Text : Nor Azua Ruslan
[ Dressing Architecture : Colour, Style & Fashion ]
In Relation With Architects and Clothing
Original works submitted to the Manchester School of Architecture for the Bachelor of Architecture dated April 2009. Received a commendation in Summer 2010.
3.0] Architecture and Clothing,
Architecture and Fashion
Fashion is architecture. It is a
matter of proportions.
Coco Chanel
Fashion and architecture are becoming more connected. Fashion
has often become inspired by architecture. However, it is also turns up to being
vice versa. Originally in architecture, some ideas derived from fashion, braid techniques,
weaving and pleats add unique textures and interests to design details in
buildings. There are also more complicated fabrics and structures are used in
building’s facades for certain aesthetic functions.
Around 1900 the relationship between architecture and fashion entered a
critical phase; from this time onwards the clothing theory was expanded by the
notion of fashion’s pioneering role for architecture.[6]
In architecture, a good understanding about form and function
shall have a good impact for an effort to design a shelter for body. A lot of
shaping and building involves in fashion, it is also compulsory needing to know
how to handle fabrics. In architecture, it is a matter of how to handle your
eye on the attention to aesthetic details.
It is important for designer to
understand as early as possible how garment grows form a two-dimensional
concept into a three-dimensional object. A pattern is a flat paper or card
template. From which the parts of the garments are transferred to fabric,
before being cut out and assembled. A good understanding of body shape and how
body measurement transfer to the pattern piece is essential. The pattern cutter
must work accurately in order to ensure that, once constructed, the parts of
fabric fit together properly and precisely.[7]
While architects thrive in being unique, they however, cannot be unique
and trendsetter/fashion icon at the same time. Thus, the moment an architect
becomes a trendsetter, he/she will look for something else, which is to be
unique again. Often, architecture and fashion are similar in their own way of
being design oriented and the design process too; however, there isn’t any
direct relation between them.
Creative
research is the secret or trick which underlines all original design.”
John
Galliano, Creative Director, Dior
Research
is vital to any design process; it is the initial trawl and collection of ideas
prior to design. It should be an experimental process, an investigation to
support or find out about a particular subject. Research is an essential tool
in the creative process and will provide inspiration, information and creative
direction, as well as narrative to a collection. Research is about a journey
that can often take weeks or even months to collate and process. It is also a
very personal activity, which through its manifestation, provides the viewer
with an insight into the thinking, aspirations, interests and creative vision
of the designer.
From in-depth and broad-ranging research, the designer can begin to
interpret a series of garments or a collection. Silhouettes, textures, colours,
details, print and embellishment will have their place in the process of design
and will all be found in the research created.[8]
I tried to talk to the person whom I have gained my previous practising
experience with. They shared the same thought about architecture and fashion. There
a few history of architects who changed their path into becoming fashion
designer. Tom Ford is one of them. The Parisian architect Laurent Buttazoni and a protegé of
Andrée Putman also involves in fashion design as well. The eye for details is one
of the similarity in both profession.
Author: Is
architect a trendsetter or a fashion icon?
Zaini Mufti:
I think not.
Ken Yeang: Don’t
know
Author: Are
you a trendsetter or a fashion icon?
Zaini Mufti:
It’s not for me to say but most probably not. Too old to be that….I’ll be
surprise if anybody would want to dress like me and I’m just really comfortable
with myself, don’t need a groupie to fan my ego.
Ken Yeang: Don’t think so.[9]
Architects cannot be a trendsetter
or a fashion icon because they have their fullest commitment towards their
architectural career. However, involvement or participation in fashion
designing is acceptable because they do have a sense in unique style. In the
past, Le Corbusier himself do involve in fashion designing. In 2007, Ken Yeang,
a bioclimatic architect also involves in designing bioclimatic garments as
well. It is also acceptable for architect to be fashion-conscious regular human
beings. This is because architects love trends.
Cast your eye over our
skylines and it's like flicking through Vogue - or, mostly, the shopping pages
in Take a Break. First a style appears - sported by some avant-garde Isabella
Blow-a-like such as Rem Koolhaas or Herzog & de Meuron - next thing you
know every architect in the country's copied it from the architectural
magazines, run it up in their sweatshops and covered our high streets in it.
One minute it's edgy, next it's your local Asda. Five years ago it was
buildings shaped like wedges. Since the Gherkin, it's all curves. Once Rafael
Viñoly's Walkie Talkie's gone up in the City, though, all skyscrapers will have
to look like electrical goods.[10]
Hence, since the architects tend to
have a taste, joint venture amongst fashion designer and architect in flagship store
design are becoming trend nowadays. For example, Rem Koolhas is becoming
Prada’s branding architect to carry out duty to design Prada flagship store
around the world, and recently doing some projects with Miu Miu as well. Rem
Koolhas has becoming the favourite fashion architect for the outstanding
fashion label, probably because they saw him as an architect with a sense of
high fashion. Another example is Tod’s flagship store in Tokyo, a remarkable
RIBA Gold Medal Award 2006’s winner who started to gain trust from a high
fashion label, Tod’s. These architects are excellent in design as excellent in
their taste and sense of style somehow.
FIG.3.1: Prada flagship store, Tokyo
FIG.3.2:
Tod’s flagship store, Tokyo
How about the architect's personal style
of clothing for themselves? If they can dressed their buildings in fashionable ways;
unique material, structure and colours, we expect them to dress up as
fashionable as their buildings are, aren’t we?
[6] Ruth
H.(2006) Architecture and Fashion. In Absolutely fabulous! : Architecture and
Fashion. Prestel: London, p 136
[7] Annette, F. (2008)
Introduction. In Annette, F. Basic Fashion Design: Construction. AVA Publishing
SA: Switzerland, p10
[8] Simon, S. (2007)
Introduction, In Simon, S. Basic Fashion Design : Research And Design. AVA
Publishing SA:Switzerland, p6
[9] Separate Interview between author and
Ken Yeang , Zaini Mufti (Feb 2009)
[10]http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/visual_arts/architecture_and_design/article3403126.ece
(accessed on April 2009)
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