Being John Malkovich

By Daniela Bonetto in collaboration with yoox.com

By Hend Seif El Din

Transoceanic elegance meets quality ‘Made in Italy’ in the Technobohemian capsule collection. “This capsule collection is based on drawings recent and past. I always mistrust anyone describing to me what they have done, what it means, and what I should feel about it, so I assume others feel that way also. However, I will try to describe it as simply as possible. This is a small collection of light, wearable summer clothing and accessories. Some are colorful, some are more discreet. The fit is comfortable and not overly structured, and hopefully easily paired with most anything”

You are an actor, designer, musician and director, so how and when was your passion for fashion born?

I’ve liked clothes since I was very young; I was always interested and of course I studied costuming as part of my theatre education. I worked quite a bit in fashion, sometimes modelling but mostly with my friend Bella Freud who is an English designer for whom I wrote and directed three fashion films over the years. Eventually someone asked me to start a line with a young Italian man named Francesco, which I did for 10 collections. I did not continue with that company but had always been in contact with Riccardo Rami and Imai Kaoru, our consultants, and with them we started our new line called Technobohemian.

What’s the origin of the name “Technobohemian”?

Riccardo Rami sent me an unpublished Italian novel of Simone Ramilli that was set in Prato and was based on characters that we knew; in this book there was the term “technobohemian”, so I asked the writer if I could use that for the name of our company.

What do you think about the words techno-bohemian coming together?

Techno probably conjures up a lot of things but I think it means technology and bohemian is a kind of free romantic way of living. I think Simone Ramilli told me that techno actually comes from Greek and means both the art of living and living art, but I didn’t know that until after. To me this just meant that we live a technological life and we are at the mercy of a lot of technology, but we have a lot more liberty and freedom of movement than we had even 50 or 100 years ago.

How is your relationship with technology and art?

Technology is not of my generation, and it always changes so quickly. I would say I’m probably not that great with technology but of course I use the Internet, computers, iPhones, iPads, iPods and all that stuff. But for instance drawing – I’d just rather draw myself, I don’t really want to do it with a computer. Although of course it would be much faster and I’m sure much easier – but I like to touch the things I work on.

What’s the concept behind the capsule collection you have designed exclusively for yoox.com?

Due to my profession, I spent whole years in summer climates: shooting in South America where it’s summer, in Africa where it’s summer and in Thailand where it’s summer. I’ve always loved summer – colourful and light items which a lot of men and male designers don’t particularly create, even in the summer. When you go into shops it’s all black or grey, it’s all nylon fabric and skinny cuts. I am always very happy designing summer pieces and this collection is really basically all you’d need to go somewhere for 3-4 days. It’s a little capsule collection with pretty much all fabric from Italian makers with a lot of prints I like very much. Some of the designs are new for this collection and some of them are not because of course when you do a collection, often you may design things which actually never get made.

Why have you chosen the 50s mood for the capsule collection?

Fashion always has influences that I hope aren’t imitations, but the 50s had some very elegant designs and designers, and although I take influences from anywhere, I would be hard-pressed to think of one from the 80s. I like 50s things, I like the designers of the 50s. I always liked Jean Prouvé, the French furniture designer. There was so much interesting design work at that time and I don’t know why it’s always had a strong influence on me.

Every item you design has a specific name?

In the capsule collection there is the Beach Boys jacket, another item called Ibiza 36 Hours – that’s because I once saw a TV programme about the English who go to Gatwick, get a plane to Ibiza and spend 36 hours in a disco, they’re given a toothbrush and some deodorant and I think maybe a t-shirt, and I thought that idea was, though alarming, kind of entertaining. Pyjama pants for obvious reasons, because they’re pyjamas. I don’t actually think the swimsuit or shorts really have a name. Another one is called Sultanahmet which is an area in Istanbul that inspired me because of its original colours. The sneakers are just simple old style sneakers recreated in a unique print, most of them done in Lake Como.

Do you have a favourite piece in the capsule collection?

I’ve always liked the Beach Boys jacket inspired by an old jacket from the 50s I found once at a junk sale, but I don’t know if I really have favourites. I take very good care of every item as Riccardo, Imai and the people I work with do – everything is original and it’s done with care.

A special thanks to yoox.com for sharing the interview.