In the latest edition of FashionClash, Maastricht, So Catchy! Where Fashion Begins had the pleasure of getting to know many different artists during one of the speed-dating events. For five minutes, we could meet and talk to different designers, talents from all over the world.
One of the designers that impressed us quite a bit with its progressiveness was Into Into. The artists garments are dark, yet full of light and concept. Shoes, bags, rings, and clothing; objects that are at once avant-garde highly sophisticated.
Into Into chose fashion as a form of artistic expression but is open to experimenting in other fields; art is, in the end, what interests the designer. Into Into’s inquisitive mind initially came up with a more commercial line while at Moscow State University of Design and Technology (MSDUT) and ended up surprising everyone with a highly conceptual end-of-career project, “On Mercury”, at the London College of Fashion.
The designer’s work is diverse, intriguing and dark, but light. Two commercial lines are underway: the personal label, Into Into, and with the menswear label “Le Porn Art”.
Fashion is art, at least in Into Into’s hands it is.
SO CATCHY!: Why the name: Into Into?
INTO INTO: I came up with the name while doing my final BA project. For my 6 years at MSUDT, my inspiration and artistic point of view evolved to the simple shapes and constructions with a hidden reason, the core. So I picked up a name Into [into], which means inspiration in Finnish and duplicated it with Into [intu], which is movement towards. That is how I got fractal into[intu] into[into] – movement towards and intromission was the inspiration. My first works were theatrical and avant-garde, though by the end of the BA, my philosophy turned towards simplicity, cowering rich and colorful inward. I thought if I ever have a fashion brand, that would present something semi-commercial, I would wish it to grow out of the philosophy of my degree project. That is how the collection into[intu] into[into] gave birth to the brand.
SC!: When and why did you decide to focus on Fashion?
II: It was never certain and it still is not. It’s more like anticipation. I feel it must be arts. But for a while I have been gravitating towards fashion.
SC!: And what brought you to footwear?
II: It seemed like fun. And I still consider footwear people as those who own and keep enigmatic knowledge.
SC!: Tell us about the collection from your BA.
II: I decided to graduate with something related to real life and the market. So I tried to tame down the avant-garde, by making something difficult, that would be confined into real simple and commercial shapes. I was inspired by fundamental physics and scholastic experiments. This was a collection of footwear and accessories to womenswear. I had three assortment groups, which I called “Chapters”.
Chapter1: Currents
Chapter2: Magma—>Magmetic
Chapter3: Crystallization
Besides the theme, all three chapters were united by materials. It was dark grey leather for footwear and accessories and dark grey scoured silk for garments. For lining, I used silk with colorful stains that would remind viewers of oil slicks in puddles. My garments were loose-fitting, dark grey overalls, I called them “covers”, same oil slick lining.
Currents was about movement, light and quick like anticipation. I was inspired by electricity and magnetic fields. I used the power of a magnetic field, which I showed visually on metal powder, which worked in acrylic “vessels”.
Magma is the movement of liquids, spontaneous and unavoidable like an avalanche. I only made sketches for this assortment group. I drew vessels that would work like lava-lamps. These were heels and different inserts for accessories. For Magmetic (Magma+magnetic), I used the effect of magnetics on ferrofluid (magnetic liquid). I hope I will continue these experiments in the future.
Crystallization is the ultimate stoppage of any movement into stabile forms. I used natural crystals (black and white quartz) and geodes (amethyst) for footwear and accessories.
SC!: Tell us about On Mercury…
II: For my MA… I all of a sudden skipped all the last evolution, on my way towards a commercial brand, and turned to something new for me. Somehow I got tired of “just footwear”.
I found a new interest, new media. Now I wanted my objects to work outside the catwalk. I wanted more vital action. That is how I started to film my objects.
On Mercury is a pun for a heroin addiction. The inspiration is my own philosophy and perception of drug addicts. I need the motion of my objects to translate erased personalities, the social and environmental relationships of addicts.
The whole project is about the interdependence of a body and an object and a space.
I was inspired by liquid metal, Mercury. In my imagination, it is dripping on a body, being viscous, like an avalanche, like sperm. But still it is a metal, it gets hard and pierces and penetrates the body, injecting it like a narcotic.
My materials and shapes were dictated by the theme. And they are polished, silvery metal aluminum, tamed to behave well, and pigskin, repeating fragile body curves, pretending to be appropriative material.
SC!: How was your experience at FashionClash?
II: It was almost the first event that was so productive for me and besides the work, was great fun. It was such a pleasure to “meet the industry”, which is really interested in what you do and who you are as an artist. I got support and increased my self-esteem. I also made new friends and saw some old ones for the first time after graduation.
SC! What are you doing now?
II: Trying to run several commercial projects. One of which is Into Into the other is a menswear brand, we started with my friend, Le Porn Art. It’s on Instagram, too, at @leprnart.
But also working on big art.
SC!: What’s your next challenge?
II: Big sales for Le Porn Art!
SC!: What would like to do in the near future?
II: Now I am extending “Chapter1: Currents” from the Into Into collection and adapting it more for commercial needs. In the near future, I hope, it will be available in some showrooms.
Also, I want to make some conceptual videos. In the picture of myself, I’m “wearing” a mosaic halo I made for one long-term project, which, I hope, I’ll film soon.
SC!: A place to live…
II: The one where you are free to create.
SC!: Your favorite fashion designer is….
II: Walter Van Beirendonck, Rick Owens
SC!: Something you cannot stop wearing…
II: Sunglasses. It’s your mood.
SC!: A classmate you truly admire…
II: When I came to LCF, I was truly amazed by how people’s eyes blaze up while doing their favorite work. The first person with lantern-eyes was Hollie White, then there was Alejandra Simonetta and a girl, a year after my class, Niki Jessup. These people inspire me.
SC!: Your favorite material….
II: I like to work with wood and metal. Metal is preferable.
SC!: Define Fashion.
II: Why fashion? Art!
SC!: Things you do or read to be inspired?
II: I admire philosophy and physics. Physics is fundamental. I watch a lot of experiments. And some programs with curious and queer facts about nature.
SC!: What do you want to tell people with your work?
II: Everyone has their own perception. Whichever reaction or thoughts they have, it’s ok. Even if people don’t feel anything when passing my things, it is still all right. Even if you see things completely the opposite from what I mean, I am very happy about that. You have your own mind and do not forget to use it.
SC!: Fashion Magazines, Instagram accounts or blogs you normally read…
II: I look through some fashion and art stuff just not to get fashion rusty because I get my inspiration from other areas.
For magazines, Dazed and Confused, Kaltblut Magazine, So Catchy!, Loverboy, Esquire and on Instagram, @drawbertson, @bessnyc4, @ideabooksltd, @marianovivaco.
Credits:
Photography BA Collection: Vadim Drankovich
Photography MA Collection: Justinas Vilutis
Translation and Layout by Michael Padilla
