BARBARA I GONGINI SS16

Text MAREN SERINE ANDERSEN & FREDRIK AUSTAD
Photography COPENHAGEN FASHION WEEK

The Farose designer Barbara í Gongini had just presented her SS16 collection beneath the majestic ceiling of Copenhagen City Hall. After a quite dark and theatrical show that to us stood out as the very highlight of this fashion week, mon Dieu met the avant garde designer backstage to talk over what we had just perceived.

“Irises are so lovely, aren’t they.” Gongini smiled as she was introduced to us, draped in dark shaded garments of her own creation. The indigo coloured flowers resting in her arms made out softness as a delicate contrast to her dramatically timeless silhouette and glowing red hair.

The spectacular nature of The Faroe Islands was portrayed in a written introduction of the collection as a cinematically described journey from depths of the sea onto characteristic raw and rocky shores. “The collection is a sequel chained together with previous seasons that alike this one are reflections of the surroundings I grew up in”. On background of the written introduction, mon Dieu clearly recognized the references drawn to the small but rubust archipelago between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean.

As we told about how we speculated during the show on whether or not we spotted fish net on the models the designer smiled and nodded. We also discussed how sculptured hair and wet looks nicely illustrated the rough weather and powerful nature of the Faroe Islands. Something that we really liked was the nice touch of maritime stripes that effectively worked as an uncomplicated and familiar part of the collection that for us functioned like an anchor for the advanced visual experience.

Because of Gongini’s signature that is a conceptual approach towards fashion design, we just had to bring up a tendency of change in the industry that mon Dieu is very happy to recently have learned. We wanted to know the designer’s thoughts when it comes to how fashion these days again embraces runway theatricality as we have discovered how the dramatics that once marked fashion now does a comeback after a long, long time. As we expected, she was very happy that elements like the audible experience of a fashion show and runway choreography now advances more and more. This puts pressure on the designers to create conceptual narratives and makes it harder to get away with just designing pretty or provocative clothes. We agreed on that this tendency gradually lifts the artistic quality of fashion to a higher level and brings back some mystery and the professional pride that surrounded the industry back in the days.

After a long conversation with Gongini, who must have been quite exhausted after the long day, we had one more thing that we wanted to ask her. Tendencies in todays society seems to be presenting an idealistic view of the world where freedom, liberty, and care for the environment are finally getting more attention. It is no coincidence that all of these aspects are to be found in the dark and almost genderless brand that is BARBARA I GONGINI. “It is just so natural to me,” the designer tells us, when we ask her about her focus on the male/female crossover subject.

“I don’t know why people should be treated differently. We often work with homosexual and transsexual models, without trying to make a statement. This is how it should be and I am surprised that it has taken this long for the world to realize».

Maikel Tawadros SS16 – Backstage

Text FREDRIK AUSTAD & MAREN SERINE ANDERSEN
Photography FREDRIK AUSTAD

Maikel Tawadros took us below ground. To be more precise, his show took place in a gloomy car park beneath the streets of Copenhagen. The catwalk was easily rigged with polka striped plastic tape between the white concrete columns. Sharp stage lights were effortlessly harmonized with the standard lighting of the venue. The designer had probably considered whether or not to fix the one that was out, but luckily he hadn’t bothered and this detail actually lifted the whole visual concept. Behind a girl and her mother with fringe shadows over their faces the DJ legend Jean von Baden got ready to blast at least to versions of «Slow» by Kylie Minogue out of the speakers. And then the show started.

Nordic simplicity paired with strong elements from the grunge scene made the bionic warriors that presented the Maikel Tawadros spring summer collection of 2016. The Tawadros woman is both powerful and sexy, and is this season dressed in neoprene and leather paired with metallic studs and chains. A strong red together with black and white made a simple but effective color palette, and the hair was inspired by the sleek look from the Givenchy FW15. We draw lines to the sadomasochistic culture with dramatic masks that covered some of the model faces, and a leather bra piece that looks like a something you easily could wear both in bed or in battle.

Mardou&Dean SS16 – Backstage

Text Maren Serine Andersen with Erik André Nes
Photography Fredrik Austad

The chosen building for the show of Mardou&Dean is designed by architect Martin Nyrop, and was constructed the time between 1892 and 1905.  Nyrop created this Danish gem in the National Romantic style. His main inspiration was the Italian building Sienna City Hall.

Within the great walls of Copenhagen City Hall, under one of the highest roofs in the city, Mardou&Dean revealed their collection for Spring/Summer 2016. Their aim was to reflect a feeling of euphoria experienced while traveling, and indeed did this piece of work capture our attention after a long, sizzling day in the Danish capital.

Among other interesting elements of the collection, Mardou&Dean had this time teamed up with an artisan Italian atelier. Together with the Italians they have created an iconic range of leather pieces, including bags and shoes crafted to age gracefully. This collaboration gave an authentic Italian feel that topped off the innovative Scandinavian styles, and this combination complimented the history of the majestic venue in a refreshing way. The rest of the collection consisted of colors and shapes melted into organic silhouettes in various materials.

This prologue of SS 2016 introduced an interesting perception of freedom. mon Dieu bid you a glance into our memories from the backstage vibe.

CPHFW DIARY

Photography FREDRIK AUSTAD

We’re in Copenhagen for Fashion Week. Follow our photo diary during our visit here at mon Dieu and don’t hesitate to say hi if your in town.

Asger Juel Larsen SS16:

YDE by Ole Yde SS16:

Maikel Tawadros SS16:

Eli Beate Vevang KHiO Collection

Text FREDRIK AUSTAD & MAREN SERINE ANDERSEN

This year designer Eli Beate Vevang hit her twenties. One of the first days of summer she also showed us a splendid collection from Oslo National Academy of the Arts. She grew up in the town of Kristiansund, located on the Atlantic Road in Western Norway. In these scenic surroundings Eli Beate studied arts and crafts at her local college while participating in a local theatre group after school. Unfortunately she grew stage fright by the time that she got older, but she has still managed to find her way back into the creative halls of the theatre through her costume design.

«I’ve always been drawing and really love to illustrate people and characters». Vevang told mon Dieu when we paid her a visit after the graduation show. «This has been a non-stop circus. During the past few weeks, time has flown by with a minimum amount of sleep». The brand new designer is obviously happily relieved and also quite shocked that the whole thing is already over.

“I had only sewn a skirt and a top at college before I started at KhiO. I’ve actually never been much into fashion. My interest has rather been surrounded by the world of theatre. I have always felt that theatres are filled with warm and welcoming auras. I guess my obsession started early. My aunt is a retired costume maker from Kristiansund Opera, and I was in a theatre group for many years. Therefore it was a kind of natural path for me to follow further when I started making clothes.”

For the graduation show, the task was to invent a creative universe based on an inspirational trip to Tokyo. She experienced the metropolitan prefecture of Japan together with her classmates in spring this year. “The hardest work was to interpret the material we collected and transform them into actual pieces of clothing,” the twenty year old designer sais. The result was twenty-five hand-drawn outfits presented in her portfolio, and three full looks exhibited on the night of the show.

Vevangs’ collection is inspired by naive and creative minds of people in their early childhood. “It was much about their pattern of behavior,” she tells us. “The way that children so easily get involved in things without skepticism”. The color palette is taken from Japanese children’s books and from the great city of Tokyo. The painting casket she had when she was younger also plays an essential role with its pure and untouched colors of yellow, green and red. The materials are chosen by observations in the everyday life of people in the urban city. We find easily wearable pieces in jersey and canvas and denim. The collection basically consist of fabrics that are made for children to move in, painted, bleached and colored by the designer herself. Every print is from Vavang’s own imagination.

“I love to sit on a cafe in the city and observe people passing by,” the designer says. “During my research I saw a lot of citizens wearing denim, college sweaters and backpacks. I always tried to figure out what they carried with them based on the way they were dressed. The visible buckles on some of the pieces are actually inspired by the baby carriers that a lot of parents in the city carry with them”.

«To physically complete the collection is one thing», Vevang tells us. Despite the technical aspect, it turned out to be the very process from beginning to end that was the real obstacle. Not only was it challenging and exhausting to work all those long hours in the night, but to step out of the comfort zone was hard for her.

However difficult it seemed at the time, Vevang’s skills and courage have now grown a lot. “I forced myself to draw with my left hand so the illustrations would get an imperfect touch, like it was made by a child. I’m quite the perfectionist; so to start painting on the clothes was pretty hard for me in the beginning. I felt like I was tainting my dear pieces. That was before I learnt how fun it was to play with my design, and it really grew on me with time”.

During the process of making the collection, the teachers at KHiO offer the students a generous amount of help and advice on how to develop a solid concept and how to expand their visions to become a part of their reality. This is very helpful, Vevang tells us, but for her collection she needed something more than the standard guidance.

“I asked my friend’s little sister to have a look at my sketchbook after I finished my first drawings. She is only six years old, and that was exactly the perspective that I wanted. As she flapped through the sketchbook, her imagination produced different stories belonging to each and every picture. Suddenly the sketches represented different families and people living in the buildings that I had photographed during my Tokyo adventure. She did not twirl her mind trying to figure out what it all meant, she just looked at it as an enjoyable storybook”.

Finishing another year of clothing and costume design is only a small step on the way towards future success for the young up and coming designer. This might not come as a shock, but Vevang’s dream is to design costumes for the world of theatre. The editors of mon Dieu wish her all the best and are utterly exited to see what awaits this fine talent in the future.

All photos in courtesy of Eli Beate Vevang & Erik Edland.

Lexington Spring/Summer 2016

Photography Fredrik Austad
Text Fredrik Austad & Maren Serine Andersen

Lexington Company is a Swedish lifestyle and clothing brand established in the year of 1997. The design is known for its classic and traditional style inspired by the American East Coast – most likely something you will wear on your weekend trips to the Hamptons or on your sailboat in July.

Yesterday the brand showed their spring/summer collection for 2016 in Stockholm, Sweden. The location was set in a steamy greenhouse in Fjarlishuset Haga Tradegård. Three hundred guest waited in eagerly excitement to discover what Kristina Lindhe, creative director, CEO and founder would reveal for next year’s season.

The menswear collection was without doubt the strongest; the designer has mixed new prints with interesting fabrics into the classical American preppy look. Our favourite, for a simple but luxurious look, was without hesitation the black suede shirt combined with classic dark chinos and sandals. Dominating colours were Lexington’s signature: navy blue and white. We could also point out some sweatshirts and cargo shorts in brown nuances. And a more loose suit in a playful light blue really caught our attention.

For women Lexington is focusing on navy stripes in all widths and ways.
The silhouette is loose and comfortable. Long dresses and trousers are put together with oversized blazers and sandals. The suede jackets from last fall’s collection follow us into the summer season and stand out as strong pieces. Although the collection was impressive, it would have been even more intriguing if the print selection for women was slightly more daring.

Nevertheless the Lexington trademark continues to stay true to its legacy. After the show we certainly felt the urge to pack our weekend bags and head for the American East Coast.

Photographer journal: Montalivet by Signe Luksengard

«Visste du at sukkerspinn heiter Barbapapa på fransk? Og at det, om ein oversett det direkte til norsk, betyr skjegget til papa? Eg synest det er ein av så mange fine ord på fransk. Språket kan eg ikkje flytande, men dei to månedane som assistenten til Jock Sturges førre sommar hjalp på. Bungalowen vår var omringa av ungar som ville leike, me hadde tannpussdisco og var eit klatrestativ omtrent døgnet rundt. Stamma fram ord, så setningar og leika uss fram til eit språk. På kvelden pakka me på uss tjukke klede, tok med oss ungane til nabobyen og køyrde karusell. Dei hyla av glede, medan Sigrid og eg klukka og lo.

14.juli feira me nasjonaldagen til trompetspeling og fyrverkeri. 14. august slo dei på stortromma og arrangerte ein ekstra feiring for dei som ikkje hadde hatt ferie i juli. Denne gongen med musikken til ABBA i bakgrunnen, medan rakettane dundra av stad. Synkroniserte og spektakulære.

No er det snart eit år sidan førre sommar. Eit år sidan eg såg og leika med vennene mine på ni og ti år. Dei skal vere der nede også i år. Som kvart einaste år. Ein slags rar feriekoloni. Ei eigen verd, der alt ein bryr seg om er morgondagens sol, om filmen er klar og kva ein skal ha til middag. Ei verd me ikkje kunne prate om nyheiter og diskutere dei viktige verdiane, men var navlebeskuande, nakne og brune.

Souvenir er eit anna fint fransk ord. Det betyr minne. Eg likar tanken på å kjøpe med seg ein souvenir heim. Då kjøper ein eigentleg berre med seg eit minne.» – Signe Fuglesteg Luksengard

Holzweiler x Ernesto Artillo Pre-fall 15

Text FREDRIK AUSTAD & MAREN SERINE ANDERSEN

For the pre-fall collection, Holzweiler Agency has teamed up with Spanish artist Ernesto Artillo to create a threefold collection. The 28 year old artist and photographer is known for his delicate collages where he blends together fashion and art inspired by the Modernism and Renaissance periods. The collaboration design is strongly influenced by Picasso and Cubism with graphic elements.

The first part of the collaboration is quite commercial and consists of five prints and collages made by Artillo. This part will be printed on scarfs and other items of clothing. These pieces will be available in selected stores.

As Ernesto works with photography, painting and different kinds of collage techniques on a daily basis, Holzweiler wanted to challenge him with ”The Exhibiton Collection” to convert his art into something wearable. A collection of different pieces was the result after a three days long workshop together with the Holzweiler designers. The collaboration was naturally photographed by Ernesto himself, and published in the Spanish magasin Curador. The collection will be showcased in the Holzweiler store at Fornebu S.

The third and final part of the collaboration is a compound between the two first collections. Artillo have hand painted ten leather jackets in fine cowhide. The hand painted jackets will be for sale exclusively in selected stores.

Colour blocking and embroidery on exquisite materials with a strong palette of colours define the collection. Key fabrics are silk and silk organza, cotton and leather. The collection will be launched tonight, on Holzweilers annual summer party.

All photos: Holzweiler/Ernesto Artillo

Oslo National Academy of the Arts – Bachelor and master Clothing Design and Costume Design

Story by Fredrik Austad

Yesterday eleven bachelor and four master students showcased their graduation collections in «Clothing Design» and «Costume Design» at Oslo National Academy of the Arts.
These are the young innovative voices of the Norwegian fashion industry. We were inspired by their authentic signatures which emereges from creative minds driven by ambitions and hard work. Here are the pictures from the show last night.

Bachelor Clothing Design
Tilla Kristensen Brekke Møyland, Collin Cherry, Irene Nilsen, Ingrid Pettersson, Tonje Plur, Silje Sagen, Thea Caroline Haugerud Holo, Veronica Rath

Master Clothing Design
Stina Fredriksson, Young Hee Chung, Marie Leiknes, Trine Engebretsen

Bachelor Costume Design
Anette Nan Lindrupsen, Anna Källvide

Love Story – Works from Erling Kagge’s collection

Text FREDRIK AUSTAD & MAREN SERINE ANDERSEN
Photography LUCA SØRHEIM

Erling Kagge has now been in love for more than three decades. Thirty-two years ago, the Norwegian adventurer invested two average but tasteful bottles of Bordeaux wine in his very first piece of art: a signed and numbered lithography inspired by Norwegian painter Edvard Munch. Kagge’s first love still remains among the other contemporary art pieces in his now quite remarkable collection, but the bottles of Bordeaux wine are history- they were gone the same night.

Today, after polar expeditions, a stroll through the sewerage of New York City and years of art collecting, Kagge is presenting the exhibition “Love story – Works from Erling Kagge’s collection” at Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art in Oslo, Norway. Gunnar B. Kvaran and Therese Möllenhoff together with Kagge himself have curated the exhibition, and present art pieces by 18 carefully selected artists from his private collection.

One day before opening, the art collector explains how the title “Love Story” was a natural and obvious choice to represent the exhibition; Considering such passion and eagerness experienced through the collecting process, one can easily do the comparison with true love. Kagge’s collection stands out as he has focused on selected artistries in depth when it comes to essential aspects as timespan, techniques, media and themes. It consists primarily of contemporary art by European and American artists born in the 60’, 70’ and 80’s.

The collection has no obvious overarching theme, if not to point at slight tendencies among some of the artists which can be identified as post conceptual art and more philosophical approaches within Neomodernism. The latter tendency mentioned is recognized in some of our favorite pieces of the «Love Story» collection, like Tabu Auberach’s woven canvas and Sergej Jensen’s textile pieces. Other favorites are the impressive works of Wolfgang Tillmans, Olafur Eliasson, Kirsten Pieroth, and Klara Lidén, a selection of art pieces in the collection that we had to ask the museum hosts a little extra about.

Erling Kagge has written the book “The art of collecting art” for the exhibition. In a vivid and humoristic lingua he reflects on his experiences of becoming an art collector and hands out insider tips about buying pieces you love. The book is to be found in the bookshop at the museum.

The exhibition will be at ASTRUP FEARNLEY MUSEUM OF MODERN ART from 22.05-27.09.

– And watch your step in the museum space, there is a 265 000 NOK banana peel laying around!