- Insider spoke to Naeem Khan forward of his New York Style Week present on February 14.
- Khan began as an apprentice to legendary designer Halston and have become pals with Andy Warhol.
- Khan mentioned his love of artwork has influenced his designs via the years.
Naeem Khan isn’t any stranger to lovely designs — whether or not it is within the type of clothes or paintings.
The style designer, who has created a number of the most standout robes in Hollywood, celebrated “20 Years of Glamour” at New York Style Week on Tuesday. And forward of his runway present, he sat down with Insider at his studio in New York Metropolis to debate the inspiration behind his new assortment and the way being immersed within the artwork world since his early days in style has influenced his designs.
Though Khan simply hosted his twentieth present at Style Week, he advised Insider that he is actually been designing for nearer to 40 years.
Khan comes from 4 generations of embroiderers in India, however his profession in luxurious American style began at 20 years outdated when he was an apprentice to the legendary designer Halston. Whereas working with Halston, along with studying methods to create timeless silhouettes, Khan found that style design is an artwork kind like music or sculpting.
Pierre Schermann/WWD/Penske Media by way of Getty Photos; John Lamparski/Getty Photos
He advised Insider that he totally immersed himself within the Nineteen Eighties New York artwork scene, finally changing into pals with Andy Warhol.
“Warhol and I used to have many dialogues of what we should always do collectively,” Khan mentioned. Nevertheless, he added that Halston would not let him work with Warhol whereas he was apprenticing.
Whereas style design has been his primary focus, Khan additionally paints, and he mentioned he just lately hosted his first artwork present. By way of this inventive outlet, he mentioned he’s lastly in a position to have his public “conversations with Warhol.”
However Khan’s clothes designs are additionally closely influenced by the artwork world, and he is aware of that his viewers collects his items in the identical method folks gather artwork.
“Typically I am in Houston or I am wherever and any person’s internet hosting a dinner for me, and he or she’ll take me to a membership and he or she’ll have like 30 [of my] items that she’s collected for 20 years,” he mentioned. “I really like folks like that.”
Throughout his present at Iron23 on Tuesday, hidden amongst his gold and feathered items was a Mondrian-inspired costume that would go away the artist speechless at its magnificence.
John Lamparski/Getty Photos
“I create from scratch,” Khan mentioned of his designs. “I am not solely creating the textiles — I am creating the entire look itself.”
Khan despatched 48 appears down the runway this season, together with robes, capes, and two-piece units. Every bit was extra intricate than the final, embellished with beading, ostrich feathers, and gold steel. You may hear the elevated high quality of the material as steel clinked and paillettes swished down the runway, signaling to the viewers how devoted to his craftsmanship Naeem Khan actually is.
The gathering was proof that Khan isn’t any totally different from the folks like Warhol who impressed him — he is a real artist.
