You looked fabulous with your hat and the whole Valentino look. Are you interested in the world of fashion and how it connects to your creativity?
EB: Thank you. This was the first fashion week actually honouring all my invitations over the last 20 years and I went to every show I was invited to. And I turned that motherfucker out.
I’ve always been excited about style. But I didn’t know the fashion world too much until later in my career. When I began to know who the brands and the houses were, I began to understand what I really liked about form, colour and texture. The brands were digging me and invited me, at the same time I was digging them. It was refreshing and comforting to be a part of a creative space like that. These artists, creative directors of houses, create in the same way as I create — laying things out musically or theatrically or even clothing wise. I have a lot in common with Pierpaolo, like our sense of elegance.
I didn’t have a lot of things until halfway through my career. My closet is mainly things I made or thrifted. Maybe a brand would send me a really expensive piece that I’d mix in with my patches, talismans or amulets. That’s pretty much how I do it. I’ve found that it’s the way they are wired as well, so becoming friends with these creatives has really influenced my hunger for creating on that side of the fashion world.
You’ve said before that each piece of clothing is an amulet or talisman or trinket, is our own statement, that it can be political, creative, emotional, but these things go together. What a beautiful way to think. As such it’s beautiful to be able to see this come alive in partnership and collaboration with Pierpaolo. What is it that you like to wear and what are your favourite shapes or silhouettes?
EB: No matter what is going on on top, I like to have some fringes, tassels, or something hanging at the bottom because I love the movement; I can hear the sound. I love clothing that makes sound. That’s another favourite. I wear jewellery that makes sound: bells or metal clinking things.
You move, and you make music.
EB: I like a lot of layers and being able to peel them back. Or cloak them on.
That’s what makes this collaboration so perfect. It’s the idea of unboxing, unveiling, the removing of clothing, of many layers is ultimately how you undress, and conversely dress, yourself.
EB: It was good. It was interesting. Pierpaolo started a form when he was designing the show with a lot of fabric and doodads and things. He would look at the form and start to eliminate, peel things away, as if he were a potter throwing a lump of clay on the table and carving away. The art is all that remains. That was his process. And that was mine too in creating the music, and my process from day to day. I believe evolving requires elimination.
Words by Blake Abbie
Edited by Albert Shyong
Image curation by Federico Nessi