“Wearable art,” now there’s an idea. Many people like to call fashion art—it’s not, but wearing art is a concept that the label Three Fifty Nine is attempting to master. The Egyptian designer behind the brand, Marwa Sayed, is making a signature of collaborating with regional artists and then showcasing their work via dresses and sharp separates. It sounds simple enough—it isn’t.
Case in point: over time, should Sayed garner a following, she will have to remain consistent in her choice of artistic aesthetic. Will she go the ethnic route? Bold? Pretty? Graphic? Eventually, borrowing prints and making them a signature can become trying because a designer can find herself a slave to another creative’s journey. While her debut collection (2013) featured works that perhaps appealed to a very young, maybe even grunge crowd, the designs from this 2015 offering will appeal to 20 and 30-something street style stars, bloggers, faux intellects (to provide conversation pieces at the mid-week dinner parties), and, of course, the artsy crowd.
In any case, and sticking to the present, with this collection, we got a glimpse into Sayed’s potential as a designer: she printed her loaned art on quality fabrics and cut them beautifully. Just as anyone with a beginner’s understanding in how to hang a painting knows, the right backdrop is essential as is the lighting. Here, satin did the honors and it showcased the colors and the prints with aplomb. Should Sayed wish to one day follow the route of designers such as Mary Katrantzou—i.e. make a name for herself with print and then diverge onto another path—there’s a possibility that she might take several, if not many, on that journey with her.
Missed the show? Watch all of the shows from Fashion Forward Season 5 here.
