A day after the exhibit opening, BrianKirkby and Zowie Broach returned to BeitHa'ir to talk all things BOUDICCA.
What struck me the most [enough to be at the beginning of the
post] was that when asked whether they consider their work as "art"
they protested profusely. I wonder, what makes a mere person an artist? Can you
proclaim yourself as one? Are you an artist if others say you are? And more
importantly, are Zowie and Brian
artists after all? Read what they had to say, and decide:
Call a rose any other name…
Boudicca was the queen on the British tribe, who
leaded a revolt against the ruling Roman Empire
in AD 60. She was considered divine and portrayed as a goddess. When
considering her as the brand's symbol, Brian
related to the mythical aspect of the story and to its local history. Zowie saw the
modern woman in Boudicca – the independent leader. As
their designs explore the duality of masculine and feminine, Boudicca
was chosen to reign on yet another kingdom.
Sell! Buy! Sell!
Z&B [ladies first] address the commerce in the fashion
industry with refreshing honesty. They admit that there are limitations,
technical and commercial, that contrast with art making. In order to sell
designs, Z&B say, a designer has to be aware of the confines and keep them
in mind. Things like fabric qualities, intended usage, and selling potential,
all dictate the finished product. When creating a couture show, though, Z&B
reveal that there is a greater artistic freedom in the process. Since the actual
garments are not meant to be worn, they can be created of various materials,
and thus, be loyal to the concept.
Zowie Broach & BrianKirkby at BeitHa'Ir. Photo by JulietteGold
One plus one equals...?
When two designers work on a single brand, they are bound to be
challenges. Zowie tells us that they are different people, and they have separate
sketchbooks and diverse ideas. They separate the work, and then mix it back together,
discuss, and look where their suggestions collide. Or, as Brian
puts it, they challenge and push each other.
If they say, you are no good…
Z&B both agree that one cannot escape criticism in the
creative world. Zowie advices to look for the building feedback, try to learn
from what others have to say, even in a mere conversation.
Zowie Broach & BrianKirkby at BeitHa'Ir. Photo by JulietteGold
What the future holds …
The future is unclear for Z&B. Zowie says she feels unsure,
not in a nervous way though, about the future. She is open to see what will
happen. Z&B will continue to put work out, and they will see where they
want to go.
Zowie Broach & BrianKirkby at BeitHa'Ir. Photo by JulietteGold
And finally, a word of advice for the young generation:
Zowie Broach & BrianKirkby at BeitHa'Ir. Photo by JulietteGold
Background:
Last night, on Tuesday June 26th to be exact, the thrilling
interdisciplinary fashion designer Jean-Charlesde Castelbajac lectured at BeitHa'ir ("City House"), TelAviv.
Jean-Charles de Castelbajac at Beit Ha'ir, Tel Aviv, photo by Juliette Gold
It
was 20:30 p.m. on a warm, summery Tuesday night. There was peace and quiet on
the Bialic Square
at TelAviv … outside at least. Inside, magic was
happening! Girls with colorful hair, guys with fans, photographers, bloggers,
designers and curators all gathered up in one place. The music was cool; the
dimmed lighting was cool; the walls were cool; Castelbajac was cool; and
according to him, the crowd (that would us) was also cool!
The walls of the Beit Ha'ir museum, Jean-Charles de Castelbajac at Tel Aviv, photo source: Castelbajac's Facebook Page
Seasoning
it with humor and fun, Castelbajac explained his vision of creativity. He told
us about his childhood, his past, and the sources of his inspiration. Jean-Charlesde
Castelbajac was born in 1950 inCasablanca,
Morocco and a few years
later his family moved to France. There, he was
sent to a boarding school where he stayed until the age of 17. He confessed of
being quite unhappy in boarding school. However, with his spectacular life
perspective, he was empowered by his situation.
{ He
built his imagination on wound, his creativity on failure and his strength on
loneliness. }
During
his years in boarding school he developed his fascination with color. When all
of his classmates kept their chocolaty treasures in identical wooden boxes, he
asked his mother for a blue plastic box. Even though his candies have all gone
bad in the sealed container, the color and individuality gave him hope. He kept
that unique, colorful, and extraordinary child with him throughout the 40 years
of his career.
Since
one should never conclude a day without learning something new, I bring to you the
summery of all the new content that now inhabits my brain:
Jean-Charles de Castelbajac at Beit Ha'ir, Tel Aviv, photo by Juliette Gold
Don't
be afraid of failure:
At
the age of 17, Castelbajac graduated from boarding school. With no experience,
no diploma, and zero desire of becoming a fashion designer, he started working
for his mother, who owned a fashion business. Yet, instead of reveling in
self-pity Castelbajac became … well, Castelbajac.
{
"There's emotion in things we don't achieve" ~ Jean-Charlesde Castelbajac}
Open
your eyes:
He
finds his inspiration in things that people don't see, in the everyday life, in
accidents. His advice - look around yourself. Inspiration is everywhere.
Have
a clear say:
Each
collection he creates has its own manifesto, a distinct saying. His current
line, for instance, deals with "Dystopia". Castelbajac says that
Dystopia describes our time – the rapid existence in which we abandon
traditions and forget old beliefs.
{ "you
don't just buy a piece of clothing. You buy a philosophy, an idea". }
In
a fashion show, Castelbajac said, the first garment on the runway sets the tone
of the entire show. When his whole collection is complete, he spends hours in
the studio pondering on the selection process.
Laugh
at yourself:
After
his divorce, Castelbajac created a double poncho that had a zipper in the
middle.
Learn
from others:
Castelbajac
says he absolutely can't work alone. He has to be in a studio and around
people. Theirs is always something we can learn from others. Their perspectives
are contributive, not disturbing.
Last
and most important: Stay true to yourself:
Even
though that during the 90's grunge era, Castelbajac's colorful and poppy
designs lacked popularity, he remained loyal to his aesthetic. Surprisingly
enough, since his clothes were sold on sales and in cheap department stores,
they became popular among the rising NY rappers. Now, JZ has a collection of
these then-disapproved sweats and they are sold for thousands of dollars on
e-bay!
{
" What you do can have more than one life. It's about whether you're
sincere or not." ~ Jean-Charlesde Castelbajac}
What
do you think about his work and his life perspective? What is your favorite
piece from the latest collection?
A few days ago I was pondering upon my life - who do I want to become? What do I want to do? What goals do I want to accomplish? Where do I see myself in 1-5-10 years? The answers I came up with are, unfortunately, too vague to be put down in writing (C'est la vie). However, I did come to another realization:
ME: What I really want to do with my life is design. I want my designs to inspire people to be better, kinder, more respectful...
My OTHER SELF burst into my train of thought inquiring: What's stopping you, kiddo?
ME, all defensively offended replied: I don't have any formal design education yet!
OTHER SELF, smiling smugly, asked: You have ideas, don't you? That would do.
ME: Ideas are great, but what about funding? How am I supposed to execute them?
OTHER SELF seemed disappointed: To draw a sketch, or to create a small model, you barely need any materials. Stop making excuses!
It took
OTHER SELF to yell at
ME for
ME to realize that the only thing stopping me from doing what I want, was myself. I could sit all day stressing about the future, reveling in "I have no clue what to do with my life" moodiness, letting my ideas get piled under endless to-do lists... Or, I could get myself together, and create.
Getting into design school is hard; graduating from said school is hard; finding a job is hard; succeeding is hard - this is what everyone says. However, the people who've been there and done that have a more positive outlook. Here are my top favorite quotes from the exhibition "Designers +10" currently shown at the Holon Design Museum.
An exciting building would be a structure that has a
presence – a building that intrigues the person, invites him to peek in, and
that has an immediate influence on the visitor. I think a visit to a successful
building should leave a memory. The visitor should be able to recall how he
felt when he first entered it, how he wanted to react and to behave. The
building should have some effect on the everyday conduct of the visitor.
Do you agree? Disagree? How do you define an
exciting building?
The location that we decide to set our lives at
influences a lot more that solely our postal code. In spite of our biggest
egoistic fantasies, we (as individuals) do not change the city, but it
influences us.
In "What is a City", LEWISMUMFORD
writes that "A city is a theater of social action".
The set of the play, though ever evolving, is
permanent and determined for us by architects and urban planners. The city's arrangement
creates its atmosphere, and its architectural landmarks build symbols and
traditions. Once we put those things together, we get a culture, a stereotype
even, of our city.
Now, we come into the picture – the dwellers – the actors.
Why are we actors, you wonder? Because we naturally try to fit into out
surrounding; we try to live up to the "image" of the city;
eventually, we become a personification of it.
How do you describe a city? What is your favorite city or town? What do you love about it?
