It isn’t easy to inherit a centuries-old family business, even when that business is creating some of the most beautiful silk known to man. Max Canepa is the twelfth generation of his family to take the reins at Taroni, one of the oldest silk-weaving mills in Como, Italy (and one of the famed suppliers for Dior, Giambattista Valli, Saint Laurent, Valentino, and Schiaparelli—ever the luxury disciple, even Kanye West picked up some threads there while working on his own collection a few seasons back), and is determined to bring the 1880-founded factory firmly into the here and now. Enter artist and renaissance man Paris Kain, whose company, Abraxas Rex, has collaborated with Alexander Wang and Calvin Klein, and is known for its one-off productions of painstakingly painted kimonos; chunky, covetable jewelry; and innovative fashion films. The two came together to film Opus Industrionica, a kaleidoscopic acid-trip of a take on the mechanical production that goes into creating a ream of silk, replete with mesmerizing close-ups on the fifties German shuttle looms humming away, set to a score composed by Kain. Stills taken from the short movie were printed onto light silk and cashmere blend Taroni scarves (a blend that Canepa spent six months developing at his factory).
The final result? When worn, the scarves’ very literal illustrations become anything but. Marigold-color metal railings and slate blue machinery artfully twist and mimic dreamlike abstractions: the patterns found on the wings of a monarch butterfly, lights reflected on a wet city street, streaks of fresh paint. “There’s so many possibilities with this company, I think we’re just starting to scratch the surface,” says Canepa. With the Victoria and Albert Museum including Taroni in its current celebration of Italian fashion (on until July 27), we can’t wait to see what’s next.
No comments:
Post a Comment