CHRISTOPHER RAXXY BY ZEYNEP OZATALAY
In artisanal design, what is more important, the muse or the maker? In the splendid Napoleonic halls of Corso Venzia’s Palazzo Serbelloni, Chinese designer William Shen extrapolated on this thesis by bringing the quintessential geometric designs of his label, Christopher RAXXY, to the centre of Milan.
A distinguished mathematician, Shen’s analytical approach to fashion has proved favourable for the style set seeking avant garde outerwear.
Where pattern takes a new meaning in fashion than it does in arithmetic, RAXXY is blurring the boundary between heritage, history, custom and couture through the process of contemporising a conventional fabric choice: the duvet. Backdropped against neoclassical interiors, Shen’s ornate and sequential down jackets are not coded by streetwear conventions, but rather reflective of the locale in which they are presented: 18th century aristocracy.
Just as Italian mathematician Fibonacci surmised the golden ratio, Shen’s convivial cacophony of contrasted colours woven into an ostentatious display of technicality is an important reflection of the interdisciplinary connections between art and science.
Shen’s hypothesis? Hypnotic apparel that circumnavigates elementary shapes into something harmonious, like his regally-inspired circular gown that is equal measures mesmerising as it is
optically alluring.
ZEYNEP OZATALAY: Defying the bounds of specific artistic disciplines, Istanbul-based artist and illustrator Zeynep Ozataly bounces between cartoonish naivety and complex realism in her whimsical renderings of human connections. Inspired by the fantastical worlds of Edmund Dulac and revered children’s book illustrator Maurice Sendak, Oztalay refused to be defined by a specific artistic style, but maintains a staunch effort “to keep a fresh touch”.
Follow Zeynep Ozatalay @zeynepozatalay