1000 Ideas by 100 Fashion Designers

Gaspard Yurkievich 101

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After his studies

at Studio Berçot,

Parisian Gaspard

Yurkievich won the

Festival d’Hyères in

1997 and launched

his  rst prêt-à-porter

women’s collection in

1998. Since then, his

shows have been an

innovative launch pad

that illustrate his sexy,

contemporary, and

urban visions. Gaspard

has worked with such

talents as the architect

Didier Faustino, artist

Edouard Leve, actress

Elodie Bouchez, and

musicians such as

Matthew Herbert.

Gaspard launched the

men’s prêt-à-porter and

shoe collections in 2003.

Keeping in line with

his vision, the men’s

collection has since

developed considerably

and offers a wide range

of dress shirts, T-shirts,

and revisited masculine

wardrobe classics.

From 2005 to 2007, in

parallel to his activity

as fashion designer,

he joined the teaching

staff at the ENSAD arts

school as a teacher of the

fundamentals of fashion.

Gaspard Yurkievich

www.gaspardyurkievich.com

© Valérie Belin

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© Shoji Fujii

© Shoji Fujii

271 INSPIRATION. I  nd inspiration in

fabrics and shapes, but I also react to what

has been shown before. There’s continuity

in my design. It’s more a way of moving, a

step to be taken.

272 W

ORKPLACE. The studio and

atelier are separate. The studio is where

the designs are set down, and the atelier

is where they are made up. It’s very lively

and messy. Journalists generally love it.

273 M

ATERIALS. There are pieces that

respond very literally to the concept, and

pieces that allow people to see what is

behind. It’s a matter of rhythm and taking

a breath between pieces. I choose a fabric if

I see the garment in my head when I touch

it. I never say “never.” It all depends on

the design context; everything is beautiful

when contextualized in an interesting

way. I work with the same companies

every season. These are the kind of

“collaborators” involved in my work.

274 C

OLORS. An emotion. The way of

working with the  ber gives it a brilliance

or depth and this is the balance that

completes my  nal choice.

275 T

RADITIONAL MANUFACTURING

VS. EXPERIMENTATION. I work around

the Parisian couture heritage, with its

tradition of thought and technique, but

with a contemporary outlook.

© Alfredo Salazar

© Alfredo Salazar

© Shoji Fujii

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© Shoji Fujii

© Shoji Fujii

276 YOUR RIGHT ARM? I have been

working with Guido Voss, my partner, and

with my brother, Damian Yurkievich, from

the start.

277 C

OMMUNICATION. It’s very

important to build up a style with a very

de ned image. Runway shows are the

means we have of getting our style across

every season. We organize our publicity

in-house.

278 P

HILOSOPHY. I maintain the

essence and the philosophy of the label

with each season, with the make up and

balance of the collections. But then I also

have impulses with fabrics, shapes, with a

trip, or with an artist.

279 I

S FASHION ART? No, but there is

a need to have an outlook for creating

fashion that takes us close to the work of

an artist. I often ask artists to participate

in my shows to give them an emotional

dimension that complements the collection.

280

S

ALES. I need to take into account the products that

work in our company. Our network is small, making

it easy to develop new ideas each season to cover the

need for sales.

© Shoji Fujii

© Shoji Fujii

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281 INSPIRATION. Experiment and have

fun with what you’re doing.

282 COLORS. Always wear black leather.

It’s sexy and black is  attering on any

 gure.

283 D

EVELOPING A COLLECTION. Teach

yourself new techniques, this way you get

to put your own individual slant on it.

284 S

TYLE. Never follow color

trends, work with palettes that you are

comfortable with and that complement

your vision. Stay away from neon...

285 E

VOLUTION. Designing is all

consuming and one can get lost in their

own world. It’s always good to  nd

somebody to work with, even if you’re

doing completely different things! This will

stop you from going crazy, and if it doesn’t,

at least you’ll go crazy together.

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