Interview — Claudia Li
Photography Manolo Campion
Models Kelsey Van Mook & Olivia Jansing at Next
Styling Amarsana Gendunova
Makeup Aya Komatsu at Bridge Artists
Hair Fernando Torrent at L'Atelier
Styling Assistant Emily Smith
Questions Emily Fox
In the blustery weather of mid-December, it’s always a comfort to think of the coming spring. Luckily for me, I’ve been able to spend quite a bit of time entranced in the springtime hope that is Claudia Li’s Spring/Summer 2017 collection. It’s not just the promise of bare legs and big hair, but that of the soft pastel blues and yellows, and vibrant wine-reds, that Li’s newest collection entails. Details like oversized collars and superfluous ruffles that appear to revel with the delight of spring, are among the incredibly tactile, candy-coloured pieces available. In the conversation which follows, I was able to chat with Claudia Li about not just this superb collection, but the equalling stunning soul of an artist-designer.
— So, to begin with, give us a little background; how did you get into design? has this been something you have always wanted to do, or did you fall into it? before you started free-lancing with jonathan anderson, what did you do? what was your childhood like? how has your childhood influenced (or not influenced) your art?
Claudia Li: At some point I realized that I could tell my stories better through fashion. I’ve always known that I liked fashion, but after studying painting, I found that expressing myself through 3D rather than 2D helped to convey what I was trying to say. My childhood definitely helped influenced my entire life, as all of my collections are inspired by a moment or feeling I’ve experienced in the past.
— i’ve been enjoying looking at photos of your most recent collection, as well as those of previous collections; it seems you enjoy using over-sized pieces of asymmetrical fabric. what led you to this idea? what was your inspiration or intention?
CL: I like draping and making things structural and feminine but that still have a sense of masculinity to it. I don’t see gender in my clothing and design pieces that several different people could wear.
“Even when I was painting I used different materials. There was something really feminine about my paintings, but also very structural and masculine. When I drape, it’s more about letting the materials express themselves than forcing them to be something they’re not.”
— Do you find yourself focusing more on texture, or structure? why are these elements of design important to you? how do you use them to express yourself?
CL: I guess both but perhaps now more on structure. Texture is important to me because it has a direct link to how I painted when I was in fine arts. I guess I’m more drawn to structure now because I’ve always expressed textures in painting which was 2D but in my head everything has always been in 3D, which was also one of the main reasons why I decided to change my form of expression. I think 3D and structure definitely expresses what’s in my mind more.
— What is your process of creation? as a former painter, how do you find yourself responding to design as an artistic outlet, as opposed to how you may have found yourself responding to paint?
CL: I always try to tell a story with each collection. Whether it’s something that i’ve experienced, a period of my life, or a story from someone I’ve come across. I want the audience to be able to make a personal connection with the collection, which is definitely an artistic expression which is what I did with painting, as well. I guess to me personally, through fashion I could tell a story more in depth and make a deeper connection with my audience than when I was painting. I also feel that it’s super important to me that the connection I make with the audience is not just intangible. Through fashion my audience can also make a very personal and physical connection to the story and the feeling/mood.
— As a student of art history, i would often be faced with the criticism that fashion is not art (obviously by somewhat narrow-minded people). as someone familiar with the art world, and a designer of such obviously artistic pieces, i wonder if you have been faced with the same criticism yourself?
CL: It is debatable because there are fine artists who express themselves with installations with fashion involved. For example, designers who create ceramic frocks – people won’t debate that it’s not art. But if a fashion designer tries to express oneself with fabric they would debate that it’s not art. To me personally, I think fashion is not necessarily fine arts but is definitely a form of artistic expression.
— if fashion is your method of expressing yourself, it is a medium much like paint. what was it about fashion that made you feel more at home than you did when you were a painter?
YM: In my mind, ideas are 3D. I found that through fashion I could really express everything that’s in my head much more thoroughly, much more in depth and much more emotionally. I feel like the stories I try to tell come alive in a collection and that it makes a much much deeper connection between me, the collection and the audience. I wouldn’t say that I feel more at home, because it comes with a different set of challenges than painting. But, I just find it so fascinating how an intangible feeling and story becomes a collection that touches the audience. First, as something intangible, then something that becomes tangible as you touch and feel every piece on your body. I find that connection incredible.
For more information about Claudia Li and her collections, head to claudia-li.com.
This interview was originally published in ONE Magazine Issue No.13, The Free Issue. Available for purchase here.