Wallpaper* Fashion Features Editor Jack Moss picks the best fashion interviews of 2022 – a closer look at the figures who defined the year in style. From the industry’s most famous names – Rick Owens, Manolo Blahnik, Giorgio Armani and Gabriela Hearst – to the emerging generation of designers blazing new trails, these insightful and revealing conversations underpin the 12 months in fashion.
Top 10 fashion interviews of 2022
01. Pieter Mulier’s view of ‘Modern Beauty’ and Alaya
Peter Mulier Alaya September 2022 Wallpaper Style Edition*
(Image credit: Photography by Spela Kasal, Fashion by Jason Hughes)
In Wallpaper’s September Style issue, Belgian designer Peter Mulier reveals his vision for Alaïa a year after taking the helm. The pursuit of ‘modern beauty’ is central to his approach, subverting his forefather Azzedine Alaïa’s contemporary vision of femininity. Beauty, body, sex – [Alaïa] “It’s the only place where you can use the word promiscuity without profanity,” he said.
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02. Satoshi Kondo talks about Issey Miyake’s legacy
(Image credit: courtesy of Issey Miyake)
Speaking to Issey Miyake after his S/S 2023 show – The first collection presented since the legendary founder’s death in August 2022 – Satoshi Kondo pays tribute to his father’s legacy of innovation and optimism. ‘Each collection I [have] “What happened with my team as chief designer in 2019 is a reflection of what we learned from Mayake,” he said. “Moving forward, as we have done in the past, we challenge ourselves to create original clothing that brings a never-before-seen look. A sense of joy and wonder.’
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03. Rick Owens speaks from his ‘Concrete Palace’
(Image credit: courtesy of Rick Owens)
As part of our ‘At Home’ series, Iconologist designer Rick Owens talks about his working process, finding inspiration and the ‘concrete palace’ he calls home to show his S/S 2023 menswear collection in Paris. (A typically dystopian setting saw giant steel balls being lowered from cranes into fountains in front of the Palais de Tokyo). ‘I’m on my balcony overlooking the Ministry of Defense gardens – the roses are just starting to bloom and the wisteria, which always seems to struggle, is lush and confident this season.’
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04. Esther Manas: A label that says to make clothes for every body
Esther Manas adjusts an outfit on a model, taken from Wallpaper * August 2022
(Image credit: Photography by Pauline Karatone)
‘She’s a woman who really wants to be seen,’ says Esther Manas of her eponymous label, which she designed with partner Balthazar Delpierre. Speaking from their Belgian studio, Manas and Delpierre talk about their inclusive approach. ‘Being plus size, I wanted to do something for myself,’ says Manas. When we started in 2016, it wasn’t cool to be big. It was an issue. We thought we should fix that.’
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05. Gabriela Hearst on sustainability and style at Chloé
Chloé A/W 2022 March 2022 Wallpaper Style Edition*
(Image credit: Photography by Tino Chiwariro)
In the year Featured in the March 2022 issue of Style, we catch up with Gabriela Hearst, creative director of Parisian house Chloé, on her approach to sustainability-minded luxury — likening the process to the creation of an Italian caprese salad. ‘You have to work with the best ingredients, the best tomatoes and the best mozzarella,’ she told Laura Hawkins. ‘Before I joined Chloe there was control over the ingredients used to create the final product.’
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06. Manolo Blahnik: ‘The only thing you need is desire’
Manolo Blahnik at home in the Canary Islands
(Image credit: Courtesy of Manolo Blahnik)
Speaking from his home in the Canary Islands, the famous Spanish shoe designer gave a wide-ranging interview with Wallpaper* – from his current reading list to his all-time favorite food (bread and butter pudding at the Wilton restaurant in Jermyn Street, London). He also shared his advice for the new generation of creatives: ‘All you need is passion – full passion for what you’re doing or trying to do.’
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07. In conversation: Giorgio Armani meets Paul Smith
Paul Smith and Giorgio Armani at the house of Armani Milan
(Image credit: taken from wallpaper * October 2022)
As part of Wallpaper’s October 2022 issue, Giorgio Armani offers to chat with designer Paul Smith as part of a guest editorial. In the wide-ranging interview, Armani and Smith talk shop, discussing everything from modeling and career highs to their strong Italian and English roots. ‘Sometimes I think I would have liked to be on the other side and be the one to ask the questions,’ says Armani. ‘Actually, that’s what makes this conversation with you so interesting.’
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08. New generation of New York
Diotama, part of our emerging New York brands feature
(Image credit: Photography by Annie Powers)
Seven exceptional designers make up our selection of New York’s new generation of fashion talent, all taking the city’s fashion week to the next level with their own personal style. From Rachel Scott Diotama – who draws on the dancehall traditions of Kingston, Jamaica, where she was born – to Carly Marks and Ayla Argentina’s ‘sparkle and chic’ dolls and dolls, they each *speak* for the wallpaper of what it means to be a young designer in New York, and indeed America, today.
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09. Christoph Lemayer in his long-term collaboration with Uniqlo U
(Image credit: courtesy of Uniqlo)
Christophe Lemaire’s collaboration with Uniqlo is one of fashion’s most successful partnerships. In October, he told Wallpaper* the story behind his Uniqlo U collection for the Japanese brand, featuring modular clothing and reimagined antiques. ‘As a designer I’m more into deep trends, not current trends,’ he says from Paris. It is trying to understand or discover people’s way of life, their way of life, their needs. This is what I want.’
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10. Edward Buchanan: ‘For me, the creative process is both beautiful and painful.’
Fabiana Filippi Highline capsule collection designed by Edward Buchanan
(Image credit: Contributed by Fabiana Filippi)
Edward Buchanan – who runs his own label Sansovino 6, as well as consulting for Off-White and Agnona – has teamed up with Italian label Fabiana Filippi to create inspiration from the diversity of New York’s Highline. Scarlett Colon spoke to Buchanan at the release of the collection, which continues her reputation as one of fashion’s busiest people. ‘For me, the creative process is beautiful and painful, because now part of my process, do we have to do this much?’ He says. ‘I like longevity… I like to build something strong and durable so you have it for a long time.’
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