Architecture For The Body

Prior to becoming a Fashion Designer, Andrzej Pytel, head designer at House of Ezis was a practicing Architect. The change in occupation appears to be a common story within the Fashion world, with designers such as Virgil Abloh, Pierre Cardin, Raf Simons, Tom Ford, Mary Katranzou and Thierry Mugler all making the defining change. Architecture and Fashion have many cross-overs when it comes to design, providing the world with some of the most interesting inter-disciplinary outcomes which question and manipulate three-dimensional space.

For Andrzej, the design process consists of a meditated metamorphosis, as an organic experience taking place in the present moment. Andrzej rarely sketches designs prior to making, but rather allows the moment to take precedence on how the fabric moves and folds to the body. In a prior interview, he stated that each process is a copy of a copy, a slow transition of one accentuated moment becoming another. His approach to design is unique in this way as prior planning seems almost redundant to his design philosophy. It is safe to say, this approach to design is extremely romantic, as fabric and body become the back bones to the overall aesthetic of House of Ezis.

Although aesthetics are important, it is Andrzej’s philosophy to design that drives his purpose and has been the sole foundation to his practice. Fabrics are always important to a designer; in fact, the use of the word ‘important’ is an understatement as fabrics are rather everything to a designer. To Andrzej, fabric and body arguably go hand-in-hand, as both rely on one another in order to coexist.

Words by Demi Conrad

Gianni Botsford Architects, United Kingdom, London, 2018.

Basque Health Department headquarters, Bilboa Spain
Designed by Juan Coll-Barreau, 2004.

The Tide Cultural Linear Park / Diller Scofidio & Renfro & Neiheiser Argyros, London, 2020.

Zaha Hadid, Heydar Aliyev Centre. 2012.

Written by Demi Conrad.