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By the size of the crowd, the cheering, the energy and anticipation experienced at last night’s collaborative show between current wunderkind Jordan Gogos and industry legend Akira Isogawa, Afterpay Australian Fashion Week was the place to be.
A mix of queer nightclub, performance art, installation art, fashion show and statement on fashion at large, it was everything fans of the duo could have expected. And at the same time, not at all.
It was, however, an example of how two clearly diametrically opposed minds can just as easily be so in synch that the boundary between them can disappear. A moment of perfectly balanced tensions: Gogos, known for a creatively chaotic process that explodes onto the runway, and Isogawa whose serene designs hide the precise control that goes into their creation.
It was a compression of compatibilities that resulted in absolute creative freedom. Literally. The 40 couture pieces, a re-imagination of the 30-year-career of Isogawa were crafted from reclaimed textiles that underwent a treatment known as compressing. The process compacts the bulks of fabric scraps to create new and unique patterns.
The clothing also blend motifs from both designers. Teddy bear backpacks, for example, that Isogawa featured back in the early 00s and Gogos presented last year. Dresses and coats were a melange of fabrication, slashed and shredded for an even richer textuality. Embroidered pieces became draped robes a la Greek gods, neon-trimmed tulle was layered to create a cascading dress.
Part of the show’s magic was that the way Gogos and Isogawa created clothes that were clearly identifiable – a dress, a suit, a jacket – but were so artfully warped to become unfamiliar until closer inspection.
Speaking of the collaboration, Gogos stated that his time working with Isogawa was a learning curve. “My work is now more technical, more industrial, more consumable but more creative than ever!”
This year, the GRAZIA Australia team travelled between AAFW shows in the refined style of Toyota’s new RAV4 GXL. With its modern and spacious interior, privacy glass, and fast charging portals for our phones, it was the perfect mode of travel for zipping across Sydney. To find out more, visit toyota.com.au
