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Gregory Edwin – Student of Central Saint Martins – Graduate Collection 2018
SOPHIE HALLETTE : Where and how do you find your inspiration?
Gregory EDWIN : My inspiration was something very personal to me, it was an inner dialogue, a study of growing up and becoming an individual. I wanted to share my experience and perspective or at least to understand more myself.
Masculinity was my main focus, breaking this apart, disturbing it and subverting it, and proposing alternatives. I played with the tension of opposing the DNA of masculinity, these being the : Hypermasculine and Hypomasculine. Through these key words I was able to play with my research, explore and translate it into techniques.
SH : Why did you choose to use lace?
GE : It’s sensual, effeminate, it’s usually associated with womenswear, its history, its exquisite in creation and craft. It offered floral inspiration and detailing. I was able to play around with the acceptability of menswear and what men want.
Through using something like lace and turning it into an application or process you are able to subvert its original conception, allowing it to take on a new life and association. I liked the boundary that comes with lace, particularly within Menswear, I still wanted to make clothes that men want, using lace forces you to think closely about the technicalities and the subtleties within the design. I am also very interested in upholstery works and brocades, the works of artists such as John Divola capture scenes where lace and floral patterns are destroyed within the buildings and houses.
SH : How did you work the lace ?
GE : I wanted to distress the lace and collage it onto a rawer material to create a different look. This created a thickness within the lace, away from its usual feel. I also screen-printed lace with a hyperised lace and floral print on all the pieces of the collection. For the finishing’s I used the edging of the lace as detail and hems.
SH : What is the particularity of the work of lace compared to other fabrics?
GE : It has elegance, you want to respect it but break the rules as well.
SH : What did you want to express through your creations?
GE :A rawer, hyperised view of lace and material for men.
SH : What are your future projects?
GE : I am currently starting an Internship at PRADA MENS RTW with the hope of developing into an in-house designer. To develop and continue on my work will never be ruled out.
SH : For you, as a young designer, what is the future of lace in fashion ?
GE : To keep playing with the classicness of lace, to develop and push the boundaries within contemporary space.
Crédits photos : Gregory Edwin
