Ziad Ghanem, visionary “cult couturier”

Surrounded by a family aware of fashion, it was only natural for Ziad Ghanem to develop a passion for clothes and dream of becoming one day a fashion designer since he was a young child.

Ghanem is now not just a fashion designer, but a “cult couturier”, famous for breaking many rules of the game, combining high fashion with streetwear and creating a unique vision of glamour.

His couture pieces such as elaborate blouses, voluminous gowns and sexy bodysuits are theatrically dramatic, while Ghanem’s ready-to-wear line for both men and women is perfect for his young followers. Called “Maiden Britain”, this is a sort of “collaborative label” that reunites together artists, illustrators and graphic designers.

Ghanem’s latest ready-to-wear collection, entitled “The Immigrant” and showed off-schedule at February’s London Fashion Week, tackled different issues such as the influence of the environment and social surroundings. The collection featured garments – brightly coloured leggings, drop-crotch pants, dresses with experimental silhouettes, multi-coloured fringed jackets, bulbous skirts and gigantic leopard print necklaces spelling the word “Vogue” – made with recycled fabrics sourced from charity shops.

Ghanem has injected his revolutionary vision also in his job as Creative Consultant at Drama Magazine and collaborates with many creative projects from photo shoots and advertising campaigns to films and art installations.

What follows is just a teaser from a longer interview that will be out on the next issue of Zoot Magazine (Spring/Summer 09 – available in early May) accompanied by an 8 page photo shoot featuring Ziad Ghanem's designs taken by photographer Stefan Milev.

Question: Can you tell me more about your background?
Ziad Ghanem: I was born in Lebanon and my family were always aware of fashion. My grandfather owned a shoe factory and my uncle was a shoe designer. I would sit for hours as a child in his studio admiring his designs. My mother was a big fan of designer clothes and haute couture, my father loved to spoil her with clothes, she liked to dress up. I always loved clothes but since I was six being a fashion designer was on the top of my list.

Q: Who has been the greatest influence on your career?
ZG: My mother always fascinated me: her slender figure, the scent of her perfume, the daring colour choices and the way she loved to play with textures. To my mother there was no point in dressing up unless it was fun. I remember being as young as four and drawing my mother in all the different costumes she would put together. British Fashion also always intrigued me: from a young age I loved Bodymap, Boy London and Westwood. I religiously collected i-D and The Face. Grace Jones was my hero – if I was reborn a woman I would choose to be her – and 1980s-90ss Madonna had also a big influence on me, I wished I could be part of her dance crew or go to her parties.

Q: On your site you are defined as a “cult couturier”, what does this definition mean?
ZG: I am a cult couturier because I have a small group of followers. They are more like a cult than a selected few super rich ladies who lunch but rarely dine.

Q: A while back you did a range for TopMan, did you enjoy working for such a big chain?
ZG: Yes, I adored working with them. TopMan’s people respect your creative ideas and are also fun and a pleasure to work with. I hope I will do it again as the collaboration made my work accessible to everyone. It also makes for a good chat up line in my local pub!

Q: What has changed in your way of creating fashion since you started?
ZG: My attitude. I live for the present moment now, and I have also learnt to take advice from everyone around me. I work in a spontaneous way and I am in every collection I create.

Q: In your opinion, what’s the best and worst thing about the various fashion weeks?
ZG: The best is that there is a schedule and a fixed time so we can be organised. The worst is you want to go to every show, but you don't have enough time to do so.

Q: Do you feel there is too much pressure nowadays on designers to produce quickly their collections?
ZG: Yes, from buyers. Buyers want the winter collection delivered in July! Also we have to be ready on time so the pressure is always on…That is why some designers send naked models on the catwalk…lol

Q: Did you follow the recent fashion weeks? Which designers did you enjoy from the New York/London/Milan/Paris events?
ZG: I did not really this year, I'm not into fashion and hate the word fashionable…that is like wearing a uniform at Barclays Bank. But I love clothes and designers such as Alexander McQueen and Comme des Garçon.