Despite their somewhat otherworldly personas (and we mean that as the highest compliment) and the breathless hype surrounding their launch eleven years ago – They live in a silver loft! They share a bed! They stage art happenings in lieu of traditional runway shows! - Threeasfour designers Ange Donhauser, Adi Gil and Gabi Asfour are refreshingly down-to-earth. Typical? Hells, no. Conformist? Fuggedaboudit. But grounded, charming and approachable? Yes, yes and yes.
That the 2007 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalists worship the natural world will not come as a surprise to anyone who’s ever seen a Threeasfour collection – what with their signature petals, shells and Mother Nature graphics – or peeped the Threeasfour human anatomy-in-reverse gown that was part of the Met Costume Institute’s Superheroes exhibit this past summer.
Even the white shirts they designed for the GAP last year hewed to the natural side of the street, thanks to rounded silhouettes and curved seams (which mirror the shape of their infamous “circle bag”), and the trio’s spring 2009 collection evolved the man v. nature theme further vis-à-vis “typhoon” minidresses, “mantis” leggings and an “anemone” tunic.
But the multi-culti designers, who hail from Lebanon, Israel and Tajikistan, have lived and worked in the heart of “open-minded” New York City since the mid-90s - Ange and Adi met as fashion students in Munich while Gabi honed his chops designing for Kate Spade - and they’re about as urbane as they come (though Adi has since moved out of the silver loft, leaving the now-married Ange and Gabi on their own).
These days, Threeasfour has gone from designing nature-inspired collections to inspiring other designer’s collections (*cough* Helmut Lang and Diesel “cough*). They recently collaborated with Sony on the launch of the new VAIO-P series computer and were honored by the Villency Emerging Fashion Program. For fall 2009, meanwhile, the trio say fans can expect a more sharply tailored collection with Swarovski crystal accents.
The Fashion Informer caught up with the forward-thinking iconoclasts over the holidays to dish on art, what makes for a perfect day, and how they unwind after a tough one (can you say s-e-x, boys and girls?).
So, Ange, Adi and Gabi…
What’s your idea of a perfect day?
ANGE: In bed with my love to the sound of raindrops. The moments after a show, all emotions pouring in and out.
ADI: Any day can be the perfect day. I guess it's up to me to make it.
GABI: Waking up with enough time to review your dreams, then sleeping when exhausted.
What is your favorite work of art?
ANGE: Dreams and nature: infinite beauty and inspiration.
ADI: Mother nature - look around.
GABI: Life. Because it is unpredictable.
Coffee or tea?
ANGE: Iced coffee all day and kombucha tea as a healthy treat.
ADI: Coffee and tea.
GABI: Coffee, black.
Tell me about your best friend.
ANGE: My humor and melancholia.
ADI: Which one? They are all individual. One-of-a-kind.
GABI: I can trust she is telling me the truth.
What is your favorite form of communication?
ANGE: Eye-to-eye, face-to-face and Eskimo style!!!
ADI: Talking. I love the real thing, face-to-face.
GABI: Telepathy.
When you were 9, what did you want to be when you grew up?
ANGE: Mother Teresa of the animal world.
ADI: Make beautiful clothing.
GABI: Not old.
What is your dream occupation (other than what you are doing, of course)?
ANGE: Goddess or James Bond.
ADI: This is my dream occupation. I couldn't imagine something else.
GABI: Staying alive.
How do you relax and recharge after a hard day?
ANGE: Some wine and making love.
ADI: Spending time with my cats. We watch movies together.
GABI: Get enough sleep.
What's your favorite holiday?
ANGE: Thirteen hours of sleep.
ADI: I like them all, from any religion. They are the best thing - maybe the only good thing - in religion. It is about people getting together. Holidays are there for it.
GABI: Every day, because there might not be a tomorrow.
What is your favorite store in the world?
ANGE: Ebay and the farmer’s market.
ADI: At the moment, a plant store on Centre Street in NYC.
GABI: The deli.
Do you cook? If so, what is your specialty?
ANGE: I love cooking for my loved ones and my pit bull Luna (seaweed omelet). Improvised dishes, mostly pasta creations, fish and salads (I do not eat meat).
ADI: Salads.
GABI: No, but I love to make sandwiches.
For what will you be arrested (hypothetically speaking)?
ANGE: Too much smoking!!!!!
ADI: Being honest.
GABI: Self defense.
Is there any color or fabric that you'd never use in a Threeasfour collection?
ANGE: I don’t like kaka brown and orange. And no more fur, please!!!
ADI: Every color is welcome. Not every fabric…
GABI: No. Never is momentary.
What freaks you out?
ANGE: Slaughter and religions.
ADI: Not too much.
GABI: The abyss.
When are you happiest?
ANGE: I’m the happiest when I’m in love, when doing, working, making dreams come true.
ADI: Good communication with my partners. To love and to be loved.
GABI: When in love.
Threeasfour will show their fall/winter 2009 collection on Saturday, February 14th.
I freakin LOVE kombucha (i also love iced coffee :)
I have been homebrewing becuase it is way easy and I save mega buckaroos.
All of my kombucha education has come from getkombucha.com and their mini course.
Posted by: Kambucha Bob | September 21, 2009 at 01:38 AM