Cultural Creatives Fashion Designer Hussein Chalayan

Two-thirds of Cultural Creatives are women. Not all are fashionistas, but large numbers are — myself included.

Modern women never spend much time exploring their relationship with fashion, at least on inner-me terms. Their outer-me is very entrenched in celebrity culture and dressing for approval, more than self-expression.

The more ideas, actions, priorities and values that a Cultural Creative woman embraces, the greater her challenge to create a balanced inner self. Does the outer “she” match the girl inside? Who does she see, when looking in the mirror?

If I asked about a Modern fashion designer, visions of Jil Sander pop into mind. Also Prada’s original black nylon collections. Most definitely, Miuccia Prada is ending up a Cultural Creative … she is a prime example of the Modern woman, with a Cultural Creative mindset, becoming a Cultural Creative.

When you read a fashionista blogger bemoaning Prada’s abandoning her black nylon roots … well, you are reading this “conflict” in values and style visions “live.”

YSL in the 80s defines the Modern woman as no other.

What about Cultural Creative designers? Who will make the clothes for this woman:
• spiritually motivated and committed to personal growth
• not dogmatically religious
• embraces technology and economic development
• deep affirmation of technology and community
• attuned to global trends and world events
• entrepreneurial mindset
• holistic thinkers
• creative and imaginative

Meet Hussein Chayalan

Chalayan just might wear the intellectual crown for being a Cultural Creative designer. Few artistic, fashion engineers design truly provocative clothes that inspire the mind.

The avante-garde Chayalan does the latter and increasingly makes the majority of his collections wearable at the same time.

Combines architecture, art and engineering, in order to explore advanced geometry, new materials and radical structures is the core of Chalayan’s design sensibility. His London-based, mind-blowing collections hit the runways with more than a nod of fun and theatrics.

Unlike Alexander McQueen, whose (imaginative, incredibly-talented) theatrics are often pure drama, Hussein’s high-tech antics inspire our minds with possibility. They are an ultimate Creative Jumpstart for thinking minds.

Cultural Creative women who think that fashion is much ado about nothing don’t give a tinker’s damn about this inventive mind. His is a waste of precious resources, that could be put to much better use, designing a new water irrigation system for developing countries.

For a woman like me, Chalayan’s vision is a breataking road into the future of style.

Enjoy this YouTube video of Chalayan’s Spring Summer 2007 collection.

Hit “confirm birthdate” to view the video. It’s not x-rated but does morph into female nothingness at the end of the show. Nothing shocking, I assure you. Just the beauty of the female form … viewed in a Cultural Creative mindset.

For a look at all past and present Hussein Chalayan collections, visit Style.com.