For the third year in a row, KOMONO renews its partnership with the fashion department of the prestigious Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. The brand worked with 5 talented Master students to create a pair of sunglasses linked to their graduate collection. We caught up with the students to discuss working with KOMONO and how the sunglasses added an informative, and stylish touch, to their own creative work.
What excited you about collaborating with KOMONO?
It was a very interesting experience to develop a saleable product for the first time. I learned that not everything is always possible in the making of a quality product. This opportunity gave me the chance to get a taste of working together with a company.
Can you tell us more about your design and how the whole process went?
My collection is about an artwork called ‘The Dinner Party’ by Judy Chicago. It's a gigantic dinner table made for strong women out of our whole history. Dressing-up has been a magical experience in my life for a very long time. During the process of my collection, I tried to push the boundaries of lace fabrics. I made collages with old and new laces, and vacuumed lace in plastic fabrics. It was therefore an obvious step to use it in my sunglasses, too. To summarize, my glasses are a translation of lace blindfolds.
In what ways do the glasses complement or enhance your collection?
I think the sunglasses give an extra dimension to the face and to my lace research. It's a finishing touch. I really enjoyed making different silhouette combinations by playing with accessories.
What excited you about collaborating with KOMONO?
Collaborating with KOMONO was the first opportunity for me as a young designer to translate something from my collection into a product for the public. That within itself is already quite exciting. In addition to this, working with KOMONO and other creatives was a great experience. The fact that they were also excited to translate my designs into reality and made sure that the sunglasses came to life just as I had imagined them made this experience special.
Can you tell us more about your design and how the whole process went?
The design for my glasses relates back to my topic dealing with the idea that self-expression is not related to accumulated wealth. The idea stemmed from an extravagant socialite named Luisa Casati who had squandered her wealth, forcing her to go through trash to find things to decorate herself with. This idea of luxury mixed with trash led to the design of the glasses. To execute this, we combined plastic bag textures with the elegant facings of ring, which led to the form and structure of the design.
In what way do the glasses complement and enhance your collection?
The sunglasses add a final touch to the collection. In my opinion, an accessory should not distract from a look, but accentuate it, and I think we were quite successful in this case. They also bridge the gap between conceptual design and something more wearable. The garments may not be for everyday use, but with the sunglasses you get to take a piece of the collection home with you.
What excited you about collaborating with KOMONO?
It was very motivating to be selected for the KOMONO collaboration so early on within the collection process. Furthermore, I learned how to work with a professional company and gained insight into their working process, from the design itself to the launch of the final product. Last but not least, it gave my collection a more professional outlook and I’m really excited that the glasses will be my first piece sold in-store.
Can you tell us more about your design and how the whole process went?
I chose a cat-eye frame and draped lycra fabric around it. The sharp frame had to be in strong contrast with the flowing fabric on top of it. The drape of the fabric does resemble flowing water. By translating the fabric drape into solid acetate the frame looks liquefied. To make a clear reference to the theme of water, I chose a transparent turquoise colorway, besides the two solid frames. The process went without any complications. The KOMONO designers helped me to translate my design ideas into a wearable and industrially produced piece.
In what ways do the glasses complement or enhance your collection?
The glasses, my shoes and bracelets all work with this idea of a liquid drape shape. These rather sculptural and experimental accessories stand out and complement my fitted silhouettes.
What excited you about collaborating with KOMONO?
First of all, I was really pleased with KOMONO’s craftsmanship. They realized the whole product as I imagined. Even some vague ideas were materialized through the team’s help. Also, the fact that the members of the KOMONO team were open to listen to us really helped me to share ideas during all the steps. This is the first opportunity that I’ve had to show my design to actual customers. I’m very excited!
Can you tell us more about your design and how the whole process went?
During last summer, I watched one movie named ‘The Color of Pomegranates’. This movie is about one poet’s life. As it has no dialogue, every scene and object have symbolism. I focused on some symbols about love. Love is a universal language and some verbal expressions of love exist in all cultures. So love-targets, arrows, radial shapes from the heart became main sources of inspiration for my collection. While researching, I came across one of Viviane Sassen’s series called ‘Umbra’, which means shadow in latin. I wanted to translate those color blocked shadows with archer’s and shooter’s goggles.
In what ways do the glasses complement or enhance your collection?
They give modern edge to the collection. At first, I thought some of my dresses wouldn’t fit with the glasses, but a sudden twist produced interesting outcomes. Especially during the photoshoot and show filming, the model’s movements and stage lighting enhanced my collection and sunglasses. I also liked the combination between the silver leather trench coat and the blue translucent glasses. This resulted in the photoshoot idea where I made use of shadows.
What excited you about collaborating with KOMONO?
I have known KOMONO for a long time within the Antwerp fashion scene, so I have been working on my designs with great enthusiasm. As a Master student, it is a privilege to collaborate with a brand that has been active for over 10 years. And on top of that, how nice is it that KOMONO and I both have our roots in Belgium?
Can you tell us more about your design and how the whole process went?
My collection is inspired by a love myth from the Middle East, which gave me the idea of combining two pairs of glasses into one. In addition, I have added influences from the 60s and 70s when love was an important theme. A part of the design for the glasses originated from a 60s pattern made by Barbara Brown.
In what ways do the glasses complement or enhance your collection?
My collection is a fusion of different elements. Hence both authentic cultural and contemporary influences can be recognized in my collection. The sunglasses reinforce that effect, as they fit perfectly into my design vision.
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At KOMONO.com, the KOMONO Antwerp store and selected retailers.
Interview by Philippe Pourhashemi
