Leather is considered as a very intriguing material for different reasons: it connects us to a pagan past, hints at different dichotomies such as pain/pleasure and power/sadism, and reminds us that wearing it symbolises the act of wearing another animal's skin, a concept that links us to ideas of empowerment and ownership.
In the history of fashion, leather is a crucial material associated with fetishism, but also with women's liberation and power dressing, themes tackled in particular in key collections by Yves Saint Laurent and Claude Montana.
Leather characterises also all the pieces designed by Takayuki Abe featured in a recently opened exhibition at the E27 Gallery in Milan.
The designer studied in Toyo before moving to Milan to continue his studies at NABA (Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti) where he will be graduating soon.
The exhibition at E27 is entitled "Liquoris" and is co-curated by Italian designer Cinzia Ruggeri and Italian artist Aldo Landini, a duo that perfectly fits Takayuki Abe's moods and works, suspended between art and fashion.
The Japanese designer created a story through sculptures representing clothes and accessories made in fragrant leathers. Some pieces are more conceptual, others - like his bags - are perfectly wearable, but all the items showcased are employed in a very poetical way to tell a story in which leather is used to excite the senses, remind the visitors about its tactile qualities and hint through this material at the dichotomy between masculine strength and female gentleness.
The story opens when a drawing escapes its broken frame and symbolically starts recounting the vicissitudes of two lovers.
A carved piece of leather hints at the initial disintegration of the two hearts; minimalist leather boots leave with their cleverly designed soles a halved heart print on a leather shirt while a rigid leather jacket and shirt turn into sculptures when one of the lovers dies.
The designer's tools employed to sculpt the leather are scattered on a shelf as if the author of the story had just finished carving his secret incisions that evoke the memory of a tragic love inside the bags showcased.
"I had the idea of using broken frames since I liked the feeling conveyed by the seductive drawings and sketches flying away out of the open doors of the gallery," Cinzia Ruggeri told Irenebrination. "Takayuki Abe has been among my students at the Project Methodology course I teach at NABA and he dislayed there a surprising attitude for leatherworking and amazing carving skills matched with a highly creative sensibility."
"Liquoris" by Takayuki Abe is at E27, Via Edolo 27, Milan, Italy, until 28th November 2013 (opening hours: Monday to Friday: 4.00 p.m. - 8.00 p.m.)
All images in this post courtesy Cinzia Ruggeri
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