Virgil Abloh 接受《i-D》專訪談及「Don’t Look Down」裝置藝術

身兼設計師、創意總監和 DJ 等多項職務的 Virgil Abloh ，憑借著 OFF-WHITE 獨特的美學理念而受到廣泛關注，並且獲得了國際買手和歐洲時尚精英們的一致好評。日前 Virgil Abloh 便在哥本哈根國際時裝博覽會 (CIFF) 期間接受了時尚雜志《i-D》的專訪，談及自己為巴黎時裝周而特別打造的「Don’t Look Down」裝置藝術等話題。下面便帶來此次專訪的完整內容：

Explain a little bit about your thinking behind the installation.
Every time that I come to one of these things that addresses my brand, I’m more interested in embracing being a novice in fashion, very much dialled into what makes my brand, my brand. So this is an opportunity to explain my inspiration instead of just making clothes from my inspiration. The installation is based around the whole mountaineering mood that inspired the collection. One look is a mannequin hanging from the ceiling; it’s almost dangling on purpose in the clothes from the collection. The idea is that you can walk around it and amongst it. There’s the whole mood of falling, the name of the collection is Don’t Look Down, so it’s all about the willpower to climb, but the collection also delves into the willpower to succeed in an urban context.

Why do you think it’s important to have an installation? Is just showing clothes no longer enough?
For me, I’m not really into the commerce of clothes. I don’t do it for the business; I don’t even look at the numbers. I just do it for the ideas sake. To me, that’s what a designer is, it’s making propositions. So my proposition is you can walk in it, you can experience it. I could have long winded responses but I like shit that speaks for itself. So someone comes in here, whether they know it or not, they are getting this long ass conversation that I’ve had. That’s why I love art. Everything can be distilled down to basic elements.

I guess it gives the objective person coming to view it a chance to interpret it how they want to, without you closely defining it.
Exactly. My background is in architecture, so, to me, this is more of an architectural thing than anything else.

Why is it important to show in Denmark?
Anywhere is just as important as anywhere else. The group here supports young creatives. When a group does that, I support them.

How have you found working with CIFF?
It couldn’t be better. A 12 on a scale of 1 to 10. They support artistry. They don’t edit.