Press

Moody hues Inspired by poet Rumi, Afshin Feiz’s designs highlight the femininity of working women, writes Kajari Bhattacharya In your light I learn how to love In your beauty, how to make poems You dance inside my chest, where no one sees you, but sometimes I do, and that sight becomes this art ~ Rumi’s Art as Flirtation and Surrender An Iranian in Paris. Two worlds but one man. Afshin Feiz has become the toast of fashion world. And he deserves it. His multicultural outlook, apprenticeships with designers such as John Galliano and love for the arts give his designs freshness. The colours he uses are soft enough to represent the contemporary woman, but with a traditional look. “Being a designer is like being a sponge; you soak up all the information around you all the time, regardless of its seeming importance at that moment. My travels enrich me with new ideas and information although this doesn’t mean I am inspired directly by them. It’s more a gathering of knowledge that manifests itself in various forms in my work. One way it helps me is that it enables me to design for an international woman rather than limiting myself to any particular type,” says Feiz. Not every fashion designer is moved by poetry to create a collection. He studied French literature in the US and then moved to Paris. His first collection was influenced by Persian poet Rumi. The music he chooses for his shows is important too. Time Out magazine once called him “the poet”. “Literature and its symbols definitely influence my work; more so in a story format. I like each of my collections to revolve around a story, usually related to love. Rumi’ s poetry has been an inspiration through his imagery of butterflies and candles representing the lover and his beloved. But the poetic significance of specific symbols in life also inspire me, such as the search for lost souls by Siberian Shamans.” With most in the West coming up with designs that can be called “unwearable”, Feiz is an exception. “It is much easier to design avant garde ‘unwearable’ clothing than it is to design real clothes for real women; clothes that have that little extra something to make them unique and special. Rather than going for shock value (a trait I mastered perfectly as a student) my quest in designing is the creation of beautiful modern clothes that exemplify true research in construction and tailoring, but which end up being real clothes that can actually be worn.” His colour palette is completely inspired by the mood he is in. He is drawn towards pastel shades ~ light pink is one of his favourites. “I work specifically with natural noble fabrics such as silks, cottons, wools and linens though lately I have expanded to testing fabrics that are larger blends. Having worked for high-end lines throughout my career, I am drawn towards luxurious fabrics. I am a colourist, so even when everyone does all black, I tend to experiment with colours. I love all sorts of colours, depending on my mood. But certain colours, such as orange, disturb me intensely.” Speaking about his new collection, Feiz says, “I am taking the season off in order to restructure my sales calendar and direction. I will be back for Spring/Summer.” And what are the must-haves for women this season? “The écru wool coat with trench details from my Fall 2006 collection, the new Miu Miu handbag, and the Jeffrey Fulvimari print white dress from Belgian designer Verlaine.” Feiz’s family left Iran before the revolution. He is currently in talks about doing a fashion show in Tehran. Before signing off, the designer reveals the poem closest to his heart. “I love Rumi’s poem, Art as Flirtation and Surrender.”