French designers Marithe+Francois Girbaud continue to build bridges between architecture, design and fashion with CONSTRUKT, their experimental design series curated by Sebastien Agneesens, of Formavision.
Now on view, CONSTRUKT 5, "Moment of Impact," features Belgian architect Jeroen de Schrijver who was commissioned to reflect on the "Non Surgical Surgical Lift" technology patented by Marithe+Francois Girbaud for their fall/winter 2006/07 collection.
De Schrijver's installation is an attempt to freeze time to capture moments in the midst of explosion: volcanic eruptions, liquid splashes, the violent contact between two bodies. The phenomenon of explosion, which most people associate with destruction, is portrayed by the artist as a symbol of creation, synonymous with the birth of a new form. It is the incarnation of these newly generated shapes that are captured through his sculptures, which are scientifically simulated digitally through multiple layers of data, then physically produced using sophisticated techniques such as laser and water jet cutting.
The sculptures presented at "Moment of Impact" are large-scale cardboard sculptures measuring over 7-feet tall by 10-feet wide, composed of layers of honeycomb cardboard, and a series of small-scale objets d'art using the same layering technique incorporating thin strips of stainless steel, marble and cardboard.
This layering effect directly refers to Girbaud's "Non Surgical Surgical Lift" technique, a multi-layer process that allows clothing to be assembled in various ways, for instance with pockets fully integrated in the construction of clothing and garments designed in multiple textured fabrics.
De Schrijver's idea of working with diverse materials, from cardboard to marble, is reflective of the fact that through experimentation any material can be integrated in sophisticated fashion designs. Marithe +Francois Girbaud incorporates many materials to increase the richness of textures and fabrics.
The CONSTRUKT series celebrates the long- standing tradition of fashion and fabric innovations of Marithe+Francois Girbaud. These limited-edition design objects are created by today's best product designers and offered for sale exclusively at their New York flagship store, 47 Wooster Street. Each installation pays tribute to a particular fashion innovation of Marithe+Francois Girbaud.
The designers comment: "Creation should not be the sole prerogative of museums and galleries. It has become democratic and we wish to share it with all."