SUSAN BARBER for CHLOË SEVIGNY FOR OPENING CEREMONY
New York City offers Susan Barber a constant source of inspiration and her design process reflects the ebb and flow of the city: “I like to get all the elements together and then think about something else.” In these moments of indirect contemplation she finds a creative clarity that refines her subconscious thoughts into reality. For Barber, graphic design is the struggle for balance between elegance and utility, a motivation clearly paralleled in the fashion industry. The continuous creative challenge of fashion together with its diversity gives her a unique sense of satisfaction. “The fashion industry is forward-thinking, always changing and willing to take a chance – all very appealing qualities in a client.” This enthusiasm spills out from her studio into her social life as she is more than happy to mix business with pleasure.
In 2005 this resulted in her first commission from friends Carol Lim and Humberto Leon of Opening Ceremony. A multi-faceted brand, Opening Ceremony actively support developing talent through their retail space and showroom. Rather than dictating trends, they encourage individuality and personal interpretation. The foundation of the label is a form of fashion Olympics: every year young designers from the United States are pitted against international opposition. Medals are awarded at the end of the year and the winners are added to Opening Ceremony’s roster of designers. Creative collaboration is seen as a key element of the brand’s philosophy and a way to continually reinvigorate its message. Chloë Sevigny has produced two collections under the Opening Ceremony banner and is a perfect example of this ongoing commitment.
Barber was commissioned to develop the brand’s print collateral for the debut Chloë Sevigny For Opening Ceremony Spring/Summer 2008 collection. The lookbook became a focal communication tool, and in true Opening Ceremony style the process of designing it was organic and based on friendship rather than commercial necessity. Sevigny brought in the photographer Mark Borthwick, who has worked with her since she was a teenager, and a host of artists and illustrators to contribute to the lookbook. Although an enormous number of creative people were involved in this single project, the potential for conflict was never realized. “I think it had to do with everyone understanding their role and not trying to go beyond that. On this project specifically it never became an issue, it was a really smooth process.”
The lookbook had a mix ’n’ match concept that came from one of Sevigny’s childhood books and emphasized the interpretative aesthetic and flexibility of the collection. Photographs, illustrations and tinted transparent pages were combined to create endless possibilities. A willingness to obscure details and relinquish control projects a raw aesthetic extension of the collection rather than literal documentation. Barber notes there was a collective enthusiasm for the project that went all the way to the printers. “The thing that makes this book so satisfying is how all the parts work together: the collection, the sublime photography, the eclectic artwork and the unconventional format of the book. All that extra attention added up and the result is like a piece of candy. It’s so enticing, anyone who sees this book has to flip through it.”
If collaboration can be translated as confidence in the abilities of others, this was the foundation of the project. “Successful design represents successful collaboration,” says Barber. Her experience with Opening Ceremony was so positive that in mid-2009 she was offered a permanent position as their first full-time art director. Her appointment was confirmation of her excellent work and the continued growth of the brand, and a natural decision that will open up a new range of challenges for Barber to take on. It is also confirmation of the positive results that can be achieved when graphic designer and client are united by a common goal and shared aesthetic.
The ongoing Chloë Sevigny For Opening Ceremony collaboration was revisited for the Autumn/Winter 2009/10 season. “She invited friends and artists she admired to create artwork that was inspired by redheads. There is also an essay about redheads and all the models had naturally red hair.” Photographed by David Armstrong, the cloth-bound hardback achieves a longevity and exclusivity that is quite rare in this context.
“It was a kind of exquisite corpse in book form.” Inspired by a children’s mix ’n’ match book, the Spring/Summer 2008 lookbook was photographed by Mark Borthwick and featured illustrations from a number of artists. “The plastic jacket was a practical choice because we had to have a spiral binding to ensure the book could lay completely flat. I really hate spiral binding on a bookshelf, it looks so messy, but we wanted to show the cover image obviously, so the clear plastic was a way to try and do all those things.”