British fashi0n designer Daniel W. Fletcher explains how the Iranian-born architect continues to inspire his work
I have been privileged to have known Farshid Moussavi for a few years now, we met whilst I was working for Victoria Beckham during my final year at Central Saint Martins, as Farshid designed the Victoria Beckham store on Dover Street. Farshid has always inspired me with her drive, ambition, and unique outlook on the world of design. Her views on the relationship between style and function have pushed me to consider my own work in a new light.
Farshid has consistently created buildings that are both aesthetically astounding and extraordinarily considerate of the user, which speaks to my own desire to create garments that can deliver strong political messages through a fashion medium and yet are still wearable. She has directly addressed the depth of thought that is required to develop objects that are connected to people’s lives, not merely objects that exist for their own sake.
It is this same attitude to design that drove me to use fashion as the forum for my beliefs, and that continues to shape everything I do when building a collection. Looking at her incredible career and achievements, it is impossible to ignore the fastidious way that she approaches every project she takes on. Farshid has developed a visual language that speaks to people across the world – every designer’s dream – as demonstrated by the huge number of countries her work has found a home in.
As a designer still at the beginning of my career, to have a mentor and friend like Farshid has had a huge influence on every step of my creative process. While our fields of practice may be different, I apply her attitude to research, and her focus on the people her work is designed for, to everything I do.
Daniel W Fletcher will be showing at London Collections Men in June 2017