The Horst Interview: Asger Juel Larsen

Asger Juel Larsen Graduate collection

Exploring expressions of masculine strength, Asger Juel Larsen confronts his hero with the raw and severe reality of a future past. The dichotomy of ancient heritage and sci-fi scenarios is reflected through futuristic materials and an eclectic use of references. Armor evolves as the centre of Larsen’s menswear, marked by elaborate details and craftsmanship as well as a dark and grotesque vision.



Fall/Winter 2010

Being perceived as a highly promising London designer, do you feel home in London?

In the beginning it took me a while to figure out what London was all about. I had to realise that everything I had imagined turned out to be completely different. The youth culture was much more on the edge than I had ever expected. And now, after three years, I feel more home in London than ever before. I love living in London. The possibility of doing whatever you want whenever you want is without comparison.

How has your design aesthetics evolved? What was the initial moment that made you fall in love with fashion?

A precise moment is hard to identify. The urge of breaking out of the normal pattern and exploring my surroundings has been within me since always. I liked daydreaming, I liked exploring, I liked dressing up. During my childhood, I used to hide in a small forest to escape from reality and create my very own dream world reigned by giants and dwarfs. Later, hanging out with the older boys at school fascinated me deeply. The way they looked, talked and acted moved me from within.

Your fascination for the raw and martial, your re-interpretation of medieval warfare marked the break-through for you as a designer. Where does your obsession derive from?

When I was little, I used to spend hours building massive fortresses out of Lego, Action Force or Dino Riders. I liked to set up massive parades of toy soldiers. Then, in one big battle that took less than two minutes, everything was torn apart. And I built the whole thing up again.


Asger Juel Larsen chain mail

In which extend do you feel attracted to the dark and brutal?

I feel attracted to it in both the real and fictional way. I never saw myself pursuing a career in the military, as I am way too rebellious, but I am deeply fascinated by the science that goes into the weapon industry. It is terrifying but still electrifying to see how that industry steps forward like no other. I actually relax when I watch the History Channel, in particular the new series about the Second World War in rare colour footage.

What do you think attracts people about your dark sci-fi theme?

A little daydream of becoming saviours in their own daily routine.

How do you perceive the contemporary mindset? What do you think is the essence of our time?

Responsibility in a fragile world.

Your sources of inspiration are manifold: Russian Tsar Nicholas II, architect Richard Rogers, the movie Terminator. Where do you see an aesthetic connection, a ‘black’ thread?

When I start a new project, I explore a wide variety of resources, something that kick-starts my creativity like nothing else. There is a link among them all. From the traditional and well-mannered principles of the past to the rapid future marked by technology and machines. The film ‘Titus’ by Julie Taymor portrays it very well. It is set in the Antique. Suddenly soldiers on motorcycles appear. I adore the incorrectness of that.



Richard Rogers Lloyd's Building vs. Metal Tube Waistcoat

If you were a character in a dystopic Asger Juel Larsen future, who would you be?

I would be the person in command of the Salvation Army that consists of humans and cougars who have been cloned to undertake the threat from intelligent manmade machines that aim to destroy anything living. We’re all wearing torn apart bodysuits in unforgiving dusty black leather with plated laser armour that can resist bullets of the strongest calibre. We shoot with plant fluid since that is the only ammunition that can break the components of the motherboard and destroy the machines.

You’ve been collaborating with Mauricio Stein for a limited sunglasses collection. The glasses can be interpreted as shields to protect the hero’s eyesight but also as an aesthetic filter to endorse him with an intensified view. Could one describe your glasses as an essential accessory to transport the wearer into a hyper-reality and advanced form of perception?

We wanted to make glasses that could unite the different looks in my collection. Therefore, we came up with the idea of making a double lens like a shield covering and protecting the face. Almost like a warrior helmet. At the same time it would be possible to flip the lens depending on the look or the mood of the outfit. We call them Austrian planet climber glasses. They can be used for transportation to another galaxy. It’s all about how far the wearer is willing to go.


AJL x Mauricio Stein flip glasses

How will your next collection look like? What influences are conquering your mind right now?

I’m currently trying to figure out what kind of fabrics and materials I want to use for my SS11 and AW11 collections. I need to be a bit ahead since I’m making two collections during the next half-year. Red Indians and African tribe men are on my mind these days.

Could you imagine evolving a softer, melancholic and sensitive side? What is hiding underneath the rubber cord armour and metal shields?

I’m not really into the whole bohemian thing. I like structure.

When did you cry the last time and why?

When my good friend Daniel died of cancer a month ago.

You are a master of craftsmanship, experimenting with unconventional materials such as PVC and rubber cords to create protective garments and stand-out-masterpieces like the infamous chain mail. How do you choose your materials?

I research thoroughly and test the materials. What works and what doesn’t. I like to use original materials. When I did my BA collection and had been researching the era of medieval knights I wanted to use genuine chain mail rings and not lightweight aluminium or plastic rings. It made the final outcome much more attractive.

You don’t flinch from getting injured or overly exhausted. Is the extensive physical effort an important part of your creative process?

I would prefer something in between but I must say, I do like making something from scratch and work with alternative materials that can be quite tough sometimes.



Collection development

Any dramatic mishappenings?

I had a few problems with my metal tube waistcoat for the AW10 collection. I got the metal pipes as a Christmas present from my brother. I know it sounds like a wild present but it keeps the material costs down. After we had cut them, I needed to bring them to London and barely got them through customs. I was really scared they would confiscate them, since 300 small metal tubes easily could have been characterised as small bombs. In the end everything turned out fine and I could happily finish the waistcoat.

Are there particular elements you are obsessed with?

Metal.

Do you think fashion correlates to sexuality, creating tension and desire?

Very much. No matter what direction your pursuing in fashion, it’s important to have tones of desire and sex. It looks good and it sells.

What does intrigue you about the male anatomy? One may describe your creations as manifestos of masculinity.

I like the torso. The main part of the male body exemplifies what kind of man you are.



Fall/Winter 2010 Lookbook

What does manhood mean to you?

Someone who can take care of himself and his loved ones.

How do you feel towards contemporary concepts of androgyny?

I love it. I see androgynous woman and men as the future. The London youth culture is blossoming with men finding their own feminine side while still balancing it with their masculine side.

Have gender definitions been erased completely? Or is it time to revive the archaic rules of sexual identity?

The past is the past and I like the transformation. You have the chance to be whoever you want to be whenever you want to. That is amazing and the only correct way. I hate discrimination.

Please picture the world in 2060.

Luc Besson’s ‘The Fifth Element’ says it all.

And finally, as who would you like to be remembered?

As a person with character.

Thank you very much, Asger.
/HORST

Published in Zoo Magazine NO.27, 2010.

The Horst Interview: Martin Niklas Wieser

Martin Niklas Wieser Portrait

Heritage and the confusion of (male) identity build the recurrent constant in Martin Niklas Wieser's work. The withdrawn and froward nature of South Tyrol provides the scenery for his interdisciplinary debate of fashion and art. Intellectual garments with meaning. Manipulated from their original form. Abstracted from their vague initial context.



‘Wut’ Fall/Winter 2010

Dear Martin, how are you and what are you wearing today?

I’m very well, thanks! I’m wearing my favourite black jeans, a white T-shirt and my new boots with front zipper.

Tell us about your work. What do we have to know about you?

I am producing bi-annual collections. I am also working on projects, varying from fine arts to publishing.

What is your agenda, your personal manifesto?

I like the idea of a personal manifesto, although this idea is very vague to me right now. I think anything goes, as long as I can see a personal attitude or statement behind the work.

What would you consider your first piece of work, an initial moment?

Some seasons ago I did a full body hair piece. I would consider that as an initial moment.

Your work is wafting between fine arts and fashion design, yet the final outcome remains separate from each other. Could you imagine melting both concepts into one collection, respectively art installation?

When I started doing my collections, I didn't really draw a line between art and fashion; it all came together naturally. When I moved on, I started to separate the two aspects more and more from each other. As they build upon different parameters, it is wise to focus on one thing at a time. Fashion demands a lot of concentration. So does art and I take it just as serious. I like the idea of bringing the two disciplines together but I also like to show the melting line.


‘Wut’ Fall/Winter 2010

With your latest project 'Wut' you refer to pornographic stereotypes. Which specific aspects are you contemplating?

We live at a time in which we are flooded with sexual and pornographic images. In virtual life we meet a totally overexposed idea of sexuality. What led to the reference was this covered drive for sex in our society and how we, as individuals, cope with this ambivalence.

How does this approach reflect through the garments? What are the signature reference points?

The conceptional background is entirely abstracted when it comes to the product. It serves more as a psychological impetus. All that remains is a shadow, an aftertaste. The clothes don't resemble the initial picture, they work on their own principles.

Your figures appear slightly frightened and daunted. What happened to them?

I think the figures embody a sort of displaced sexuality, a sexuality that is taking place in their thoughts. It is a mistake to intellectualize sex. On the other side, I cannot help but having a strong affection for intellect and intelligence. I don't think they are frightened, they are rather lost in their thoughts and challenged by their lust.



‘Hometownboy – German Piece of Wood’ Fall/Winter 2009

I am also deeply in love with your all-white collection 'Hometownboy – German Piece of Wood', an homage to your small-town philosophies and the stiffness of German personality. How did your conviction and love translate into the final garments?

The whole project happened very intuitively. The collection very much grew out of the process and out of my living situation back then. In an afterthought the work is pretty much indulging in the question of self-perception. We all have our origin. To know where you are coming from was always very relevant for me. I still have a strong relation to my hometown. If you go through a lot of changes in your life you will always keep the picture of who you were in your mind. In good and bad terms.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a little village in the north of Italy. It lies within a German speaking alpine region. The picturesque scenery collides with a strong cultural antagonism. The understanding of cultural identity is totally over-defeminised as the German population was struggling for acceptance for years. Subsequently, people living there have a strong sense of tradition.

Why white war paint, why roped and dislocated proportions?

Many of my projects are driven by emotion. As for the 'Hometownboy – German Piece of Wood' collection the shaping was a rather emotional act. When I look back now, I can see myself in the pictures. The proportions and paint signalize confusion and coverage.

What is significantly German to you?

You don't necessarily feel German until you leave Germany, or as in my case, a very German orientated area. I am not sure if there is anything as national identity, but I do like the question of origin.

What is your answer to this question of origin?

My origin is very much predefined in a way. Although it is vague in a nationalistic way, my family background is very stable as it builds upon tradition and constancy.

Is the German restricted and hold hostage by his own characteristics?

No, not in a generalized way. I think everyone, German or not, should question and challenge himself.


'Südtirol' drawing, Martin Niklas Wieser

What kind of man do you have in mind when designing clothes?

I started off designing for men and women. I did not distinguish between sex. The idea to have a specific person in mind is relatively new to me, but it becomes more relevant.

So who is he?

Smart, driven, a little shy probably. Strong at will and slightly lost. I like honesty in people; I am intrigued by character and stubbornness.

How would you dress Horst? Which side of his personality would you emphasise?

The clever and the sexy one. I actually liked the jock strap on you.

You worked with Bernhard Willhelm. As we do love and worship him, how is he as a person?

I admire him for his endless creativity and ambition. He is not scared to re-define fashion after his personal terms. You wont find may people like him in the fashion business.

We also share an attraction to Romain Kremer…

The fact that his work has the capability to create an universe of his own is reason enough to admire him. He seems to have a very clear vision and refines it continuously. His design is very innovative and precise; what he does hasn't happened before. It is so refreshing in a fashion world with endless repetition and self-reference. And he just does it right, every season he comes up with a stronger picture of what is Romain Kremer.

If you were an object, what would it be? Romain is a rocket by the way…

A rocket is a very sexy object. Can I be the engine?

Any other icons, objects, things that move you deeply?

Nature moves me. Everyday happenings as well.

You once stated every boy should have a rock in his pockets. Could you elaborate on this thesis?

Use it as your totem or defence.


The Fable Of The Friendly Bear, 18th Century

Have you ever tried the Kamasutra?

Actually I have not, or not that I knew of.

What is your darkest fantasy?

Not to care.

What are your favourite parts of the male and female body?

The face. I also find hands and arms highly sensual. I love strong hands on men. They signalize safety.

How can one seduce you?

By being smart.



'Eso' Spring/Summer 2009

What do you aim for when dressing a person in your garments?

I like the idea of being part of something, to share a view on things or to have a common interest. I hope my clothes can transport a hint of companionship.

Do you see a notion of yourself caressing the body wearing your pieces?

Partly yes, but I like to differentiate more and more.

How would you re-create yourself? Which materials, textures, colours would you consist of. What kind of garment would you be?

I'd go for black goat's leather and a black basic cotton quality. Both materials keep their own strong characteristics yet correspond quite nicely. I like the unity and the diversity about it.

Which artists do speak to you creatively and emotionally?

I know some young personalities in the Berlin artistic underground scene who inspire me. I like the over-acoutisized opinions and attitudes of young, not established artists.

Could you give us any names, examples, one artwork that currently attracts you?

I am a huge fan of painting. I love the traditional aspect about it. I like the old masters such as Gerhard Richter and Martin Kippenberger.



I.G., Gerhard Richter, 1993

Is designing, respectively drawing, a deeply emotional process to you, or more likely a purely technical task?

This is quite ambivalent. In a realistic point of view it doesn't make much sense to super-ordinate your personal issues; in fashion, as in any design, you have to cater to the market. On the other side it is your personal quest which keeps you going.

What will be the next project of Martin Niklas Wieser?

The project is very schizophrenic in a way. My ideas are competing right now. The collection is slightly overloaded with information and over-intellectualized.

What is schizophrenic about it? Will there be a signature detail you can reveal?

Everything really. There is an inner drive to break things down to something simple and clear, and at the same time this urge to say as much as I can. I am quite optimistic though that in the end everything will make sense.

What would you like to achieve?

I would like to reach the point where my work incorporates my vision.

What would you like to experiment with?

I love cooperations. I think there lies so much potential in good people working together. I'd love to work with Bruna Kazinoti for instance. I would also love to do a video.

What are you afraid of?

To lose affection for what I am doing.

Have you been close to that emotion?

Many times. It seems very natural though. It is part of the process.

When do you doubt yourself?

When I fail.



'White' drawings, 2009

Black or white?

Black.

Silver or gold?

Neither.

Master or slave?

Both.

What was the last book you read, the last movie you saw, the last dinner you enjoyed?

I am deeply in love with Elfriede Jelinek. I think she treats language as a matter of art. Every sentence is phrased perfectly. I love words. I have been seeing 'Chloe' lately. It wasn't my choice really, but I enjoyed it in a way. I have this fling for upper class inellectualism, it already fascinated me when I was a little child. My last dinner was probably take-away food. I love food and I love to cook, but I also like cheap food!

Anything else we need to know?

Not right now.

Please give us a little something…

Haha, you are so resistant. I will actually leave Europe for a while. I will spend my summer in New York. I was always attracted by this city, I am full of anticipation.

What do you love about yourself?

That I cannot help but do what I think is right for me.

And finally, what do you love about Lynn&Horst?

I like the aspect of irony about it, and the personal touch. The internet led to an overall anonymization in so many fields.

Many thanks.
/HORST

The Horst Interview: Anna-Sara Dåvik

Anna-Sara Dåvik Portrait 2009

Gifted with a sharp vision an eloquent design language, Anna-Sara Dåvik eliminates the superfluous and replaces definitions of things, words and contexts with her very own perception. The surreal, the disproportionate, the asexual and indefinable. In her world women are warriors. And random matter provides their weapon. Flowers, boxes, nail gloves. I am honoured to introduce to you: A conversation about the essence of The Essence of A-S Dåvik.



Essence of A-S (2009)

Dear Anna, what are you wearing right now?

I'm wearing a white long thin-knitted cardigan with rubber shoulder pads underneath and white skirt-like trousers. Dark brown men's shoes and silver socks.

When did you decide to design clothes?

When I was 19. At first I thought I was going to do ceramics or graphic design but I ended up moving into another direction. Which, when I look at it now, has always been quite marked out. But I really like most aesthetic areas, which is why I like to do a lot myself – I often do everything from photo to graphic design etc. I enjoy it. My world is as much interior as jewellery as illustration etc. But I also love collaborations.

Your line is quite young? How did everything evolve?

I started working on the first A-S Dåvik collection autumn of 2008. After my MA I went to Paris and ended up not wanting to stay. I thought that was what I wanted to do, but it wasn't. It wasn't my path and I never force it. I started working on the “Essence of A-S” collection there, so instead of going out I ended up on the floor drawing loads and wanting to go home. I moved back to Sweden and started my company.

You graduated with likes of Christopher Kane. Can you tell us any secret anecdotes?

Yes, it was amazing to see a glimpse of his amazing journey. I remember sharing a cab with him and then Azzedine Alaia called or someone from his office – not quite sure. Anyway, Alaia wanted to have tea with him when visiting London. Stories like this happened all the time. He seemed to take everything like it was the most natural thing.




Essence of A-S (2009)

I once stated a monstrous appeal to your creations. The woman's proportions are seemingly exaggerated and enlarged. Could you elaborate on your concept of feminity?

I think it's that type of feminity that attracts me and the feminity I want to express through my work is maybe a part of whom I aspire to be myself. A lot of my view on feminity is also influenced by my mom. The shapes and designs of the garments that you talk about is something I can't really explain. It's just what I think is elegant and strong proportion-wise and enhances my vision of what I like women to wear. It comes from intuition and from what I think looks good.

Your models seem like supernatural creations, almost flying in their wafting robes, very angelic but also very mystic. A romantic version of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse?

Women are warriors.

Little Horsti is the total opposite of your overwhelmingly strong women. He could hide under their skirts and smell their tulip perfume. How can he compete against their power?

Overwhelmingly strong – I think he needs to reflect upon why he is intimidated by strong women.




Details Essence of A-S

I totally loved the black garbage bags and bricks that accompanied your Spring/Summer 2010 presentation. What is the story behind these accessories?

With the garbage bag I wanted to bring in another dimension of material to the collection and it turned out beautifully when hand lined and equipped with proper bag details. It was just an idea that gave enough energy for me to do it and it worked. The “bricks” you refer to were jewellery boxes. To enhance the jewellery they carried the boxes. The boxes are really lovely, they are items in themselves.


Paper roll brooch in silicon puddle

Every detail is balanced out to perfection: twisted tights, random objects applied as brooches, beard-like collar pieces. How do you create your cohesive universe?

Wow, thank you. Shit, I don't know. I have a complicated relationship with my work. I try to pay attention to myself and the entirety of the pieces. When it turns me on or gives me energy I follow it. I try to communicate the world I've created in my head and when I do something that feels right the body or maybe rather the mind sort of react. Intuition is key for me. I search with my hands to please my eyes. The thing is that you never quite succeed in presenting what's in your head and that's what keeps you creating.

Another trademark of yours is the colour palette. It's all about greys and pales. Very soft and soothing. A romantic counterpart to the power woman theme?

I always tend to fall for those colours in fabrics. I haven't questioned it yet. I've chosen to go with that. Maybe I'm just very Scandinavian. I like it being colorful without using strong colors as such. I don't wear much colour myself either. I'm not a very loud person. I like harmony rather than contrast.



Suit Yourself (2010)

While your former collection communicated masculinity through exaggerated feminity, your new project Suit Yourself quotes formal menswear more literally. Was this a conscious step?

This time it was more the other way around. I think I just wanted to see what happens when doing it differently. I've also reacted a bit towards everything turning out very romantic – which I have a hard time dealing with. I felt it was interesting to try and do something more peeled off somehow, to move away a bit from the obvious romantic, but it's still there somewhere.


Pale grey belted coat worn with grey trouser skirt, yellow shirt and Dijon scarf

Could you describe this particular look and your approach?

It's flirting a bit with the art lady. The contrast between a very formal shirt, an immaculate coat and that scarf just worn nonchalantly over the shoulder. It's responsible and grown up. It's a bit tiring that people want to dress young. To me it's so much more interesting and powerful to dress mature.

It feels your garments suit perfectly while remaining a wee bit too big. Can it be interpreted as an element of protection, a shield of cloth to hide underneath? Or does it rather serve to underline its surreal feel?

It just looks better to me. It has the right feel to it. Maybe it has to do with both.

When looking at your latest project and comparing it to your graduate collection, the MA pieces appear way more experimental and anti-wearable, almost a pastiche on clothing. Has your perception of fashion changed?

Yes I think it has. Or you know – I have changed maybe. What excites me has changed a bit. I'm paying more attention towards precision in the cut and choices of fabrics now. Therefore, I want this aspects to take more space in the wholeness of a project rather than emphasizing the ideas.



MA collection

Designing jewellery, like the nail ring, is an important field for you?

It's just an idea that really worked and you know, what is important for me in the jewellery project is that it's actually something that's relevant in contemporary fashion and it won't just die – I believe those jewellery are classics, new classics. That's what I try to do with clothes as well, or with everything I create. I want to be able to create things that are relevant and that will be relevant for more than 6 months – but there is something about metal that makes it easier to create timelessness. In that sense the jewellery is important to me. I've managed to create something that I really like. I usually get tired of things after a while.


Fake Nail Jewellery in 18k gold

Do you evolve a story with every collection? If so, please tell us your fairytale!

No. I create a visual and emotional universe before and with every project but it's usually the same story told over and over again – but with different executions. Maybe it is kind of a story in my head, but I don't think of it that way. It's all quite diffuse in there and crystal clear at the same time. I don't know what I want – but I know what I don't want. It's a journey every time.

Would you define yourself as concept artist expressing yourself via clothes?

No, I'm a fashion designer. Fashion can be whatever you want it to be.

Would you provide us with a covert insight on your working process?

I've opened up my sketchbook especially for you, never done this before.





A-S Dåvik sketchbook

I am really curious how the male version of your aesthetics would look like. Who is he?

I've never met him, I don't know.

Talking about men... what kind of guy do you fancy?

Guys in coats, no, I don't know. Those things can't be explained. It's too complex. All I know is that I found mine and he is intelligent, beautiful, kind, strong, fragile, funny all in the right ways – amongst all other things he is.

Who is he, how did you meet? And: Did he wear a coat?

He is a gardener. We met 10 ½ years ago via mutual friends, we were 20. He wore a windbreaker, but he grew up to become a coat man.

Especially your nail gloves left me with a certain imagination, the raw fight, and the scratch, the biting. Silly connotations or nice scenario?

I won't judge your imagination. In my head the gloves are more about sitting at an outdoor café, wearing a nice coat, sipping on a perfect cappuccino.


Nail gloves in box

What is the weirdest thing you own?

Flat screen TV.

The most insane thing you ever did?

Went to a Holy Spirit meeting in London when I was 15.

Are you spiritual?

Sometimes. I think it's interesting and I reflect a lot upon it.

Do you own a talisman?

No.

Are you afraid of death?

Yes, in the sense of people around me dying.


Loobook shot, Essence of A-S

Is there an object, a form, a word that fascinates you?

The body and the word “virtue”.

Regarding your childhood, what do you think marked you the most?

I think growing up on the countryside in a really small village is one of the things that has really affected who I am.

Any aesthetic traumata – in the most positive sense?

Mail ordering catalogues were amazing. That was the type of fashion that reached me. I think that has really influenced my work when it comes to clothes. And I think it partly explains why I tend to work more around a woman's everyday wardrobe rather than spectacular dresses or knits for example. You could say I'm influenced by mass-produced garments. That's my theory at least. That's one of my traumas – only having mail ordering catalogues – he he.

What is the most amazing smell?

Today I long for the smell of newly cut grass.

Which materials do attract you?

Mostly fabrics – surprise! Sometimes paper.


A-S Dåvik studio

What do you love most about yourself?

The ability of surrounding myself with amazing people. I'm really humble when I think about the people that surround me.

And finally, what is your secret?

Secret to what?

Secret to life, secret to success, secret to sex?

Haha, as if I would have figured that out. I do stuff by intuition, that's my secret.

Thank you very much.
/HORST