NOSE TO NOSE WITH DAVID KOMA
David Koma’s collection can be purchased at department shops and shops starting from Browns and Harrods in London to Colette in Paris, Joyce in Hong Kong and 10 Corso Como in Milan. Ever for the reason that Georgian born designer graduated from Central Saint Martins his dresses was called in by numerous of celebrities including Beyonce, Kylie Minoque, Lady Gaga, Megan Fox, Natalia Vodianova, and Rihanna to only name several.
Sonny Groo sat down with David Koma per week after showing his Spring/Summer 2012 collection during London Fashion Week.
SONNY GROO Hey David, It’s been some time. How are you doing?
DAVID KOMA It’s a piece crazy, actually, pretty insane to be honest. However, I just got back from the gym and had two cigarettes so I’m feeling far better now.
SG Could you tell me a piece more in regards to the inspiration in your Fall/Winter 2011-12 collection? From the gigantic printed faces to the various dots.
DK The foundation for the autumn/Winter 2011 collection was avant-garde art, particularly the work of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, who’s renowned for her obsession with repetition and pattern. I took this concept and translated it onto the feminine body. Re-interpreting the spot motifs within Kusama’s work-where objects and folks become distorted and indistinguishable-we did embroidery and layered, laser-cut patterns. We also did a collaboration with Russian contemporary photographer Oleg Duo and created face-prints with bright polka dots and fur pom-poms, which have been almost concealed by the dotted patterns. The hallucinatory dots create the semblance of 3 dimensions.
SG Are you able to tell me more in regards to the accessories? As an example the shoes, are these still in collaboration with Alain Quilici?
DK Yes, they’re. My Spring/Summer 2012 collection was our third time collaborating and we actually turned good friends. i actually love working with him, so i feel increasingly shoes might be coming from us. Maybe not just shoes… but i will be able to’t let you know just yet.
SG What’s the next step for your agenda? What are you engaged on at this time?
DK For the last couple of months the U.S. Market have been paying loads of interest and because we’re not widely presented there it may be an engaging next step. i believe it’s all in regards to the right time, which i’m hoping will come soon. Another market we’re interested by is Asian. Our collection is stocked in Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo. It’s very exciting to explore different continents and spot more women loving the garments I design.
SG Are you engaged on the other collaborations for the time being?
DK There are a number of projects I’m engaged on at present, but as I said before, i will’t inform you yet. In the event that they get confirmed it’s going to be amazing, but instantly i will only say yes and never provide you with any explanation of further details. Give me another month to determine if everything is a go and that i may be the first to inform you.
SG I remember your collaboration with TopShop. How did that go with regards to working with a large company? Would you do another one with a brand or company?
DK The collaboration with TopShop was very natural. The team was really cool and we had a great connection. You know, if people connect well working together, the consequences are always great! i might definitely work with TopShop again because it was really successful and the feedback was amazing. On every other collaborations, I’m the type of person that is up for anything new so long as i think good about it. You never know what happens or how things will end up, so I trust my feelings and that i always try and glide.
SG Tell me a little more about your organization and team.
DK To begin with, i’ve got an excellent team at the moment. i’ve people i will trust and believe in working with me everyday. We even have a lot of wonderful interns helping out every season. We’re actually attempting to move our studio from next season on. You might tell the labor is paying off and we’re taking the proper steps, nothing too big.
SG Would you ever do menswear?
DK i really like the theory of doing menswear, but i believe it’ll be the proper time and that i feel now it’s not the suitable time yet. i believe i must do pre-collections and a second line before doing menswear.
SG The last time we met in Paris i discussed i’ll see you being involved in the re-launching of a brand. Would you be up working for one more brand or label?
DK If something like this will likely happen and it were truly the correct match, then yes, i might definitely do it. i need to maintain my very own line as well as this, however. To be honest, it’d be amazing. It’d be my ultimate dream come true to be the designer of my very own label and the Creative Director of another one. i admire challenging myself.
SG Besides the complete fashion-design aspect, what other interests and skills do you’ve?
DK i really like to color. I don’t have enough time to do all the pieces i really like, but hopefully someday i will do more and show my vision through my paintings. i feel both are linked in a technique, fashion and art. For instance, while designing I treat the feminine body as a canvas to lay lines of the longer term garment on.
SG To finish this conversation, is there anything you want us to grasp?
DK Let me think. Ah! We’ve moved a major element of our production to Italy and that i’m happy to be doing things now that i’ll never have done before, like working with fur as an illustration, which i locate very very fascinating. Each season i will be able to work with a cloth or technique that i have not used before-something that’s new and intensely exciting-which i am hoping will come again every season and become element of David Koma brand identity.
