COLL 01 PART 03

“OUR GREEK AND LATIN LANDS, EVERYWHERE SUPPORTED BY THEIR BONES OF ROCKS, HAVE THE TRIM BEAUTY OF A MALE BODY.”
— MARGUERITE YOURCENAR, MEMOIRS OF HADRIAN

COLL 01 PART 03 BEGINS FROM WHERE WE LEFT COLL 01: ON THE SHARP EDGES OF PANTELLERIA, A VOLCANIC ISLAND IN THE SOUTH OF SICILY; I KNOW NOW, THANKS TO HADRIAN, WHY I OBSESS OVER THIS LANDSCAPE.

THE ISLAND IS MY GUIDELINE; THE COLLECTION IS CONCEIVED FOR ITS SCORCHING CLIMATE BUT ALSO CHALLENGES IT. CHEATING MY BODY TEMPERATURE BY WEARING A BLACK TUXEDO-KEPENEK (A TURCO-PERSIAN TRADITIONAL MOUNTAIN COAT WORN BY SHEPHERDS) IN THE AUGUST HEAT WITH MY GOLD CYMBAL-DECORATED BATHING SUIT SO I CAN BE A SHARP SHOULDERED SILHOUETTE AT ALL TIMES IS LIKE WALKING BAREFOOT ON BURNING VOLCANIC ROCKS; A SORT OF KINKY SUB-DOM GAME WHERE THE ISLAND AND I PARTNER. THIS URGE FOR MAINTENANCE AND EXHIBITION IS THE BLUEPRINT OF MEDITERRANEAN SOPHISTICATION: AN ALMOST FETISHISTIC RESISTANCE AGAINST SLACK AND PUDEUR. COATS SPORT WHIP-LIKE HORSE TAILS, CULOTTES ARE LITTLE BLACK DRESSES, BATHING SUITS ARE IN TURN TUXEDO-WRESTLER BODIES OR DOMINATRIX SIREN DRESSES, SILK T-SHIRTS TIGHLTY WRAP SATIN SCARVES AROUND THE NECK AND SATIN-CROTCHED WHITE DENIMS ARE A VOYEUR’S BONHEUR.

SPENDING MOST OF MY TIME ALMOST NAKED IN PANTELLERIA TELLS ME WE ARE ALL BROTHERS AND SISTERS UNDER THE SUN AND I AM REMINDED OF EARLIER TALKS IN PARIS ABOUT VEILS, GENDER AND NIPPLE-CENSORSHIP. A NUDE CHIFFON TOP IS A TRICK AGAINST THE BLUR FEMALE BREASTS ARE SUBJECTED TO IN THE MEDIA. THE BURÇA (A PLAY ON THE WORD BURKA) IS MY REVOLT: IF WOMEN MUST PUT UP WITH COMPLETE ANNIHILATION OF THEIR PHYSICAL IDENTITY, SO SHOULD MEN.

THESE THOUGHTS ARE LINKED TO MY MUSLIM BACKGROUND AND HOW THE PAST CENTURY OF GEOPOLITICS DISFIGURED, EVEN IN MY EYES, THE MEMORY OF THE SUBLIME ART THE ARAB WORLD DEDICATED TO SEXUAL EXPRESSION: TO CITE ONLY A FEW OF THESE LOST WONDERS, OUM KOULTOUM SANG TO CAPTURE ONE THOUSAND MORE NIGHTS NEXT TO HER LOVER AND 15TH CENTURY POET CHEIKH NEFZAOUI WROTE THE PERFUMED GARDEN, A GUIDE TO PLEASURE FOR BOTH WOMEN AND MEN. I USED THE TORN BLACK TUXEDO-STOCKINGS SENT BACK FROM EDITORIAL SHOOTS OF MY LAST COLLECTION TO CREATE DARK AND TRANSPARENT SHADE-LIKE FLOWERS AND EMBELLISHED THEM WITH BURNT OSTRICH FEATHERS: EMBROIDERED ABUNDANTLY ON CULOTTES, THEY FORM AN EDEN OF SO-CALLED UNPURE THOUGHTS AS A REFERENCE TO THE TITLE OF NEFZAOUI’S BOOK. MY VERSION OF VEILS IS MADE OF SILK; THEY AREN’T HIDING ANYTHING, ON THE CONTRARY THEY INVITE YOU TO GAZE HARDER TO SEE PAST THEM AND ADD DRAMA, EROTICISM. I EVEN BELLY-DANCE ON CONSERVATISM IN SWIRLING BLACK BASQUE-PANTS AND HAND KNITTED CHAIN TASSEL-CAPS.

COLL 01 PART 03 IS HERE TO STRETCH THE DOUBLE STANDARD AND PARADOX THIN: A MALE BODY IN THE NUDE IS DIGNIFIED, CINEMATIC AND PICTURESQUE SINCE THE ANTIQUITY WHEREAS A WOMAN’S IS ASSOCIATED WITH POTENTIAL SEX WORK, TRAFFICKING AND IS PRAY FOR RELIGIOUS OPPRESSION. CAN WE BE VOYEURS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND MORALISE ONLY HALF THE EXPLICIT CONTENT? CAN A WOMAN BARE HER CHEST IF SHE’S GOT BALLS? THE CHIMERAS BUILT AS HALF-MEN HALF-WOMEN IN THIS COLLECTION ARE HERE TO TEST THIS PANDEMIC LOGIC AS WELL AS THE BOUNDARIES OF GENDER AND SEXUAL EXPRESSION.