Becoming Nature Through Technology

Becoming nature through technology

In this essay I discuss the key design elements in Hussein Chalayan’s work: technology, architecture and aerodynamics, guided Quinn’s essay, A Note: Hussein Chalayan, Fashion and Technology (2002).

Chalayan was born in Nicosia, Cyprus in 1970 where he later moved to England in 1982. He studied at Central St. Martin’s College of Art and Design between 1989 and 1993. In 1994 he introduces the ready-to-wear line, Hussein Chalayan (Buxbaum, 2005:177). Chalayan is inspired by several elements in his design process. The most profoundly noticed in his design is technology, architecture and aerodynamics. Chalayan takes inspiration from these elements and connecting it to the body through his designs (Quinn, 2002:359).

In his final year collection, The Tangent Flows, he presented garments that was buried underground for a period of time and dug up for the runway show. “…gave the garments a dimension that referenced life, death, and urban decay” (Quinn, 2002:140). This gave the garments life, it was no longer just an object of to cover up the human body, but was turned into a living creature, “…transported the garments from the world of fashion to the world of nature” (Quinn, 2002:140). Thus giving the garments some sort of intellect, “I think therefore I am” (Flynn, n.d.: 10) .

Something that can die must be taken care of, otherwise it will die. If we think of the human body, if you do not eat healthy and exercise it increases the risk of heart disease and death.

Chalayan buried this garment while still in perfect condition, much like humans do with their bodies. They deconstruct only to ‘reconstruct’. By ‘reconstruct’ I mean plastic surgery, today plastic surgery isn’t an unfamiliar term and there are several reality shows based on performing several plastic surgeries on clients (Lawton as cited in The Fashion Reader, 2007). Graham Lawton says it is described as “harmonizing” the “aesthetic units” of your face and body, (as cited in The Fashion Reader, 2007).

By “harmonizing our aesthetic features” we are actually deconstructing and reconstructing our faces. But we aren’t really returning to our aesthetic form, because then we wouldn’t have used technology in the first place to change our faces. Thus by believing the media and allowing ourselves to be convinced that a certain ‘look’ is beautiful we ‘reconstruct’ ourselves.

“Deconstructionism, in fashion rejects customary rules and breaks all conventions. It questions aesthetic form about bodily proportions and the criteria of beauty, emphasizes the adding on, or disconvery of, an irrational moment, and reveals the processes of tailoring in clothing” (Lochek 2005:146).

Many of Chalayan’s designs do not have certain parts of the garments; some limbs are missing (Loschek as cited in Icons of Fashion the 20th Century, 2005:146).