KTZ

KTZ

KTZ are a fashion house consisting of creative designer Marjan Pejoski, operational manager Sasko Bezovski and head of design Koji Maruyama. Following the success of Pejoski’s own brand, KTZ arose mutually by himself and Sasko Bezovski.  Pejoski studied fashion design at Central St Martin’s University. Bezovsi was an internationally renowned DJ in the 1980’s. It was shortly after the launch of KTZ that Maruyama was made head of design. The first store ‘Kokon to Zai’ was opened in 1996, followed by a chain of umbrella stores in London and Paris. KTZ are known for their outlandish and original street wear which uses wide-ranging influences from music, fashion and different cultures.

The 2014 collection used inspiration from a trip to Morocco and the Muslim culture there. The designers are very interested in national geography and discovering different cultures, religions and peoples.  They were inspired by the Berber people who are an ethnic group indigenous to North Africa. Today the Berbers are located mainly in Morocco and Algeria and the majority are Sunni Muslims . The designers explain that they wanted to ‘highlight and elevate’ this culture in their show.

They embraced the culture while bringing it up to date using natural fabrics, linen and cotton mixed with newer fabric such as plastics, metals and patent leather.  

 Using the story of their journey from Israel to Morocco through the desert as their theme, the designers used lots of Islamic imagery and patterns in their clothing. From the tessellated Geometric prints that look to be inspired by the Islamic decorative canon to the Studded metal applique of the hand of Fatima on the clothing. The women’s wear included head dresses and burquas which are traditional in Islamic culture as many Muslims believe that the religion demands that women’s faces should be covered. The designers fused this idea with modern street wear that uses the traditional idea but with a very different outcome. This can be seen as controversial as the Islamic way of dress can be seen as a badge of honour and solidarity among the people and in this way it is open to all. It can also be seen as sexualising the traditional dress by using fabrics such as sheer fabrics which expose the body which is the antithesis of the Muslim ideal.

As well as their clothing, styling and fashion shows, KTZ carry through the mood and style of their brand in other media such as video and photography. This video form the SS13 collection conveys the dark, satanic influences of the collection as well as the sports element.

 http://vimeo.com/59181970

You can really see how their aesthetic has evolved from the beginning of their collaboration to now; to create a strong identity as a brand. The use of inspiration from a wide variety of sources is evident in their work and creates an exciting and original perspective. Each show uses different inspiration and to create a strong theme and mood which follows through each piece in the show.   The sources used are not always representational in each piece but taken as a whole it is clear to see the story the designers wish to tell.

I am inspired by the designers obvious curiosity and interest in life which keeps them constantly researching and learning more about the world them. This really shows in the diversity and innovation of their work. This shows to me the importance of varied research on a wide variety of topics and genres. The use of Islamic decorative patterns is something I which to explore in my own work.