Henrik Vibskov is not your typical Scandinavian fashion designer. Forgoing the conventional minimalist aesthetic that has become synonymous with the region, the 46-year-old Dane’s eponymous label is known for its bold colors, striking lines and provocative patterns. Over the past decade, his prolific works spanning fashion, music, film, interior design and visual arts have garnered multiple awards and a large following around the world.
The Copenhagen-based designer is no stranger to Asia’s trendsetters and fashionistas. His ‘pencil glasses’ – released last year in collaboration with Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster – became one of the most iconic accessories in recent years. At the same time, he is also a strong proponent for Asian design labels in the Nordic region. Through his Henrik Vibskov Boutique online and offline retailers, the works of several Japanese and Chinese designers are highlighted alongside their European and North American counterparts.
In July, Vibskov was in town for the opening of WAVELENGTH: RESET, a contemporary art exhibition at the Powerlong Museum where more than 40 local and international artists have come together to explore the topic of modern consumerism through their showpieces. We caught up with him to discuss the concept behind his installation ‘Gravity Orchestra,’ the design process and inspirations for his newest SS2019 collection, as well as some Chinese designers that have caught his eye in recent years.
Image by Dominic Ngai/That's
Let’s start by talking about your showpiece ‘Gravity Orchestra.’ What’s the inspiration behind it, and what message are you trying to convey?
If you look at the installation from the top, it resembles fishnets in these artificial fish farms, which is where the concept came from, while these dolls represent musicians in a symphony orchestra. In terms of colors, they are inspired by industrial settings, as well as the notes on music sheets. With this piece, I’m trying to explore the relationship between gravity and sound: How would sound travel through space without gravity? As you walk through these upside down dolls, you can experience how the element of sound remains unchanged even with the loss of gravity.
Did you have a specific person in mind when you designed these dolls?
We went through several iterations. In the beginning, the whole thing was black, like the color of the tuxedos worn by classical musicians, but it became a little bit heavy. In the end, we thought stripes would be more engaging for the eye, so we went with that. But it wasn’t designed with a particular person in mind, it’s just how a typical German classical musician looks like… Someone thought it was Donald Trump earlier though.
Image by Dominic Ngai/That's
You’re best known for being a fashion designer, but you also work a lot with music, film, and visual arts. Are there any commonalities between these different mediums?
Music was actually the root of my creative career. As part of the underground music scene [in Copenhagen], I noticed how important and common it was for people to show their sense of belonging in that subculture through what they were wearing, reading and watching, and these elements became the catalyst of my work in fashion. It was easy to drag some of the qualities of the music out… that theatrical persona and stage costume can easily be translated into everything that I do.
People say you’re not a very typical Scandinavian designer. Do you agree?
Scandinavian designers often go for very relaxed, neutral color tones, while mine are a bit funkier. In that regard, I don’t see my work as very Scandinavian. But on the other hand, as you can see with [‘Gravity Orchestra’], I can also be quite conservative in terms the structure and framework I use.
And you have quite a big following in Asia, and often reference Asian cultural elements in your design. What is it about the region that fascinates you, and keeps drawing you back?
Growing up in Denmark, we’re exposed to clean aesthetic and minimalism, which I find to be quite similar to certain Asian approaches to design… they are on the same radio frequency.
"I think it’s important to introduce designs from other cultures to Scandinavia"
You have a side project called the P:I:G Foundation (Practical Intelligent Genius), where you organize a contest to offer financial support for young artistic talents each year. The 2018 prize recipient is a Hangzhou-born artist named Jiaqing Mo. Can you tell us about her entry, why she was chosen as the winner?
Her submission was a selection of [visual arts and film projects] that she’s done for school, as well as her own personal work. I thought her surrealist approach was very appealing, and in some ways quite similar to what I do, too. [P:I:G] is a small foundation that I started a few years ago to support new talents. Since I’ve been doing some teaching and design talks, I think it’s important to give something back to help young artists [with some of the speaking fees from these engagements].
Image by Victor Jones, courtesy of Henrik Vibskov
You just came back from Paris Fashion Week to showcase your SS19 collection, ‘Due to Sudden Weather Change’ (pictured on this page). How did you come up with the concept?
Ideas come to me in many different ways. Sometimes it can be very simple things like a color or object. Other times, it can be more abstract, like a political and existential topic or message. ‘Due to Sudden Weather Change’ was inspired by wind, and how much we need it in our lives. The collection showcases it in many ways – prints featuring paper planes, sailboats, soap bubbles, waves and aerodynamic concepts all came into play.
Are there any Chinese design labels that you follow?
Although I don’t follow them too closely, I do keep an eye out for Chinese designers. In my stores (Henrik Vibskov Boutique) in Copenhagen and New York, we stock some items from a few Chinese labels like Sankuanz, Angel Chen and FFIXXED STUDIOS, in addition to Japanese brands like Comme des Garcons and Issey Miyake. I think it’s important to introduce designs from other cultures to Scandinavia.
Image by Victor Jones, courtesy of Henrik Vibskov
[Cover image by Dominic Ngai/That's]
Find out more about Henrik Vibskov here. See details of WAVELENGTH: RESET here.
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