Merging art and fashion according to Alise Trautmane

In a new digital age, where technology can ever more merge mediums to create something altogether groundbreaking, fashion and art are ever more intrinsically linked. FashionUnited caught up with Alise Trautmane, founder and creative

director of luxury brand, Narciss, who has honed in on the idea of accumulating creative influences by bringing together emerging artists and fashion designers under one roof; the Narciss boutique in Notting Hill, West London.

FU: As the founder of Narciss, why did you decide to launch a boutique, which worked closely with the arts?
AT: Being an emerging independent label, we totally understand how hard it is for young talent to get the attention of buyers and get their collections into prime retail space. Fortunately, we have a great retail space on Westbourne Grove, and we are happy to provide the opportunity through the project of Emerging Designers and Artists Month (EDAM) at Narciss to a few chosen talents of art and design to sell their work along the Narciss ready-to-wear womenswear collection. This kind of collaboration enriches our experience, and adds a new perspective. This also resulted in our beautiful display at the Narciss store, which has been designed in collaboration with Eleanor Barreau – a CSM graduate and a great painter.

FU:In a new digital age, where mediums are ever merging, how do you think art benefits from fashion and fashion from art?
AT: I believe it all began in the Fifties, when the essence of ready-to-wear was born. Think the Yves Saint Laurent Mondrian day dress he made in the Sixties, which looked like it had been tailored from an actual Piet Mondrian's canvas. Today we can see many examples of collaboration between art and fashion – graphic designers create prints for French luxury fashion houses, well-known Hollywood film directors create breathtaking advertisement for fashion brands, sculptors make accessories for great British fashion designers etc. I see design and fashion in particular as something that has to serve people – make them look better, feel more confident, helps to stress the beauty in them etc. Art is less applicable but it invites people to think, ask questions, explore emotions that arise from the particular object of an art. However, there are so many examples of commercially successful artists and we truly believe that a talented artist can also be commercially successful, if an opportunity is given to expose his or her work in the right venue and to the right audience.

FU:How did you come to work with Debut Contemporary?
AT: DEBUT Contemporary is the most sophisticated art gallery in the area, located just a few blocks away from the Narciss Westbourne Grove store.. DEBUT's expertise is exceptional- they represent a great selection of talented, emerging artists. When we came up with the idea of Emerging Designers and Artists Month at Narciss it was a natural decision to call Samir(Ceric) and Zoe(Knight)and ask them if they would like to collaborate with Narciss and help to promote up-and-coming artists.

FU:What are your criteria when picking the designers and artists?
AT: First of all, artists and designers have to be emerging, by this we understand that they are not established yet, but have a huge potential and a great talent. And beyond that, to fit with the synergy of Narciss. We decided to collaborate with Eleanor Barreau a painter represented by DEBUT. Her work largely focuses on women and the way in which they are portrayed in advertising. Eleanor has examined the image of the ‘ideal’ woman over the past 60 years and the way advertising has gradually culminated women into something that is now unreal. This coincides in a way with the idea of Narciss. The name of the fashion label Narciss derives from the ancient Greek myth about a handsome young man, Narcissus, who fell in love with his own reflection. Instead of advocating sick narcissism and self-obsession, Narciss encourages women to be more self-confident.

FU:How regularly are you changing/updating artists/designers?
AT: This is our first event; we are planning to have Emerging Designers and Artists Month (EDAM) once a season for four-eight weeks. The concept is still in development, but we have already had very positive feedback. We hope that the event will keep growing in magnitude.

FU:Who is the Narciss customer?
AT: Our customers are women who have embraced our philosophy of humble luxury, which is reflected in our design, execution and choice of fabrics. Our client is feminine, yet edgy. At Narciss we see each garment as an investment piece, which will serve you well for more than one season due to its exquisite craftsmanship, highest quality fabrics and sophisticated cuts.