Up-and-coming fashion designer Hussein Bazaza was born in 1990 in Beirut, Lebanon. Bazaza is an ESMOD (l’Ecole Supérieure des Arts et techniques de la Mode) graduate with an impressive resume. He has gained experience at Maison Rabih Kayrouz in Paris as an intern and worked for internationally known designer Elie Saab in Beirut. His career took off in 2012 when he was selected by the Starch foundation (a non-profit organization that helps launch emerging designers from Lebanon) to launch his own ready to wear line. He received the award for ‘best emerging designer’ from the Elle Style Awards in 2013, got a teaching job at ESMOD and recently signed with global fashion industry scout Asil Attar, showing the world that he is a promising designer who is here to stay!
Article written by The Fashion Orientalist for www.thefashionorientalist.com and wetrendstyle.com
Hussein Bazaza – Fashion with a soul
Bazaza believes that every cut reflects a different story and a different personal emotion that in turn creates a one of a kind experience, he describes it as ‘fashion with a soul’. This design philosophy shows the artistic side of Bazaza. In expressionism art an artist tries to express his feelings and experiences through his artwork, for example; one can use bright or darker colors to express a mood or state of mind. Bazaza’s work is very artistic. His use of color is very functional, as if trying to communicate with us through his designs. The designs have creative shapes and cuts, some dramatic and mysterious. Hussein Bazaza is a passionate artist who is immensely talented. His collections include feminine silhouettes with a certain fierceness and edge to it.
Spring-Summer 2014 ‘335’
After years of studying art and culture I am no longer able to look at a piece of art without trying to figure out what the story is behind it. Some people look at a red canvas and see it for what it is; a canvas painted in red. I instantly start wondering ‘what is the artist trying to tell me?’. Bazaza is giving me the impression that he wants us to look at his designs in the same way. Accompanied with the images of his spring-summer 2013 collection is a poem:
‘It seems only yesterday I used to believe there is nothing under my skin but light. If you cut me I would shine, but now after 335 days I skin my knees, I bleed’
I’m intrigued and slightly confused. What is the idea behind this collection? I go through the images…the color palette is mostly white combined with bright reds and neutral shades. Lace is used to create different dimensions. The fabrics are cut and draped in artistic ways. Flowers pop up here and there. The silhouettes are very soft and feminine. I really like this collection. Some designers design clothes that look nice, but lack a background story. Bazaza produces clothing that includes artistic value. I assume the ‘light’ described in the poem refers to the use of white and the cut-out and see through details. The blood would be the color red. The act of cutting would refer to the different ways the fabrics are cut. My favorite piece from this collection is a shirt-dress ensemble; a crisp, white shirt with a lace, skirt bottom in red/nude. It is feminine but also masculine…it includes lace flower detailing but also dramatic, red lines that remind me of blood…once again I’m intrigued!
