The setting- a stark white space-is like an art gallery---and Lindsay Degen's F/W 2015 collection kinda felt like performance piece at times…vs fashion presentation.
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| real life casting-clothes are for the most part- gender-neutral... |
Inspired by artist Claes Oldenburg…a LES artist…and of course-an iconoclast….Degen's inspiration was also part of her mission- a colorful statement-itself---
From the run of show…
In 1961, artist Claes Oldenburg made one-of-a-kind, larger than life sized everyday objects and displayed them in his storefront studio in New York City’s Lower East Side. These works were born out of wanting to bridge the gap between fine art commerce and the low prices of everyday objects. Art collectors and curators were quick to purchase all of the items from Oldenburg’s “store”, seeing their beauty as art objects and aesthetic worth.
The stores of today’s New York City are less likely to be owned by creatives who share Oldenburg’s sentiment. Prestigious stores that designers are urged to sell to lack creativity, have massive egos, and are notorious for slighting the designers that they do decide to buy pieces from. Ask any designer, young or old and they will recount horror stories of unpaid balances and loss of integrity. The days of such lifeless systems should be over.
This season, I found myself more frustrated than ever about the buyer system that is in place and the future of sales in the fashion world. Inspired by Oldenburg’s outlook on art & commerce, I decided to make larger-than-life sized sweater shaped art objects. I intended these pieces to read as one-of-a-kind and be recognized for their aesthetic worth and handmade beauty; not their wearability.
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| Lindsay Degen-not dressed in black but 90+% of attendees when we were at this show…were. |
I collaborated with illustrator Gretta Johnson on prints for the wearable Print All Over Me pieces. I found inspiration in the rainbow thread motif that she presented and carried it throughout my Fall/Winter 2015 collection. Therainbow thread represents the process of hand making garments from one single thread, strand, or thought. It serves as a symbol of hope for creativity; constantly winding and pushing forward in various interpretations. Amidst this web of creativity & hope the rainbow thread has spun, one solitary all black outfit stands out in contrast. It is a direct response to the number one question I hear from buyers and critics; “I LOVE that, but does it come in black?”
Other credits:
HAIR: Davines
MAKEUP: INGLOT
NAILS: Casey Herman for Chine Glaze
SHOES: Converse (limited edition)
PS: A lot of non-mainstream fashion designers sell their collections on Etsy and crowded funded sites like Kickstarter…which is great!