THE 34TH FESTIVAL IN HYERES: THE FUTURE IN FASHION
As conscious consumption, transparency and sustainability have become the most important issues among the fashion industry, the renowned International Fashion Festival in Hyères follows on from these socially relevant subjects. So, it is not surprising that the young talents who competed in each category regarding fashion, photography and fashion accessories were all involved in sustainable fashion matters. The finalist Christoph Rumpf, a Design Student from Vienna, convinced the talent scouts and international fashion experts the most with its collection recycled from used materials such as curtains or carpets.
His unique understanding of fashion which only can function “in the context of history and character” shows his contemporary and modern way of consciousness and sustainability. And although his design is labeled as menswear, he stresses that his clothes have no gender or age limitations. Chloé’s creative director, Natacha Ramsay-Levy, participated as the guest of honor on the 34thedition of the festival as jury chairman for the fashion competition also said, “The most important task of fashion is to reflect the world”.
Last year, the Dutch designer duo Rushemy Botter and Lisi Herrenbrugh, who won the Grand Prix with their “Fish or Fight”-collection and addressed contemporary issues such as pollution or exploitation of local fishermen from large companies, also reflected the focus of this year’s festival with their “Botter Crash” collection: an upside-down men’s handbag making a statement for gender equality and anti-discrimination.
I really enjoyed this fashion-filled weekend at the Villa Noailles which has been a popular meeting place for artists from all over the world. The villa was built by the modernist architect Robert Mallet-Stevens between 1924 and 1932 in the cubist style and is still today characterized by the esprit of artists such as Buñuel, Man Ray, Dali and Cocteau who met or lived there. Marie-Laure and Charles De Noailles who were in possession of the estate from the 1930s onwards brought together personalities from the world of art, fashion, design and literature under its roof. This tradition of hospitality is still part of the Hyères Festival today which Jean-Pierre Blanc founded in 1986. The avant-garde construction, arranged in different cubes, creates such an exceptional atmosphere and the experimental collections of the young and professional creatives enforces it even more.
Fashion interacts with design, architecture, photography and music: It was a great experience for me to be part of such a great get-together on the wonderful French countryside: especially the value and meaning of the spectacular collections of the young talents showing the effects of our consumer behavior on earth but happiness and understatement at the same time won me over.
