YKK showcases designer Anastasia Radevich in first 2020 exhibition

For its first 2020 exhibition and window display at its London Showroom on Commercial Street, YKK is championing footwear designer Anastasia Radevich to showcase her sculptural designs.

Anastasia Radevich, follows on from an impressive list of emerging talent who YKK have showcased including Japanese shoe designer Wataru Sato, YKK Accessories Award Graduate Fashion Week winner Dimitri Gabellier, British Asian artist and activist, Pins, and most recently, Turkish contemporary artist Deniz Sağdıç, who created art using off-cuts of denim, YKK zips and buttons.

The London College of Fashion graduate is a third generation shoe maker from Montréal, Canada, and uses the art of storytelling to create her sculptured designs, which have been exhibited at a number of museums including the Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art in St. Petersburg, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts and the Grassi Museum in Germany.

Kei Kagami, YKK Europe Limited Ambassador explained what he loved about Anastasia’s work: “I’m absolutely delighted to present Anastasia Radevich’s shoes which encompass so many aspects of something including craft, art, and technology - they are also both organic and exotic.

“I first became aware of Anastasia Radevich’s work through the Virtual shoe museum several years ago. I noticed something mysterious unique and incredibly interesting, two totally different elements are juxtaposed on her work, such as sensitive - dynamic, strong - gentle, hard - soft, elegant-rough and natural - structural.

Kei added: “I think that only designers who have enough skill set, knowledges and imagination could achieve this kind of creation. I believe that not only her work but also the craftsmanship and her attitude should also be appreciated.”

To celebrate Anastasia’s window going on display until March 6, we asked the Montréal-based footwear designer about her impressive shoe sculptures and the inspiration behind her YKK exhibition.

Tell us a bit about who you are and want made you want to become a footwear designer? Anastasia Radevich: “I’m a third generation shoemaker, an artist and an instructor in shoemaking, living in Montréal, Canada. I've been introduced to shoemaking early and stayed with it until it became way of self-expression.”

What’s the inspiration behind your window display for YKK?

“It is a bit of a storytelling, as it combines pieces over a period of seven years in the following chapters: Biofuture, Kinetik, Dreamfall, Lost Civilizations, and Alchemy and Terra Incognita.”

Your work always has extraordinary detailing - whether on the sole or heel - where does your inspiration come from?

“Inspiration comes from topics I'm curious about. I investigate on a certain matter for a while, and then create a collection that tells a story about it.”

The YKK x Anastasia Radevich exhibition will run until March 6, 2020, at the YKK London Showroom on Commercial Street.

For more information about the YKK London Showroom, visit the showroom’s Instagram @ykklondonshowroom or click here.

Images: courtesy of Anastasia Radevich