Hussein Chalayan exhibition at Istanbul Modern

Saturday afternoon I went to a place I’ve never been before, the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art. Since I knew there was an exhibition held by Hussein Chalayan, one of the pioneering names of contemporary design, I decided to have a look. I was familiar with his name but not really with his work so it was really worthwile and put me in the right mood for Fashion Week. For those who want to know more about him I assembled some information and pictures from the web, as I was not allowed to take pictures inside the museum myself.

Hüseyin Caglayan (how his name is written in Turkish) was born in Nicosia/Cyprus in 1970 and graduated from Central St. Martins College of Art and Design in London. In 1994 he launched his own label and since then, has twice been named British Designer of the Year. Today he is seen as one of the most visionary designers working in fashion and is well-known for an innovative use of materials and a progressive attitude towards new technology.

Walking through the exhibition I became aware that he also draws inspirations from disciplines that are not necessarily associated with fashion such as anthropology, history, science and philosophy. The exhibition, which not only presents his fashion collections but also art and film projects created between 1994 and 2010, is open until 24 October 2010. If you are in Istanbul or travelling around I’d say don’t miss it!

Source: 1: TheVine 2: Durubutik