It seems as if it were only the other day that were we looking at a self portrait of designer Rad Hourani impersonating the great Karl Lagerfeld. Well speed time up a few years later, the designer best known for creating a view of what a unisex not too distant future may look like, gives a bit of insight into his world.
Displaying a Spring 2010 collection that could arguably be Lagerfeld’s latest competion (or fresh blood), showing his stance on the future of fashion bloggers, and why he’s not out to replace Helmut Lang or Ann Demeulemeester, all in a feature by Marta Represa, shot by photographer Eric Sposito. Which may make you re-think the uses of a chunky-heeled boot (or maybe not).
The Collection & Interview / click shots for full view
You say you have no technical design background, so what drove you towards Fashion in the first place?
Rad Hourani: I’ve always been attracted by aesthetics: images, elegance and people with great style have always fascinated me. Fashion has been a part of my life ever since my childhood, when I used to see my mother’s new dresses, until I started working as a model scout and stylist. It was then that I started transforming clothes, but I was more interested in getting to know myself than in the fashion industry… And I could never really find the kind of clothes that perfectly expressed my personality. So I started creating unisex, straight-lined, limitless clothes. I wanted something timeless, something that was different from all the trends and the drama that we usually see in fashion.
After only five collections you are considered one of the biggest rising talents. What is it about your collections that catches the eye?
Rad Hourani: I think it’s mainly about being in the right place at the right time. People are ready for my work and for a new kind of unisex fashion. I don’t intend to start a revolution, I simply want to stick to what I do and be honest with myself. I just want to make clothes for broad-minded, elegant and nonchalant people while spontaneously constructing my own aesthetic universe.
Your new line RAD is available since November in stores. How is it different from the main line?
Rad Hourani: When I decided to start up RAD, I was thinking of affordable basics that reflected my creativity and that were adaptable to every style. The collection is composed mainly of comfortable, wearable basics in cotton and jersey. Creating RAD seemed like a natural step to take after my main line. I’m not sure though whether I should call it a second line… It’s just a collection meant for people that understand my universe.
You say your clothes come from no place, no time and no tradition. Hasn’t your historic background influenced your designs?
Rad Hourani: It hasn’t! I don’t like flags or nations. I believe in a modern tradition. The people I dress are witty and aware, and they have no limits. My clothes must reflect that. I don’t like clothes that refer to the past, or that subscribe to a tag or a trend. I’m all about vertical and horizontal lines, about a universal language.
You don’t really follow trends that change from season to season. What inspires you to shape up a collection?
Rad Hourani: Inspiration can come from anywhere: a word, the streets, architecture, a person… My brain analyzes everything I see throughout the day, but it’s in the moments of silence and calm that creation takes place. For me it starts by asking to myself what do I want to wear, and from there I begin to develop the collection by drawing lines and choosing fabrics. I find it very important to be unique and not to copy other people’s work. It doesn’t bother me to be compared to people like Helmut Lang or Ann Demeulemeester, but I wouldn’t imitate their work.
In what way are your designs non-conformist?
Rad Hourani: My designs are genderless, which is really not a mainstream concept. My clothes are meant for people that don’t follow the established codes of tradition, religion, trends… I aim to dress all kinds of people with a personal point of view on life, interesting, different, stylish people.
There is a unisex feel to all your collections. Is this a new form of sexuality?
Rad Hourani: Absolutely! Although I prefer to talk about sensuality. Sexuality is something trivial whilst sensuality lasts forever. I’m talking about a new way of living one’s sensuality, without any sort of society-imposed limits. Everything relates to sex. Why should we tag it and put limits to it?
Most of your fans are young people with an edgy and avant-garde take on fashion. How do you think the industry is changing nowadays?
Rad Hourani: Internet is changing everything. The importance of fashion blogs is increasing as the traditional system of printed magazines and advertisers is menaced. Thanks to Internet we have a much easier access to everything, which paradoxically means we have to be more selective. Hence the future of fashion rests in individuality, quality, focus and timelessness. Throughout Internet, we see who we are, we see ourselves in a sort of mirror; so, in the future, real will be the deal.
Models: Clement Heurtier (Bananas Models) & Adel (Premier Models)
Photographer: Eric Sposito
Styling: Matthieu Pabiot
Hair & Make-up: Veronique Marot at Calliste
Production: Florence Cymerman
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