Melbourne fashion institution Madam Virtue & Co have collaborated with ACMI to design a Lanvin inspired windor to celebrate the new ‘Deep In Vogue‘ Fashion Film Program at ACMI in partnership with Melbourne Spring Fashion Week. Inspired by the movie The Day Before: Isabel Marant & Lanvin, one half of Madam Virtue & Co, Dean Hewitt created a dynamic window installation channeling the spirit and vibrancy of Lanvin’s designs. Assisted by Mati Munoz and Greg Dennis, this stunning window features a stunning array of garments and accessories available from Madam Virtue & Co.
Couturing interviewed Dean to find out about this fantastic installation and the process behind its creation.
1. Congratulations on your Lanvin Window collaboration with ACMI as part of their Deep in Vogue Fashion Screenings. How did you use Lanvin’s design aesthetic to create your installation?
Ever since Alber Elbaz took the helm of Lanvin, the guiding principle was to turn a traditional brand into a label that celebrates style and quality workmanship with an element of fun, whether it is through colours or composition, Lanvin is mostly celebratory, hence my window installation seeks to bring all those elements together, inviting the viewer to replicate the brand philosophy in their approach to clothing, with Lanvin you don’t need an occasion to dress up and have fun doing it: you make it!
Dean Hewitt (L) and Mati Munoz (R)
2. What is the creative process that you undertake to create a wonderful installation such at this?
The inspiration is based on archival and current Lanvin, and my interpretation of the marriage of the two and of what the brand stands for and who it speaks to. I put all the ideas onto a board, write and re-write and add and subtract, until I am happy I have been faithful. I am a visual person and often what I meticulously planned from the start bears little resemblance to the finished product, as I need to let the space and dynamics of the job influence my final decision. Lanvin recently did a ‘Splash’ window in their Paris flagship store and I did not want to be too unduly referencing their installation, so it always boils down to my signature work and my own take on what story Lanvin would tell…
3. The Day Before: Isabel Marant + Lanvin shows the inner workings of one of France’s oldest fashion houses (Lanvin) and one of France’s newest one’s (Isabel Marant). As one of Australia’s best resources for high-end luxury designers, why do you think it is important for consumers to watch films such as these to gain a better understanding of the work that goes into creating a brand and the garments?
In a modern retail world, the consumer has very little information other than a look, often printed in a magazine or seen on a celebrity wearing it. With the advent of online shopping, most consumers rarely find any details as to what inspired a collection, how it was made or anything about the process from creation to manufacture, hence the importance of fashion films. They represent a rich resource into designers, their creative processes, their personality, their aesthetics, their attitude to clothes and modern culture, the brand and the clients. Films on fashion help provide a unique insight into the translation of an idea into the reality of what we ultimately wear, or aspire to wear.
4. Which movies are you looking forward to seeing as part of the Deep in Vogue series at ACMI?
All of them, they are all, in my opinion, mandatory viewing. It is amazing that Melbourne has a curator like James Nolen who continues to bring the latest and the best in fashion cinematography, amongst many other genres, to Melbournians. One would have to place Melbourne up there with the traditional top fashion capitals of the world, like Paris, London, New York or Milan to find a similar venue with similar offerings. In this regard, ACMI and Melbourne are unique.
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Congratulations to Madam Virtue & Co and ACMI on this fabulous collaboration. Make sure you check out this wonderful installation during MSFW. For more Lanvin and high-end luxury labels, visit Madam Virtue & Co at 5 Crossley Street, Melbourne and for information on Deep In Vogue visit the ACMI website.
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