The Esteemed Fashion Prize Celebrates its Finalists and the Spirit of Play with a Special Collaborative Project
The Woolmark Company has announced a special collaborative project to celebrate the finale of the International Woolmark Prize. Following last year’s partnership with Solange Knowles, for 2022 the organization has enlisted two creative collaborators – FKA twigs and the Isamu Noguchi Foundation – who have come together to create a piece of work celebrating the art of play, which is this year’s Woolmark Prize theme – play for creative exploration.
FKA Twigs directed the resulting film, which also features creative direction by Zak Group, choreography by Juliano Nunes and cinematography by Rina Yang. The Noguchi Foundation loaned several iconic Noguchi sculptures, including his 1968 Octetra series, which the cast were able to climb on and interact with.
“For some, play is best left to children. But it is through play that creativity is sparked and new perspectives are created. Our vision for the Woolmark Prize is to create a playground for the next generation of fashion talent to collide with dance, art, music and design. FKA twigs was the perfect collaborator because of her polymathic practice and singular voice. We are indebted to Isamu Noguchi for providing the inspiration to take play seriously.”
– Zak Kyes of Zak Group
Released on April 12, the film presents the final International Woolmark Prize collection looks from designers Ahluwalia, Egonlab, Jordan Dalah, Mmuso Maxwell, Peter Do, RUI, and Saul Nash.
Titled PLAYSCAPE, the film was inspired by Noguchi’s vision of play as a creative catalyst, and merges influence from fashion, art, dance, and music. The film opens with an empty gallery of Noguchi’s play sculptures, which becomes populated by a diverse ensemble cast of characters. In the second part of the film the cast enters an imaginary landscape, where a ballet sensibility is combined with elements drawn from hip-hop, modernism, contemporary dance, and punk aesthetics. Guest appearances by creatives including activist and model Kai-Isaiah Jamal, DJ and dancer Kiddy Smile, and DJ and artist Princess Julia complement the unique silhouettes and mood of each designers’ collections. Dancers include Ève-Marie Dalcourt, Tania Dimbelolo, Dmitri Gruzdev, Meshach Henry, Salome Pressac, Hannah Raynor, Maycie-Ann St-Louis, and Alex Thirkle.
