Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Fashion’s Pole star

Poland may not be renowned as a centre of European fashion, but that hasn’t stopped hot young designer and native son Arkadius from conquering the continent’s most glamorous cities. Matt Warnock tracks the rise and rise of a man on fire

He may not (yet) be a household name, but to those in the know Arkadius is currently hotter than Scarlett Johansson in a chilli-sauce Jacuzzi. Christina Aguilera, Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake have all modelled his designs at big events, but if his credentials are textbook, then his background is anything but. Not since John Galliano burst out of Gibraltar has someone from such an unlikely location scaled such sartorial heights.

“I was born in Lublin, Eastern Poland, and raised in Parczew – a tiny town nearby,” says Arkadius. Those were the days when Poland was an Eastern Bloc country under Soviet rule, still suffering a post-war hangover. It hardly seems like the ideal breeding ground for a fashion designer, but Arkadius believes that the first seeds were planted for exactly that reason.

“There was no access to glamorous fashions and, as is human nature, you always aspire to what you can’t have. As a child, I was fascinated by theatre and design, then I remember seeing an interview with Yves Saint Laurent in the late 70s; I knew then that I wanted to be a designer.”

However, he’s adamant that staying in Poland was never an option. “It definitely wasn’t a country that developed creativity. There was no market and even less vision. I felt I had to move out of Poland to start doing creative things in the fashion business.”

If Arkadius’ upbringing was as unconventional as many of his designs, then his career since has been a smooth path to sartorial superstardom. Enrolling at St. Martin’s College of Art and Design in London, he demonstrated his abilities with a double first that earned him an entire window dedicated to his collection at Browns – the first time the emporium had honoured a student in such a way since Galliano. He went on to gain a placement with Alexander McQueen.

“The main thing McQueen taught me was that anything is possible. He has such a ‘go for it’ attitude. He said: ‘If you burst through boundaries and remain true to yourself, you’ll always reach a niche market.’”

Arkadius obviously has a ‘go for it’ attitude himself. Charging around the city in his hooded sweatshirt, military cap and a pair of his own ultra-cool shades, he looks every bit the urbane, hip Londoner – the village boy born into a family of teachers in 1969 has long departed. “To be honest, I now feel more British than Polish, as being British to me means being global. The British are open-minded, liberal and have a great sense of humour, which I adore.”

He has a reputation as an avant-garde rebel; not least since a member of the audience walked out of his 2001 show ‘Prostitution?’, appalled by scenes of twins bound together and a model wearing a blood-spattered dress. But his brilliance is not in doubt. His complicated cuts, imagination and amazing outfits have seen him hailed (unsurprisingly) as ‘the new Galliano’ and ‘the showman of London Fashion Week’. Yet for every outlandishly moulded bodice inside a vast net bubble, or skirt so short you can see the model’s bottom, there are wearable sweaters, dresses and jackets that are imitated on the high street.

It’s this uncanny ability to switch between the everyday and the abstract – to produce light, tongue-in-cheek pieces one minute and politically or sexually charged creations the next – that has won him numerous awards and admirers. It also makes him absolutely fascinating. Part sensitive artist, part court jester and part middle finger at the establishment, he’s as deliciously capricious as fashion should be.

But for all this, Arkadius points out that his roots still shape him. “I guess Poland has subconsciously influenced me a lot. I designed a collection called ‘Paulina’, which was inspired by Polish folk and named after my grandmother.” One of his later collections, ‘Virgin Mary Wears the Trousers’, was motivated by the Catholic religion, which is so strong in the Polish mentality.

Also central to that mentality is the belief that art should reflect and dissect the realities of the world around it. “I’m not sure if that’s conscious or not,” he muses. “My motto is ‘Dare to be Different’; maybe there’s something about Poland that makes us bigger risk-takers or we see things in a different way.”

So can we expect to see fashion increasingly dominated by new kids from the Bloc? “There are definitely some talented young designers out there,” he affirms. “I’ve not been back to Poland for a while, but my friends tell me that the big cities are really cosmopolitan, with a mixture of races and nationalities. Hopefully, we’ll see more Polish talent on the international stage soon.”

Arkadius’ career has also come full circle since those days in Poland when he was inspired by the glamour of fashion and theatre.

He’s taking a hiatus from the runway to design the costumes for Placido Domingo’s new production of Don Giovanni at the Los Angeles Opera House, which opens later this year. But he stresses that this is not a retirement from fashion: “When I do return, I hope to repeat the aesthetic that I’m learning in other fields – to mix flamboyance with functionality.”

Perhaps one reason for this mid-career time-out is the recent death of fashion maven and muse Isabella Blow. It was Blow who kick-started the Pole’s career by championing his designs and introducing him to Alexander McQueen. “She was by far the most inspiring fashion persona I’ve ever met. She was generous and human, which is a rare thing in the ruthless fashion world. I was heartbroken when I heard about her death and feel very privileged to have known her,” he confesses.

Arkadius is part of her legacy: a refreshing voice of humility and honesty in an industry known for being the opposite, he once turned down Naomi Campbell for one of his shows, fearing her primadonna antics would upset the harmony. Proof, if any was needed, that Isabella Blow’s spirit is alive and well in the globetrotting boy from the Polish countryside.

Looking East

Eastern European designers set to make waves in the future

Agnes Kolignan

Nationality Polish Experience Worked for Alexander McQueen and now at Gianfranco Ferre Creates Gorgeous, elaborate prints and patterns

Oksana Mukha

Nationality Ukranian Experience Attended the prestigious Ukranian L’viv Academy of Arts Creates Stunning bridal and evening gowns that juxtapose classical and contemporary elegance

Ewa Dunikowska

Nationality Polish Experience Graduate of Krakow Fine Arts Academy and now runs the fashion company DAGNEZ with her husband Creates Elaborate, glamorous evening dresses and ball gowns that play with form and fabric

Radka Kubková

Nationality Czech Experience Studied artistic production in Prague and worked as a restorer of textiles before moving into fashion Creates Beautiful, avant-garde accessories, including gloves, belts, hats and bags

Silva Levit

Nationality Moldovan Experience Created original samples for Victoria’s Secret, Casique and Mast Industries, before launching her own ‘Silve Fashions’ signature line Creates Refined but feminine lines – from evening wear to club or beach outfits

FR Star polonaise de la mode

Son nom n’est peut-être pas connu de tous, mais pour ceux qui le connaissent, Arkadius résonne intensément. Christina Aguilera et Justin Timberlake ont tous deux porté ses créations lors de grands événements, et si ses références sont impressionnantes, son background l’est sans doute un peu moins. “Je suis né dans la partie Est de la Pologne, élevé dans une petite bourgade,” confie Arkadius – on peut difficilement imaginer que ce soit un terrain fertile pour un stylise de mode, mais selon Arkadius les premières graines ont commencé à germer en lui exactement pour cette raison.

“Nous n’avions pas accès à l’éclat du monde de la mode, de la création, et c’est bien dans la nature humaine, on aspire toujours à ce que l’on ne possède pas. Enfant, j’étais fasciné par le théâtre et le design, je me souviens aussi d’avoir vu une interview d’Yves Saint Laurent à la fin des années 70; à ce moment-là, j’ai su que je voulais devenir styliste.”

Aujourd’hui, dernière coqueluche de la mode londonienne, Arkadius s’est taillé une réputation de rebelle d’avant-garde. Ses coupes complexes, son imagination débordante et ses vêtements audacieux lui ont valu (sans surprise) le titre de “nouveau Galliano” et de “showman du London Fashion Week”. Bien entendu, à côté des corsages extravagants conçus dans un vaste filet de bulles, ou des jupes si courtes que l’on peut voir le postérieur des mannequins, on trouve des cardigans, des robes et des vestes qui tirent leur inspiration de la rue.

Arkadius souligne cependant que même s’il se sent aujourd’hui “plus British que Polonais”, ses racines l’ont sans conteste façonné. “Je crois que la Pologne m’a fortement influencé inconsciemment” dit-il avant d’ajouter “ma devise est ‘Oser d’être différent’. Il y a peut-être quelque chose en Pologne qui nous fait prendre plus de risques ou bien, nous voyons les choses autrement, tout simplement.”

NL De poolster aan het modefirmament

Zegt de naam je niets? Bij ingewijden is Arkadius nochtans hot. Zowel Christina Aguilera als Justin Timberlake droegen tijdens grote evenementen met zijn ontwerpen. Zijn werk mag ondertussen legendarisch zijn, zijn achtergrond is dat geenszins. “Ik werd geboren in Oost-Polen en groeide op in een klein dorpje”, aldus Arkadius. Niet meteen de ideale voedingsbodem voor een modeontwerper, maar Arkadius gelooft dat precies daar de eerste zaadjes ontkiemden.

“We hadden geen toegang tot glamoureuze mode. En je wil natuurlijk altijd wat je niet kan krijgen. Dat is gewoon menselijk. Als kind was ik gefascineerd door theater en design. Toen ik eind jaren ‘70 een interview met Yves Saint Laurent zag, besloot ik dezelfde weg in te slaan.”

Ondertussen woont Arkadius in Londen, waar hij de reputatie van een avant-gardistische rebel verwierf. Zijn ingewikkelde snitten, verbeelding en verbluffende outfits leverden hem (weinig verrassend) de bijnaam “de nieuwe Galliano” en “de showman van de London Fashion Week” op. Voor elke bizarre body in een reusachtige netbel, of een rok die zo kort is dat je de derrière van het model kunt zien, zijn er echter draagbare sweaters, jurken en jassen die door het grote publiek wordt overgenomen.

Arkadius verklaart dat hoewel hij zich “meer Brits dan Pools” voelt, zijn afkomst nog steeds bepalend is. “Onbewust heeft Polen me enorm beïnvloed”, zegt hij. “Durf anders te zijn, dat is mijn credo. Misschien maakt Polen dat we meer risico’s nemen of dingen anders zien.”

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