"There's no fairness in the fashion industry, and even if you get it perfect, you can lose everything." In the documentary September Issue, former VOGUE editor Sally Singer hit the nail on the head with the harsh truth of the fashion industry. It is true that the fashion industry likes to create gods, like overnight success stories, and also like to create those so-called "saviors" who "turn the tide", but when designers are really in trouble, flowers and applause are no longer a panacea, they must face the changes of the times, the choices of consumers, or smile and comfort themselves that they are "so lucky".
At New York Fashion Week in the fall/winter of 2016, when designer Sander Lak and his own brand Sies Marjan were born, no one could have imagined that this brand, which has been unanimously praised by the industry since its inception, will end sadly with the raging new crown epidemic. After more than 4 years and 10 shows, Sander Lak and his Sies Marjan did not achieve perfect results.
The dazzling and luxurious colors like jewels, the craftsmanship and technology that challenged haute couture, these were Lak's specialties. As star-studded as his studies and professional resume: after completing his studies with Louise Wilson at Central Saint Martins in London, he moved on to Marc Jacobs, Balmain and Dries Van Noten, and at the age of 32, he founded his own brand, combining his father Sies and mother Marjan, leading 34 employees to create new highlights at New York Fashion Week. And won the CFDA New Talent of the Year Award in 2018.
VOGUE editor Maya Singer has witnessed the fledgling Lak grow step by step, and after watching his first two seasons in a row, Singer exclaimed, "I seem to be sure that we will focus on his brand for a long time, and the first two series are more confident each time." The Fall/Winter 2018 collection was a season in which he really opened up with Sies Marjan, and we can see the twilight-like color and texture he applied to the series on social media, from international to domestic social media, when he confidently explained to the media: "This is a dream, a dream full of passion." ”
On June 16, 2020, the dream woke up, and Sander Lak described his extraordinary experience this way: "We have built a unique brand whose legacy is not only reflected in the clothing and collections, but also in each person. "Barneys New York, which signed an exclusive partnership agreement with Sies Marjan, went bankrupt, the initial try-and-buy strategy mistakes, the absence of explosive accessory products, the difficulty of Volkswagen's control of design, the release of menswear collections compressed the time for brewing new ideas, and the tightening of department store procurement budgets caused by the new crown pandemic... The understatement of various fashion sankei seems general and rash in the face of harsh facts.
In the face of comments and speculation, Sander Lak turned his social media account private, cut off contact with the outside world, and moved from New York to Los Angeles. The recurrence of the epidemic just gave him a chance to be alone, quietly heal his injuries during the lockdown, and settle his heart. This went on for 9 months, until he decided to set out to regroup, and he realized that he hadn't combed through his days at Sies Marjan and said goodbye to the brand.
So Lak wanted to keep the brand alive in another form — and publishing a book was the best way he could think of. He used all his savings to complete a book with contemporary artist Elizabeth Peyton, titled "The Colors of Sies Marjan," which was recently published.
Color is the soul that Lak created for Sies Marjan. At that time, fashion critics liked to put his name in front of the title of "colorist", unlike other creators who gathered inspiration and sketched sketches, his creation began with color, a touch of burgundy red drove him to start creating, gradually extending yellow, dark blue, orange... A palette exclusive to Sies Marjan. "I feel healing and happy when it comes to the colors I use in Sies Marjan, which is an important part of the brand's identity." The process of compiling this book is also a process for Lak to heal himself, by going through all the materials of the brand's past and selecting those that he remembers and putting together a condensed archive. When he received the book, all the hardships and depressions were relieved: "I am proud and satisfied, I feel that I can bring Sies Marjan to a successful end, it's time to look forward!" ”
In the more than two years that Sander Lak has been absent from the fashion scene, fashion lovers have searched second-hand luxury websites for the outstanding pieces he once created, and are always looking forward to his return, even fashion opinion leader Eva Chen is calling him to start again, "Sander, can you start over, I need a full orange look, a full red look, a full body in all colors," he repeated in an interview. Now, Sander Lak, who is about to celebrate his 40th birthday, is preparing to bring new surprises to every long-awaited fan, and when he looks back on this painful and happy time, he also walks out of frustration and shows freedom, "Life is fragile, so treat it wisely, don't take it for granted, and don't take yourself too seriously!"
Fashion & Beauty Vogue
Talk to Sander Lak
Why did you come up with the idea of a book about color?
I want to confirm that I have come out of sadness and hardship and can create good, positive things again. That's why I wrote this book, to put an end to Sies Marjan and to end two years of hard work, fun and relaxation!
"The Colors of Sies Marjan" is a book about color, fashion, references, and inspiration through the lens of Sies Marjan. I don't want to do a traditional fashion book that only shows the design of all the seasons of the brand in chronological order. I felt like this was an opportunity to talk about what Sies Marjan is, but also to dive deeper into what color means to me and others, how I use color in my work, as well as architect Rem Koolhaas, designer Marc Jacobs, Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Gorranson (who made the film Black Panther sound so colorful) and cinematographer James Laxton (who made the film Moonlight Boy It looks so wonderful) how to control the color. I also want to show where I pick my colors from and how color cards fit together. So there are a lot of mood boards with color cards and random images of colors that I like, as well as artwork by artists, which inspired me.
What was it like working on the book with Elizabeth Peyton?
We were good friends. We met because of color, I love her use of color, and she likes mine too :) It's always amazing when you meet someone you admire and find that you like that person as much as (or even more than) the work they do. That's why I've always loved fashion, you can meet people and collaborate!
How do you feel when you see the past creations shown in the book?
I'm proud that all of us were able to create Sies Marjan in just over 4 years, it's a very difficult thing to do, but I have the best team around me! Sometimes I look back at these series and feel like we did it a little too fast, and even to this day I can see a lot of references and ideas about Sies Marjan elsewhere, but I think it's a huge affirmation! I never think it's a negative thing, it means we're doing the right thing!
What do you miss most about fashion? Can fashion still excite you?
I've always loved fashion and will always love it! I'm forever obsessed with clothes, fabrics, pockets, stitching, volume, identity, branding, and communication, all of it! It's like a language I can use fluently and I hope never stops speaking! But sometimes, to really learn and understand something deeply, you have to keep a distance. When you take a break from it, you can have a little more time and space to look at it. That's what I wanted to do after Sies Marjan closed, making sure I could learn more and find a passion for it again. It's a good thing that fashion can be so back and forth, but it can also mean that you'll lose yourself in it, and of course I hope I don't. Now I'm ready and excited to find a way again to make sense of what I've learned and the way I see things.
The fashion industry misses you! Hope you can return soon!
This means a lot to me! Everyone will receive more updates from me soon, so wait and see ;)
Written by: Shanlai
Editor/Interview: Lexi Chen
Art: Xiao B
Some images are provided by the designer