Style Wunderkind Jordan Gogos On Working With An Icon

Australian vogue has a brand new wunderkind and enfant horrible wrapped in a single high-octane and masterfully maximalist bow. His identify is Jordon Gogos, the not-so-new child on the block making big waves beneath his eccentrically eclectic label Iordanes Spyridon Gogos.

The model is the whole lot vogue must be about; unabashed creativity, forging group and blurring the boundaries between wearable artwork and excessive vogue. Funnily sufficient, the model has by no means offered a bit of ready-to-wear to today, with Gogos’ design method rooted in one-of-one bespoke items which can be hand crafted, hand drawn, hand painted, hand touched.

In each aspect possible to create a garment, Gogos, or one in all his crew of bourgeoning artisans, sits behind a stitching machine, spinning scraps of material into sculptural sensations or portray, printing or patching items collectively to sartorially create his lurid world of convention-defying mischief.

The celebration of Gogos and his collaborators’ cumulative efforts doesn’t come on the finish of the yr within the type of a debaucherous Christmas occasion, however reasonably in Might on the annual Australian Style Week calendar. Certainly, Gogos is famed for the hedonistic and theatrical runway shows that sees even essentially the most solemn vogue editors or severe model savants crack a smile watching a concoction of eccentric artists parade down his runway.

It’s a present everybody all the time seems to be ahead to, and this yr the ante has been upped a substantial quantity, marking a number of milestone moments for a model on its solution to complete domination.

Through the 2023 season of Australian Fashion Week, Gogos will lastly debut his hotly-anticipated ready-to-wear creations; a melange of combined references that pulls inspiration from Gogos’ technicolour visible panorama and ship one thing all collectively distinctive for his model.

Not solely that, however he has teamed up with famed Australian vogue steward, Akira Isogawa, to co-create a sequence of designs that sees the melding of two distinct visible language into one super-powered assortment presentation. For ground-breaking designer Isogawa, this partnership marks his return to Australian vogue week after an prolonged hiatus; truely an unmissable sight to behold. Two masters of their craft. Two avant-garde innovators. One mighty present.

Beneath, learn on for the way Gogos balances all of it, the wealthy heritage he’s forging for his model within the current, and the way his shock collaboration with Glenfiddich Whisky shall be woven into a couple of aspect of his newest assortment.

GRAZIA: Collaboration and group is on the coronary heart of your follow. Why is partnering with Akira Isogawa vital to you? 

The collaboration with Akira constructed over time and didn’t begin with the idea of eager to do a complete present collectively. Due to his wealthy historical past I needed to satisfy him, perceive his ability, and easily join. Being in the beginning of your profession, you want to have the ability to broaden in your expertise and data and there’s solely up to now you may go with out somebody that may be a true grasp of their area.  Akira’s physique of labor is a supply of inspiration for me, and the significance grew the extra I noticed his archive and the methods concerned. After connecting, it simply organically flourished into one thing that (hopefully) you’ll recognize throughout our runway present.  

GRAZIA: Are you able to describe the synergy between Akira’s model DNA and the Iordanes Spyridon Gogos ethos? 

JORDON GOGOS:  It’s fascinating as a result of his work has lived and breathed in a special time capsule to mine. Mine was birthed out of covid and his started over thirty years in the past, and you can’t ignore the positioning of a model inside the time it’s working. Understanding the context of the place he has labored to the context we’re working now are onerous to check.

The manufacturers communicate to one another however are completely totally different! I might say the most important commonality is that they’re each materials and technical centered – we make each cloth and Akira imprints and imbeds his materiality all through the entire thing.  

GRAZIA: How totally different is the design course of when creating ready-to-wear versus your fantastical runway items? 

GOGOS: Considered one of your solely artistic limitations is when you find yourself stepping right into a value bracket. Realistically, the sky is the restrict in the case of labour prices with runway items, nonetheless, there’s a high-quality line with ready-to-wear items. Prepared-to-wear should accommodate a wider vary of individuals, so inside the design course of I’ve to create one thing extra malleable, whereas one piece on the runway, you should not have to consider different individuals, it’s the mannequin and their second sporting the clothes.  

GRAZIA: What does having your model showcase at AAFW imply to you as a designer? 

GOGOS: I carry lots of my labour into the present as a result of I really feel that I’ve a duty to not discredit the platform that it’s. I additionally don’t take without any consideration being given a scheduled spot… Like, I by no means thought I’d ever even be on schedule, it’s ridiculous!

Runway areas are very advanced as a result of the style ignites political and social dialogue. It’s so vital for me to ask these onerous conversations as a result of if runways didn’t exist, there can’t be productive dialogue.

For me, to offer a physique of labor that may contribute to this, is a privilege.

GRAZIA: How is that this yr’s iteration of vogue week totally different from earlier years? 

GOGOS: To begin, we have now downscaled from 60 collaborators to round 5 which is a BIG change. Then excitingly, we have now our ready-to-wear assortment which is being embedded in efficiency items and partnerships.

With the ability to see staple DNA items commercialised, and people silhouettes be put into present items is so distinctive. I’m to see how a present will enhance attraction by gross sales and the way the viewers will interact with my model off the runway for the primary time.  

GRAZIA: Your runways are all the time a celebration. Except for Glenfiddich, what are the three parts that make a celebration memorable? 

GOGOS:The primary aspect to a celebration is being considerate in what you might be utilizing as a result of there’s nothing enjoyable about making a tonne of waste.

The second aspect is nice sound… I’ve labored with Bryan Spencer, Dan and The Deep Sound for 3 years now so we positively have that down pact.

Lastly, I believe the individuals invited to the occasion have to be numerous – contributing with their backgrounds and persona to the entrance of the occasion. Those who aren’t anticipated to be within the area are all the time those who make that dynamic extra enjoyable!   

GRAZIA: How did you develop the distinctive textile for Glenfiddich’s couture assortment? For keen eyes, the place can we spot this in your upcoming AFW present? 

GOGOS: After we began growing materials, we got here throughout this closing down warehouse stuffed with old skool uniform materials. Naturally, we salvaged all of them; inside that, there have been three shades of inexperienced and gold threads used for embroidery.

When Ross (Inventive Collaboration Lead for Glenfiddich) was right here, we grabbed just a few items and put all of them collectively as a pattern, enjoying round with the supplies. As quickly as we lifted up the piece, we instantly noticed a synergy between the material and the whisky! Not solely with the colourway but in addition the layers, completely representing the historical past and technique of whisky making.

Nobody actually understands the time and complexity gone into each whisky and our compression methods, making the items sing true to each manufacturers.   

GRAZIA: Why is working with a worldwide model like Glenfiddich important to you? Moreover, why was it vital to you to proceed your working relationship with Akira for this venture? 

GOGOS: For me a worldwide model and the concept of ‘worldwide’ feels boundless. There are not any limitations, and you might be considering with a a lot greater scope, attain and affect, so your outcomes from the get go are far more significant. It’s additionally very comforting once you work with a model that understands the significance of storytelling.

A model doesn’t turn into such a such a family identify the world over with out familiarity and historical past, and like my model, you may’t obtain that type of heritage with out story.

Intertwining Akira into this partnership made sense as a result of he too is boundless. I wouldn’t place Akira subsequent to one thing that’s small-minded, he’s identified for pushing boundaries and has retransformed himself repeatedly, actually representing how “The place’s Subsequent” is infinite.  

GRAZIA: What do you suppose is the most important AAFW fake pas you would like your youthful self knew? 

GOGOS: I remorse not reaching out to individuals, providing assist and genuinely partaking with manufacturers. I consider that is how one can make these inside trade connections and take additional steps in your profession. For instance, I all the time needed to partake in vogue week, and I believe the primary time I ever attended was at my very own present…I needed to do the entire present simply to get a ticket!

I actually underestimated the act of outreach and assist for a model. I additionally want I knew to get expertise by reaching out to these you don’t essentially align with or usually are not in your explicit area to construct perception and artistic understanding. For me now, I like welcoming individuals with a special mindset to me and I want my youthful self knew the significance of that.  

GRAZIA: What rituals have you ever carried out into your routine within the lead-up to AAFW? 

GOGOS:Wakeup, eat, work, sleep, repeat! My household and pals know they shouldn’t count on me to be human throughout this time – no time to catch up or rejoice birthdays, all of it needs to be postponed to after Style Week.

It’s one factor to bodily make work, however having the top area to appropriately outline what you might be creating is extra vital. Making one thing is nothing with out thought and enter, and for me that’s performed by lowering noise.  

GRAZIA: What’s in your pre-AFW playlist? 

GOGOS: My present music that you’ll have to wait and take heed to!  

GRAZIA: What’s extra vital: the placement of the present or the timeslot of the present? 

GOGOS: Neither. Being individual issues extra!  

GRAZIA: How does your Australian buyer embody your model’s DNA in a approach worldwide prospects don’t? 

GOGOS: Uncertain but as I don’t promote. Nonetheless, I’m to see as I don’t suppose there’s any distinction between Australian and worldwide customers.  

GRAZIA: What do you suppose your model brings to the Australian vogue panorama? 

GOGOS: I believe when individuals see my work, it reminds them of why they began within the trade, the sense of freedom, zero limitations… In any other case, I believe that’s for everybody else to resolve.  

GRAZIA: With out giving an excessive amount of away, what are the three phrases you’d use to explain the vibe of your present? 

GOGOS: Teddy, Trojan, Akira  

Learn extra in-depth interviews with designers showcasing at AAFW 23, together with ALÉMAIS, BEC + BRIDGE and Caroline Reznik in GRAZIA’s pre-fashion week sequence: ‘In Focus’.