Hussein Chalayan Exhibition

Today I went to see an exhibition of Hussein Chalayan at Spring Projects in Old Kentish Town in October. His work is known for cerebral collections that, especially in the context of the performances he stages to present his work, are more connected to the art world than to commercial fashion. Inspired by nature, culture and technology, his designs reveal an ongoing preoccupation with issues related to his experiences as a Tukish Cypriot living abroad and to the wider realms of religion, cultural identity, and migration.

Chalayan experiments with unusual materials such as Tyvek and fiberglass to create protective enclosures for the female body that are sometimes functional and sometimes decorative. In this photos I took from the exhibition, it shows fibreglass decorative dress sculptures with their moulds.

I am particularly interested in his film ‘Afterwords' from his AW00 show. The show explores the idea of having to flee home in times of strife. The collection was presented in a domestic tableau that included chairs and a coffee table; models entered the setting and converted the furnishings into garments for themselves- the chairs were transformed into suitcases and their slipcovers worn as dresses, and the coffee table became a dramatic telescoping skirt. All the objects within the space are changeble and their lives temporary before changing their state, remaining relevant to the current needs being demanded of them.

I want to use this film as one of my five references which will help guide the direction of my research.
Below is a link to this show, watch from four minutes in.

This is also another show of Hussein Chalayan's exploring the theme of Animatronics.