POP 018/ Thursday, 18 June 2009
Today’s Pop is David, who has been contacted by a number of other Abba "The Eagle" fanatics this past week. Interesting people. And now a Knowing Me, Knowing You with Kool And The Gang fan, Zaha Hadid.
We’ve had to put the hours in to catch up with the seriosuly-busy
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Zaha eventually managed to slow down and sit down with us for the customary THEPOP.COM quick fire 5.
You’ve collaborated with fashion brands in the past, creating some iconic pieces in the process. How did this project come about?
Lacoste has previously collaborated with other designers such as Tom Dixon and Michael Young in a collectors’ series of polo shirts known as PROJECT 100%. This is however their first footwear collaboration. I understand Zaha Hadid Architects was the first name on their list for the collaboration and they approached the practice, we had a meeting and were very interested in the project.
You have actually made footwear in the past (with the Brazilian shoemaker Melissa). How was this experience different?
Well, it’s a different approach as they respond to two very different materials with different possibilities and constraints. Our approach to the Lacoste collaboration began with research of surface conditions and the generation of a dynamic 3D pattern. We were interested in developing this 3D pattern as tactile landscapes that would appear, fade out and reappear over the calf leather.
Have you always wanted to be a designer?
Yes, since I was eleven years old. And that is the truth.
If you keep going in this current direction – designing shoes, cutlery, taps et al – we’ll soon find a piece of Zaha in everybody’s home. Are you consciously attempting to make your product design work more accessible?
The practice is an architectural firm, but we have been developing product design over the past 25 years. We are contacted by many companies within many different disciplines – but do not agree to all the collaborations. Product design collaborations challenge us to work with different disciplines, technologies and materials and expand our design field. The majority of our product design is developed by teams of trained architects. This is important. Our approach to the design is the same approach as that of a building or a master plan.
What about your own sense of style; you’re quite famed for sporting Issey Miyake. Anything you steer clear of?
Vintage clothing. Also I don’t like the masculine style: that is, jeans. I do like Issey Miyake!… And black dresses!
You’re currently reading “POP 018/ Thursday, 18 June 2009”, an entry on THEPOP.COM
- Published:
- 17.06.09 / 11pm
- Category:
- DESIGN, FASHION, POP OF THE DAY
- Tags:
- 10 Corso Como, Chanel, Colette, Dover Street Market, Lacoste, Louis Vuitton, Miuccia Prada, Rem Koolhaas, Zaha Hadid
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