For her Autumn Winter 2023 – 2024 collection, Imane Ayissi is in pure search of lines, shapes, volumes, movements, colours and textures, without forgetting her ecological commitment.
A quest for beauty
The starting point for this collection was the discovery of works by the painter Paul Chmaroff in the Thierry Schneider collection. Despite his unfamiliarity with the painter, who comes from a Russian background, he was instantly able to appreciate the beauty of this painting.
His reflection is on the fact that the search for beauty transcends cultural differences and is, on the contrary, what binds all members of humanity together.
Everywhere in the world, the beginning of a graphic work is always a set of lines and curves, a line and a circle (Mguilguidigueu-Mteun in the Ewondo language of Cameroon). Every creator can recognise themselves in the work of another creator.
Echoing the work of Paul Chmaroff, this collection is above all a pure search for lines, shapes, volumes, movements, colours and textures.
The stitching is done by Marcello Costa’s team, one of the most creative in the world for fashion weeks.
Ecology and beauty
are being reconciled…
Sustainable fashion is now perceived as compatible with style and aesthetics, according to the IFM study.
Convinced that fashion can be a vector for eco-responsible change, Imane Ayissi uses natural materials that have a low impact on the environment.
A trailblazer, Imane Ayissi was the first designer to use Ecobamboo fibre during Paris Fashion Week.
Bamboo has been cultivated in China for over 7,000 years. ECOBAMBOO is a new green fibre produced by the Jilin Chemical Fibre Group from high quality bamboo, representing innovation in bamboo cultivation in the 21st century!
For this collection, Imane has used the finest bamboo fibre fabrics. Production has obtained the dark green shirt label in the Hot Button CANOPY 2022 report, SA8000 standards and OEKO-Tex Standard 100, OEKO-STeP, with vegetable dyeing.
The international members of the Bamboo Union came to Paris to support this ecological commitment.
Exclusive meeting
with
Imane Ayissi
Why did you dare to be the first designer to use this new type of raw material: Ecobamboo fibre?
I’m quite daring. If you always wait for others to do the first tests, sometimes you will also miss out on something.
In this project, I like being the first to take the plunge. This new material, bamboo, is excellent. So you have to work with it and manipulate it. You have to see what you can do to make the creations.
When you see the material itself, the falls and the colours too, it’s very beautiful and pleasant. Isn’t it interesting in terms of comfort? It’s very soft to the touch. This drape speaks to me.
This material speaks to you?
Of course . When I look at fabrics, there are some that speak to me, like these bamboo crepes and satins.
I think the fabric is very nice and soft. The graves are quite incredible in terms of the material itself.
So I made shapes on the Stockman to see what can be done with it. I look at the volumes and shapes. I manipulate them a bit on the stockman and the sheets.
The inspiration? For example, this draped shape: there’s a Greek feel to it. But it’s also mostly African, the way African ladies drape themselves in fabrics. There’s a graphic side to it. I think it’s very elegant.
How important is sustainable fashion to you?
The whole world is interested in sustainable fashion. It’s becoming like a duty. For me, it is important to apply myself to this exercise to be able to commit myself in my own way and to make models with fabrics like bamboo that pollute much less. I think this is important for today’s world.
Creativity is a language of peace?
As a fashion designer, we send messages with our creations, including the dresses which carry messages.
I made the verses with the dresses to send the messages. Everything is written in the shapes, volumes and colours. It’s like when a painter paints a picture, you have to be able to read it with your eyes.
When you look at certain dresses, you can understand the designer’s vision. You can read the details of certain messages that are written «in» the dress. Or even the way the dress is described. There are things you can perceive. It’s important for me, fashion designers have a role to play for peace.
Are you interested in China?
I’m originally from Cameroon. But today, we have all become citizens of the world. China is very involved in Africa. In Cameroon, there are many Chinese. So it’s important that I take an interest in China. I have worked with Chinese people and some Chinese stars.
The world is linked. We must not forget that we are linked. There is history, travel, language and also words, a lot of things that link us. It is important that we take an interest in others today.
We are called to function together. I am interested in this Chinese culture which I find very rich.
Backstage : Imane Ayissi
Chinese version:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/2p_MfZNHNYZ98lOMd9SXLw
Airs de Paris in Kiosk
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Numbers 05 2023
https://www.journaux.fr/airs-de-paris-hors-serie_mode-beaute_feminin_283439.html