashion, Chalayan’s pioneering work crosses between architecture, design, philosophy, anthropology, science and technology. Hussein Chalayan has also presented film works and installations in art exhibitions. In 2001, he represented at Istanbul Biennale and in 2005, represented in Turkey at the 51st Venice Biennale. I interviewed with Hussein Chalayan who has his exhibition at Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo.

I have heard that you wanted to become a pilot or an architect. Why did you decide to do fashion as medium to express your idea?

I wanted to be a pilot when I was a little boy. I loved a plain because I was always flying between London and Cyprus. The reason I decided to do fashion was because I felt very excited by things evolved around body. When something is connected to the body someway, I would always find that I would be more interested in. I guess because body gives life to everything or makes everything gives meaning to things. Actually, a building is not meaning without body in it, likewise clothes and car. Also I felt strong ultimate cultural symbol everything we do is based on body. It's the amplification of the body. Even if it's to design a building or car,the system is body-like with the central area and things that are coming off etc. In a way, we subconsciously amplify the body.

At that time, I didn't know these were the reasons but this must be a reason because I later realised that this is how I feel.

Also I didn't want to be an architect because I felt my ideas through clothes were going to be newer than if I plan a building. So I wanted to be a pilot when I was young and my parents wanted me to be an architect, but fashion was really a new medium for me because it's a combination of clothes and things around body, and in a way it became my world.

One Hundred and Eleven, Spring/Summer 2007, photo: Chris Moore

I think Sculpture is one of the things to express things around body. In a way, design and art is same and different. Why did you choose fashion design?

I think design and art are same because a designer can have same critical thinking as an artist, and sometimes, it's better. I don't differentiate design and sculpture now because it could be said that you can use design and you can't necessarily use sculpture, in the same way, you can use it but you can't necessariliy wear it. I like that duality, which you can wear it but you can also have it on the wall or in your room. I like the kind of diversity.

Then, how different between selling your clothes at your shop and exhibiting your work at a museum?

I think they are different, and I get excited by the fact that you can see my work in a museum but you can also buy the 'friend' of that in a shop, which is a related product.

INERTIA, Spring/Summer 2009, photo: Chris Moore

I see these are related. How do you translate the elements in your artwork to the products for fashion insdustry?

The works in a museum are more monumental. What I do is always within the selling collection, there is a monument and diluted pieces which are more easy to wear. You can wear the monument if you like, but I like the relationship between something which could be looked at and something that you can wear. In a way, you extend life of the monument.

Do you normally think a monument first, and then start to design your collection?

I think first of the idea, then it evolves. Sometimes, the monument comes first and vice versa. It really depends on the project.

Airborne, Autumn/Winter 2007, installation view at the Design Museum, photo: Luke Hayes

Do you have any favorite projects?

I can't say that, because each project has different idea and reasons, and generally I guess I do my best.
However, if I need to pick one, the collection of chadors — "Between" 1998SS — was very emotional, challenging and risky because Islamic things were vividly live issue at the time. The living room’s show — "afterwords" 2000FW — was also a challenging project in order to change clothes and form.

After Words, Autumn/Winter 2000, photo: Chris Moore

What kinds of things inspire you?

It's really general, but I would say history, anthropology, how people move geographically like migration, technology up to the point, philosophy, philosophy of science, architecture theory (not architecture itself), and generally speaking cultural studies.

What do you think relationship between clothes and body?

I think clothes give you confident and empower you. I like the way it can affect how you control your body and adjust yourself, also how you might want to show certain part of your body more. But generally speaking in a simple way, it is to build a confident and feel more powerful.

Manifest Destiny, Spring/Summer 2003, installation view at the Design Museum, photo: Luke Hayes

As a fashion designer, how do you come up to an idea to relate fashion to other art form?

It is like kind of fashion art, but I don't like these label because I don't want to call something art or not. Of course clothes are fashion but it is ideas really and it is not necessary to give it a name.
When a fashion designer does a dress, she or he has an idea. Therefore, you can apply that idea to either a film or to a dress but it comes from same idea.
If you can see my film, it is the same world as my clothes. Or sometimes clothes can be appeared in a film. I can base collection on film and I can base film on collection.

Could you tell me about the exhibition at MOT?

This is the fourth place after Holland, Germany and Design Museum in London. It contains the selection of my work in the last 15 years, which is very tight edit because this represents all different variety of things, but they are shown by groups in an aesthetic way. One room might be a film, another room might be a sculpture, another room might be dresses. Also a lot of mannequins are interacting with the space and that was the idea I had in the beginning. Wherever they go they interact with the new place, like painting or writing on the wall, watering plants. I thought this was the nice way of travelling, wherever you go you do things to the building.

This exhibition fully represents Hussein Chalayan’s creativity as both a fashion designer and artist. Many of his evolutional collection over 15 years can be seen. As well as that, film and sculpture works, which is not much known before, is shown at the A-Z room. Why don’t you appreciate his world in the space deeply represented Hussein Chalayan’s creativity?

Hussein Chalayan - From fashion and Back.
Date: 3rd April - 20th June 2010
Place: Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (MOT)
Opening Hours: 10:00-18:00 (tickets available until 17:30)
Closed on Mondays (except for 3rd May), 6th May
Admission: Adult 1,200 yen / University & College Student 900 yen / High School & Junior High School Student 600 yen / Over 65yrs old 800 yen / Free for Under Elementary School
Address: 4-1-1 Miyoshi, Koto-ku, Tokyo
Tel: 03-5405-8686 (Hello Dial)
http://www.mot-art-museum.jp

Text: Wakana Kawahito

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