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The names of the 20 emerging designers selected by Vogue Italia to pair up with the S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2015 finalists have finally been announced. Each designer will reinterpret the work of their team-mate through a fashion creation inspired by the chef’s dish, in an unprecedented fusion of fine food and style.
Here is the interview with East Europe region finalists: chef Stefan Barca and fashion designer Dora Abrodi.
| What inspires the aesthetics of your creations? | What inspires the aesthetics of your creations? |
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Inspiration is everywhere. I find it accidentally or intentionally, depending on the moment of creativity, curiosity or imagination. It can be objects that surround us, unusual phenomena in nature and anything that can be felt by senses. |
1. Fine art (especially paintings) as a permanent reference. Clubkids because of the power/spontaneity of youth and underground trends. 2. Science fiction because of the promise of the future and extraterrestial life. 3. Literature because the story is always the starting point. 4. Movies: Old Hollywood, Italian giallo movies like A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin or Dario Argento films, Fellini, David Lynch, Wes Anderson, Fassbender 5. Transylvania and Italy. 6. Spiritualism: religions, beliefs, secretful symbolism, old bestiariums. 7. Goth and dark things. Everything what is black and gold. 8. Royal things: gems, jewels, crowns, capes, goldwork embroideries, pearls, palazzos, objects eith bold beauty: scepters and orbs, tiaras, thrones, treasure chests. |
| How do colours and textures influence your creations? | How do colours and textures influence your creations? |
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When I see certain colours and textures in the outside world, I try in various ways to incorporate them into one dish. It sounds very simple, but sometimes it really can become a nightmare. |
I am into elaborated textures. I always play with unexpected color combinations in print or material manipulations. I use a lot of own developed textures and prints for my designs. I like haute couture approach in pret-à-porter or even in street-wear. And a lot of black and gold. Million shades of black and gold. |
| How would you describe your creative style? | How would you describe your creative style? |
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I prefer a complex, avant-garde style, with lots of irregularly shaped details placed next to each other to form an irregular crowd on a plate. I don’t like rules, so all parts of the composition should create a crazy abstract image without any symmetry. |
Royal goth, baroque futurist with a clubkid attitude. |
| Is there any influence of your country's traditions, culture or materials in your creative work? | Is there any influence of your country's traditions, culture or materials in your creative work? |
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Yes of course. In my country, there’s an incredibly large number of high-quality products that are underused. I always try to use these products when I cook. |
I was born in Transylvania, now I share my time between Budapest and Milan. Best places for inspiration. Transylvania has this secretful goth atmosphere with the darkest forests and mountains you can immagine, amazing haute couture-like folk art, fantastic old Hungarian architecture, a vivid contemporary art life and the sense of living for the moment and party really really hard. Budapest is like a dream, such a pictoresque city and people are so creative and smart there. You can feel really free in Budapest. Milan and whole Italy for me is like home, I love everything about Italian culture. I am lucky to have 3 homes. |
| What food would you happily die eating? | What food would you happily die eating? |
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Michelin-starred baked beans ragout, made by my grandma(ster)! |
Everything with eggplant and or chanterelle or parasol mushrooms. I die for amaretto cookies. And I love black food. Like black carrots, blackcurrant, blackberry, black pasta, black tomato, black lentils and rice. I am vegetarian so I love vegetables. |
| The first top fashion designer that comes to mind? | The first top chef that comes to your mind? |
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Gianni Versace. |
Jamie Oliver. I like his approachable way of cooking and kindness. Reminds me to my family's cooking style. |
| If your cuisine was something to wear, what would it be? | If your creations were a dish, what would it be? |
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Some nice underwear sponsored by David Beckham. |
Something black food with colorful, sparkling elaborated details or some gold marzipan orb on edible black tulip petal bed. |
| What ingredient would you never eat, and why? | What item of fashion would you never wear, and why? |
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Broccoli. It’s terrible and awful. |
Anything with real fur. Its not ethical. |
| What’s the first thing you’ll do upon arriving in Milan next June? | What’s the first thing you’ll do upon arriving in Milan next June? |
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I will eat some nice Italian ice cream. |
Greet Vogue Italy team, meet my friends, drink Aperol spritz and go to Punks Wear Prada party. |
| What do you expect from this challenge? | What do you expect from this challenge? |
| I expect a huge challenge; to meet great people and chefs; to do some extreme cooking and, of course, to create some mesmerising food. | A lot of fun, good energies, new friends, new experiences and of course good food. |
Dora Abodi's interview was conducted by Vogue.it
