Photographs by Evan Joseph
Dear Boffo,
I enjoyed stopping by your installation at the Superpier (15th at the Hudson River) while I was in New York. This was part of the Building Fashion series, a series of collaborations between architects and fashion designers. Each year, thousands of architects and designers compete for the chance to work with Boffo to create an innovative, groundbreaking space. For the fashion designer, it’s an opportunity to showcase their work in a space customized to the concept/aesthetic of their line. For the architect, it’s a chance to design an outlandish, exciting space.
The first in this year’s series paired American menswear designer Michael Bastian with boutique architecture firm Bittertang. Bastian’s line of clothing is classic and well-tailored, very preppy. But with a twist. He’s taken a very classic look and given it a bit of darkness, taking the prep into a slightly gothic territory. For the space, Bittertang created a dystopian farmhouse, buried in hay. On the interior, walls are made of 400 pounds of poured beeswax, illuminated from the back. The whole space is welcoming, yet off-putting.
The installation is located along the Hudson River Park on the west side of Manhattan (my favorite part).
Antonio Torres and Michael Loverich of Bittertang.
The clothing is exceptionally beautiful. Just playful enough to capture your interest, to subvert conventions. But not so quirky that it screams “HAY LOOK AT ME I HAVE A WEIRD ZIPPER!”
The Boffo + Michael Bastian + Bittertang installation is definitely worth a gander if you’re in New York before it closes November 21. Building Fashion will continue throughout the winter, an installation featuring the fashion designer Linda Farrow is up next. Check it out!
Love,
Orlando
I’ll bet that with all of that beeswax in there is smells heavenly.
Glowing beeswax walls – only in New York!