Words by Kimberly Haddad
BASIC: Tell us about the meaning be-hind this collection and what inspired you to bring it to life?
WXY: “Not Just A Label” is talking about the label (sociology) and who you will become in a society without labels. The general function of labels are widely known and recognized as a method of distinction that helps people recognize one product from another. In social terms, labels represent a way of differentiating and identifying people that is considered by many as a form of prejudice and discrimination. When people start believing a label, they don’t see anything about the person except for whatever the label is. The rest of a person is crossed-out by the label. Everyone is constructed by pieces, pros and cons. Let’s accept that people are individuals, unique and too complex to be labeled in general. We are living in a time where we quickly put people in boxes. Maybe they are more than what we think?
“The Breath of Success – SMOG” collection is inspired by a CNN piece that dis-cussed the $115 bottles of British air that was sold to Chinese buyers. It’s about how as living becomes easier, breathing becomes harder. The collection is about the give and take between humans and earth, the balance between economic development and air pollution.
BASIC: If there was a soundtrack to your fall 2019 collection, what three songs would we hear?
WXY: “Reset” by Gesaffelstein, “Abdulla Rashims High Above Water Mix 2011” by Anthony Linell and the album, Jby Cio Dor and Donato Dozzy.
BASIC: What is one of your most de-fining moments in life and how has it influenced your career?
WXY: Joining a shoe competition for the money to make my final project. This accident pushed me forward in this industry. I was a fine art student who had no idea about shoes, and this defining moment got me my first job and the knowledge about shoes. WXY was born after that.
BASIC: What kinds of emotions or reactions do you hope people will have when wearing your collection?
WXY: Confidence and belongingness.
BASIC: If you could hide a secret mes-sage inside one of your pieces, what would it be and why?
WXY: Actually our logo and name already hold secret messages that reflect our brand’s essence. The logo is a yellow and black compass. When lost, the compass in you can always find the direction of where you are going. The yellow stands for sun, power, courage and the light of direction. WXY comes from the freedom of gender equality (XX/XY sex chromosomes). It’s about the endemic species born of a new unisex era, a response to the evolution of the world’s first asexual chromosome WXY. But all of our ideas were born under the basic concept of Reverence for Life, issues surrounding us in real life, inspired by the various global problems and issues of the environment.
BASIC: If a Gene were to grant you one wish what would it be?
WXY: The wisdom to change everything.
