“The rawness and the romantic element played a big part in picking some of Sohrab Hura’s work,” Kiko Kostadinov explains over email, on the eve of his collaborative capsule launch with the Chinsurah-born, New Delhi-based photographer. After being brought together by Magnum Photos, their two worlds creatively collided to produce two garments which are set to drop at Dover Street Market London just in time for the opening of Photo London.
While Sohrab’s images may not have been on the spring/summer 19 mood board of Kiko’s Wood Green-based studio, there are definite echoes of themes that the collection explores. In the show notes, and backstage afterwards, Kiko spoke of Jean Renoir, India, early technicolour cinema, Kafka and Martin Kippenberger. “There was the idea of walking through India and finding new hope, which I think is reflected in his photographs,” Kiko adds.
As a means to “find his own logic”, his work evolved out of the prism of social documentary and his camera soon began to focus on creating visual journals of his life and personal relationships. While Sohrab continues to place his vivid, at times surreal, lens over the ever-evolving everyday realities of India today, our understanding of the places and faces that inspired the collection deepen. “His work documents the laughter and togetherness but also the struggle of day-to-day life,” Kiko explains. “His work uncovers the duality of what such a place can present.”
For the capsule collection, Kiko was drawn to two images. The first, featuring a bird, is from Sohrab’s The Song Of Sparrows In A Hundred Days Of Summer project which documents life in one of the hottest regions of India during summer. The second is from his acclaimed book project, The Lost Head and The Bird, in which the photographer re-examines the nation’s changing politics and society through its coastline.
Working with these two images, the designer developed a repeated photo print T-shirt and patch photo print hoodie with handmade trimmings. Both have been produced in limited quantities. Beyond the product, we ask what Kiko hopes people take away from this collaboration. “I hope they will explore more of Sohrab’s work because he’s releasing his new book soon. For me, the pieces are quite accessible so maybe that’s a chance for someone to get introduced to our brand too.” With the designer set to open London Fashion Week Men’s in just a few weeks, this introduction is timely. “I hope spring/summer 20 will be the boldest season I have done so far,” he teases.
Kiko Kostadinov x Sohrab Hura garments will launch exclusively at Dover Street Market London on May 16. The t-shirt and hoodie will be available to purchase in-store and online here.