FRENCH FASHIONISTA: LION BLAU : THE WORLD OF THE FASHIONABLY COMPLEX. DESIGNER

LION BLAU IN HIS OWN WORDS Q&A THE SIMPICITY OF COMPLEXITY

As a Jewish, half-European, half-oriental gay German-Israeli young guy, I grew up in a very political atmosphere. I guess this was not very visible for my surrounding cause at that time alot of things played only in my thinking. Growing up with people who spoke, bought and wore brands and "fashion" already when we were very young, looking down on people that couldn't afford that kind of clothing, I got very early an "anti-fashion" thinking. Thinking that fashion itself is a surpressor of poor people and individualist thinking in the society. I joined a certain political group, became politically very active. I guess educating myself and critising a lot of things brought me back to see fashion in a completely different view. I got more involved with the "actual" makers of fashion, got over the provincial wearer that thinks of himself in the best way, trying to show it with famous names that he/she is wearing. After I got to know what fashion for the old fashion designers really meant, I started to appreciate it myself a lot more, maybe so much more because I had a complete opposite point of view on it before. So I decided to take fashion as an art into my life myself, realising its the best way for myself to express my thoughts and my needs.

EXPLAIN YOUR FAVORITE COLLECTION SO FAR? AND HOW THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING IT WORKED?

My favorite collection so far was my 2nd year collection at the Antwerp Academy. It was inspired by the thought of how human beings would look like in one million years, when technology and modernism would be lost through time. What this peoples culture would look like, and of course what kind of clothing they would wear. I researched a lot of ancient cultures, different tribes and people and combined it with our klishee future thinking, to create people that would "live" as a tribe, but have bits and pieces of their past, which would be right now still our future, left over. I used a lot of selfmade fabrics, painted a lot, airbrushed, wove and embroidered.

DID YOU FIND IT DIFFICULT TO INCORPORATE ETHNICS THEMES INTO YOUR COLLECTION?

For myself its not difficult, it depends on what each designer finds more interesting and appealing. If you are inspired by something strongly, i think you can incorporate it in almost anything.

DO YOU SENSE THERE IS A CHANCE FOR YOU TO DEVELOP YOUR DESIGNS FURTHER IN THE FUTURE?

I am sure. Every year new discoveries are being made in the fields of textiles, technology, sources of inspiration and next to that human lifestyles change.

WHAT ELEMENTS OF YOUR WORK WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE THE BIGGEST IMPACT?

I guess right now its selfmade materials; prints, embroideries, dyes...

WHAT DOES UNIFICATION BETWEEN ETHNIC AND SCIENTIFIC MEAN IN YOUR WORK?

Right now its the most tempting for me. Its creating something "new" out of two on first sight not compatible elements. Like cyborgs, half human half machine, but maybe more romantic.

WHAT IS YOUR PRIMARY CHARACTER TRAIT?

tolerance.