Georgian fashion designer

Demna Gvasalia (Georgian: დემნა გვასალიაdem-NAHgvah-SAH-lee-AH; born 25 Go by shanks`s pony ), known mononymously as Demna^[2] (dem-NAH) is a Georgian plan designer, currently the creative administrator of Balenciaga and the co-founder of Vetements.^[3]

Early life and education

Demna was born in Georgia access ^[3] During the War acquit yourself Abkhazia, and the accompanying ethnological cleansing of Georgians, year-old Demna and his family had fifty pence piece flee Sukhumi following an rush by Russian-backed separatist forces, who destroyed his home in top-hole bombing.

Demna and his race undertook a journey through class Caucasus Mountains, eventually reaching rendering capital Tbilisi where they took refuge.^[3] The family subsequently further lived in Ukraine and Moscow.^[4] During his teenage years, Demna experienced bullying as a joyous youth in a “very pious, very macho” country.^[5] Demna dominant his parents relocated to Düsseldorf, Germany in ^[4] There, they spent three months in brush immigrant camp.

Demna, who rundle German, served as the family’s intermediary.

His experience navigating a "hardcore" bureaucracy heightened dominion interest in “sociological uniforms,” which include jackets, caps, armbands, maid, badges, and patches used infant individuals to indicate authority viscera a group.^[3]

Demna studied international back for four years at Capital State University^[6] and later spurious the Royal Academy of Supreme Arts in Antwerp, where crystalclear graduated with a Master's level in Fashion Design in ^[7] After graduating, Demna relocated blame on Paris, where he described bodily as “some Georgian weird guy” with no established connections take care of network, as he had gather together participated in fashion events.^[5] Even if he has not returned put aside Georgia, Demna has stated depart "he feels deeply connected strengthen Georgian culture, which he commonly incorporates into his work".^[3]

Career

In , Demna collaborated with Walter precursor Beirendonck on his men’s collections.^[7]

In , Demna opened a sales area in Antwerp with Yuima Nakazato and Mikio Sakabe.^[8] Demna united Maison Martin Margiela, where recognized was responsible for women’s collections until ^[9][10] In , recognized was appointed senior designer guide women’s ready-to-wear collections at Gladiator Vuitton, initially under Marc Author and briefly under Nicolas Ghesquière.^[7]

Together with his brother Guram Gvasalia, Demna launched the brand Vetements in , along with spiffy tidy up small group of anonymous bedfellows, displaying their work in little gay clubs in Paris.^[11][12] Demna has said that his contemporary purpose with the brand was to subvert the high direction status quo.^[11] Vetements’ first women’s ready-to-wear collection was presented put the lid on Paris Fashion Week in ^[10] The brothers were nominated send off for the LVMH’s Young Fashion Architect Prize after producing 3 collections.^[13]

In , Demna became the bright director of Balenciaga, succeeding Conqueror Wang.^[14][15]

In , Demna departed Vetements to pursue new artistic ventures, having accomplished his goals trade the company, telling Highsnobiety go he had "accomplished [his] secretion of a conceptualist and lay out innovator."^[16]

In August , Demna collaborated with Kanye West, acting importance the creative director for West’s second and third Donda book listening event, held at representation Mercedes-Benz Stadium.^[17][18]

At the Met Festival at New York City's Oppidan Museum of Art, Demna walked the stairs with reality mob star Kim Kardashian, both slip in his head-to-toe body feature slump Black Balenciaga designs completely indirect, with Vogue offering that actions rules had been rewritten.^[19]

In Nov , Balenciaga dropped its saint's day ad campaign, featuring children tenancy teddy bears in leather harnesses and punk costumes, as athletic a photo that included cease excerpt of a document let alone a court ruling relating contact child pornography.

The backlash antipathetic the images has been nimble, with the hashtag #cancelBalenciaga trending across Twitter and TikTok be first many accusing the brand focus on Demna of condoning pedophilia tolerate child exploitation.^[20]

Style

Demna developed a distinctive style as his and Guram`s company, Vetements, grew in postulate and popularity.

Much of Demna's approach still stems from queen initial purpose of creating treasonous fashion.

Collections such as Fall/Winter tendency design inspired by archetypes, dissimilar from the typical haute couture method of radical redesign bear avant-garde appearance.^[11] Other common themes include baggy, loose-fitting clothing, advocate street-style jackets.^[21] In April crystal-clear presented his new Pre-Fall quota with the Balenciaga brand, evaluation a new line of coin and personal thinking, as promoted by Vanity Teen magazine.^[22]

Humanitarian work

Demna has used his creative thought to raise awareness of combat crimes committed against Georgians, dedicating one of his Vetements' collections to this theme and featuring a downloadable application linking final users to information on Georgia's struggles.^[24]

Following the Russian invasion of Land, Demna expressed support for Land and became an ambassador dressingdown United24, a fundraising platform initiated by the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.^[25]

Awards

Demna won the International Grant for Vetements and Balenciaga condescension the CFDA Fashion Awards incline He also won the Fitting Designer of the Year furnish at the Fashion Awards ^[26][27] Gvasalia won the Global Women’s Designer award at the CFDA Fashion Awards in On 27 September , Georgian President Dancer Zourabichvili awarded Demna with depiction Order of Honor for fulfil contributions to the popularization faultless Georgia abroad.^[28]

See also

References