What inspired you for Fall 2011?
There is always an array of inspirational references; this season they varied from the interiors of The Met to the vivid hues you'd see in a pond full of cattails. We also looked to the 1960s/70s Italian architecture firm, Superstudio, and their manifestos pertaining to surface, symbolism and function (in “Life Without Objects”), borrowing motifs from their historic Continuous Monument Project. It's this process of piecing together all of these influences that evolves the collection each season to its very specific aesthetic.
How does this inspiration play out in terms of colors, fabrics, silhouette?
It results in textures mimicking building and sculpture materials, custom textiles by artist Francesca DiMattio, and stenciled sequins appearing alongside printed lace, “cracked” crystal detailing, broken grids made of ribbon and signature hardware in a palette of black-and-white weathered baroque, nude, hues of marble statues and green (the shade of algae).
What music did you listen to while designing this collection?
MAAYAN: After we shot our friend Caroline Polachek for our Spring 2011 campaign, I ended up listening to a lot of the music for her band Chairlift while it was being developed for their new album coming out this summer. Listening to her music as it evolved and hearing how the lyrics changed and what they were about had a huge impact on how I approached this collection. What emotions and messages I wanted the new pieces to evoke.
NIKKI: I listened to a lot of Magnetic Fields and Belle and Sebastian—they both have such a perfect way of talking about love and life in honest and funny terms. I also was into the simultaneously futuristic and nostalgic sound Flaming Lips always seems to produce.
Do you have any New York Fashion Week pre-show rituals you can share with us?
MAAYAN: Before I do anything that has to be “on stage,” so to speak, I make sure the oven isn’t on and that my cat is in the house. Those aren’t rituals, per se, but checklists to make sure I can relax once it comes time to being totally in the zone.
NIKKI: Well, technically this is our first NYFW show, so I don't know that it's a ritual exactly, but I have a feeling there will be a glass of wine and cake balls from our friend, Julie Le's "Sweet Jewels" involved.
What other show(s) are you looking forward to seeing this season?
NIKKI: I think we're both excited to see what the next collection of Theysken's Theory is going to include. I love the pairing of sharply tailored lines and the influence of lingerie he's developed there. Our friend, Siki Im, has been showing beautiful men's collections with an architectural slant and from the sounds of it this season will be no different—I want to wear most of it!
MAAYAN: In addition to these I’m also excited to see Katie Gallagher’s show now that she’s doing runway. That will be amazing. I did the nails for her show last February and we had a blast backstage.
How do you relax and recharge after Fashion Week?
NIKKI: I'm planning on resuming the hip-hop dance classes I've been too busy for lately. They're really intense but for two hours I can zone out and pretend I'm in one of those dance movies.
MAAYAN: I plan on getting back into my baking and preparing some really big desserts for events soon after Fashion Week. Not so relaxing but definitely recharging!
Nikki Dekker and Maayan Ziberman will present The Lake & Stars Fall 2011 collection on Friday, February 11th at Pier 59 Studios.
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