Sep 10 2007

The Funeral Of New Orleans - Part One

For his first catwalk presentation, menswear designer Aitor Throup collaborated with photographer Jez Tozer to create 'The Funeral of New Orleans - Part One'. A fashion film showcased alongside his Autumn/Winter 2008 catwalk show, both were intended as a narrative response to the aftermath of Hurrican Katrina in 2005

The Funeral Of New Orleans - Part One

Film by Jez Tozer and Aitor Throup

About

On Monday 29 August 2005 Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, a tragedy which claimed 1,500 lives and obliterated a rich cultural and musical heritage that had always been integral to the city's identity.

Taking the traditional New Orleans funeral marching band as an artistic starting point, Aitor Throup's Autumn/Winter 2008 collection, The Funeral of New Orleans - Part One, tells the story of five musicians and their fight for survival in the wake of the devastation – a struggle in which they must protect both themselves and their instruments. His London Fashion Week show also featured this short film, a collaboration with Jez Tozer that communicates the functional and transformative features of each piece.

The collection is presented in the order of each instrument's size, beginning with the vocals then followed by the trumpet, the saxophone, the trombone, and lastly, the sousaphone. To accompany the procession, the music is layered, instrument-by-instrument, as each outfit is introduced. The jackets and shirts, based on the traditional designs worn by marching band musicians, only differ from each other in their construction. Cut in the precise pose of each musician playing his instrument, the garments will appear on life-size human sculptures.

The shoulders and neck area of each jacket incorporate organic-looking three-dimensional detachable pieces, which function as protection against the adverse weather conditions. These 'pieces' detach from the jacket and function as independent pieces through an intricate system of zips. The result is a three-dimensionally accurate rendition of each musician's instrument. This becomes a case/cover for the instrument, which can then be carried as a bag by the musician.

The zip is an integral and essential element in Throup's designs, acting both conceptually and functionally in the re-working of the traditional marching band uniform as well as allowing each outfit's transformation into its varied forms. The zips will feature in detail at essential parts of the film, illustrating their specific role in the transformations.

Credits / Contributors

Film

Concept and Creative Direction: Aitor Throup
Direction: Jez Tozer
First Assistant Director: Rebecca Harrington Jones
Fashion: Aitor Throup Autumn/Winter 2008
Footwear: Mark Emmett for Aitor Throup
Millinery: Rizvi for Aitor Throup
Production: Amyra Bunyard
Photographic Assistance: Lou Bradbury, Davide Maione, Robert Moore, Chris Parsons, Ubald Rutar
Design Assistance: Mayur Ghadialy, Stephen Mann, Rob Vaughan, Clare Riding, Lisa Bennett, Sabina Jackson
Styling Assistance: Stephen Mann
Animation: Daniel Gill & Anna Sheldon
Music Production: Vibrations of Sound
Cameraman 1: Adnan Hemani
Playback: Mickey Richards
Online Editor: Magnus Chisholm
Art & Rig: Peter Santi

Musicians

Vocals: Al Robinson
Trumpet: Andrew Nash
Saxophone: Mark Fernandes
Trombone: James Brown
Sousaphone: Graham Thomas
Composition: D Bryceland

Special Thanks to:  Lulu Kennedy at Fashion East, Everybody at Topman, Mandi Lennard and ITS (International Talent Support), Collette, Rob King and Richard Lancaster at Abbey Road Studios, Stone Island, Amanda, Omer and Danny at AFM Kinetic, Andy Wright and Magnus Chisholm at Evolutions, Francois and the Team at Park Royal Studios and Jonathan at YKK

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The Funeral Of New Orleans - Part One