23 October 2015

House of Malakai – the balinese avant-garde

Alina Ceusan # News

RO: Cautam ceva pe Luisaviaroma si la un moment dat, dupa cateva minute de scroll, vad ceva ce ma face sa iau mana de pe mouse si sa raman cu ochii la ecran pentru cateva secunde. Lumina alba razbatea prin birou, parca palpaind. Perdelele erau trase, camera era cufundata-n intuneric. Putin in stanga mea, pe birou, sedea o scrumiera de marmura in care ardea o tigara. M-am oprit asupra unei sepci… a unui headpiece (let’s agree to disgree). Dupa cateva secunde, am dat zoom pe imagine.

EN: I was looking for something on Luisaviaroma and after a few minutes of scrolling around, I saw something that made me take my fingers off the mouse and stare at it. The iMac kept sizzling a ray of white light through the dark. I pulled the curtains earlier, it was dark all around me, there was a lit cigarette on my desk, in the marble ashtray. There it was: on my desktop, some kind of a benie, a headpiece (let’s agree to disgree). I zoomed it after a few seconds.

RO: Era o bereta neagra, din piele, cu aplicatii metalice argintii steampunk, insa cu un aer clar militaresc. Nu era bereta aia clasica de frantuzoaica, asa ca mi-am dorit sa vad mai multe piese, numaidecat.

EN: It was a black leather beret with metallic steampunk embellished details, refusing the french idea of such a headpiece and heading towards the war zone, as military. I had to see more asap.

RO

Malakai este un artist autodidact si multidisciplinar din Bali, Indonezia. Creeaza haine, bijuterii si decoratiuni la comanda inca din 1999. Avand radacini in miscarea underground din San Francisco, Malakai si-a inceput cariera ca un performance artist, lucrand costume de avangarda. Toate acestea se vor ciocni mai apoi cu alte directii artistice: styling, modeling si DJing. Un artist multidisciplinar, dupa cum spuneam. Brandul House of Malakai a fost infiintat in 2013 ca fiind o proiectie reala a vizunii sale artistice. Toate produsele sunt faurite in atelierul sau din Bali.

Acest brand a inceput a un brand de bijuterii, focusandu-se pe sepci si headpiece-uri facute la comanda (bespoke). Creatiile lui au fost indragite in scurt timp de Beyonce, dar si de catre Rihanna, care pozeaza in 2014 in revista de moda nemteasca TUSH purtand piese din colectia Hybrid Couture Collection.

House of Malakai s-a impus atat ca brand couture, cat si ca unul Ready To Wear. Colectiile sale Ready To Wear au fani in comunitatile fashion-forward din Londra, Tokyo, New York, Paris si Seul. Acorda o deosebita atentie detaliilor, toate piesele fiind realizate hand-made dupa care se adauga si tehnici tehnologice moderne pentru finisare.

Malakai isi ia inspiratia din high fashion, stiinta, revolutionari (ia uite army-ul), sapaturi arheologice and miscari underground. Cultura tribala antica se impleteste usor cu tehnologia moderna in mainile acestui artist. Piesele lui trec prin timp – ca o memorie familiara a ceva ce nu ai mai vazut vreodata.

EN

Malakai is a self taught, multi-disciplinary artist based in Bali, Indonesia. He has been creating bespoke fashions , jewelry and decor since 1999. Rooted in the San Francisco underground , he began his career as a performance artist, crafting elaborate, avant guard costumes. This expanded into artistic direction, styling ,modelling and DJing. House Of Malakai , the label, was birthed in 2013 as a vehicle to share his diverse vision. HOM is produced out of his atelier in Bali.

House Of Malakai began as an accessory brand focusing on bespoke head wear. His fantastical creations have become a favorite of many celebrities including Beyonce and Rihanna. The label has become a source for celebrity stylists, music videos and campaigns. House Of Malakai has been established as a couture label and a street brand alike. His Ready To Wear collections have hit cult status among fashion forward youth, particularly in London, Tokyo, New York, Paris and Seoul. His creations have a particular attention to detail and hand craft, in combination with modern digital techniques. As a label, House Of Malakai is very focused on quality, craftsmanship, and innovative handwork.

Malakai’s influences are culled from high fashion, science, revolutionaries, archaeological digs, and underground movements. Ancient tribal culture weaves seamlessly with cutting edge technology in the hands of this multi media artist. His work transcends our time – a familiar memory of something we’ve never seen before.