Atlas of Fashion Designers

441

Martin Grant

Martin Grant

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No creative form exists in a vacuum, given that the process of creation tends to implicitly

involve the need to examine disciplines that converge with or run parallel to the one in

which the artist is working. Such is the case of Martin Grant, an Australian designer who,

after a brilliant seven-year career in fashion, decided to return to school, enrolling as a

sculpture student in the Victorian College of the Arts with the aim of approaching his own

fi eld from a distinct perspective.

After completing his studies, he headed for London, where he worked for diff erent com-

panies until, in 1992, he relocated to Paris and dedicated himself to his own fashion label:

fi rst in the form of small collections and later opening his fi rst boutique in 1996 in an old

barber’s shop in the historic Marais district.

Martin has blazed a trail for himself, remaining faithful to a work philosophy character-

ized by a marked aff ection for customized tailoring, detail and simplicity of lines.  ese

features are, beyond all doubt, the hallmark of this designer who, in each of his collections,

provides us with a lesson in geometry and proportion, in the never-ending search for an

eternal beauty so diffi cult to fi nd.

Alongside his work in fashion, he has also participated in artistic projects which have al-

lowed him to combine his two passions—design and sculpture—such as the year 2000

calendar he created for Absolut.

Photography by Vivien Allender

442

Martin Grant

Fall/Winter 2007–2008 collection,

noteworthy for the meticulous

preparation of each of its garment and

a taste for detail. Above, sketches by

the designer for the collection. To the

right, some of the designs.

Sketches courtesy of Martin Grant

443

Martin Grant

Photographies by Frederique Dumoulin @ Java

444

Martin Grant

- What inspires you?

Nature, open spaces, old cities, architecture, strong characters, personal interiors, Rome, Venice, India and Paris.

- What is your dream as a designer?

To be able to produce one collection per year instead of six!

- What has been the most important achievement of your career?

To still be existing as a designer.

- How important are trends?

For me, trends are not important, and I try to avoid them at all costs.

- Fashion has always refl ected a certain era. What does fashion refl ect in the twenty-fi rst century?

 e death of fashion as we have known it for the last century.

-  e book you would recommend to every fashion designer is...

, by Albert Lamorisse.

Martin Grant

10, rue Charlot

75003 Paris

France

www.martingrantparis.com

445

Martin Grant

Photography by Frederique Dumoulin @ Java