Aitor Throup, the London-based conceptual clothing artist, has unveiled his much anticipated installation Reflection/Redemption at H. Lorenzo Men in West Hollywood. The celebration for the global launch of New Object Research houses Throup’s installation, which is based on four main Concepts called, When Football Hooligans Become Hindu Gods and touches upon the metamorphosis of body language after physical abuse.
“The collection incarnates this idea in product archetypes that combine their violent past with their divine destiny.” -Throup via aitorthroup.com
Throup’s design process is unusual; He begins with drawing characters then converts those illustrations into small sculptures to form the patterns and shapes of the garment to be constructed. At the installation, garments hang alongside Throup’s sculptures made of a thick black mesh material, some full-bodied and in a crouched position lining the wall where his sketches are framed. The crouched, almost life-like men were adorned with Throups’ Garuda Cap, meant to serve as a protective beak-like mask when pulled over the face.
The opening event gave us a chance to observe the already sold out pieces IRL and to properly admire the endless hand-sewn side seams up-close, while the guy who put everything into these pieces stood three feet away. Not bad.
Good news! Reflection / Redemption is still on display at H. Lorenzo, so be sure to check it out while you can, but, as usual, LAC has you covered either way.
Photos of launch provided by H. Lorenzo and Aitor Throup.