Lesley Mobo: Looking towards the Future of Fashion Design

Because I’m fortunate to have a brilliant editor, who has given me the opportunity to profile some remarkable individuals, I was able to have not one, but two interviews with one of the most brilliant young designers today (who also happens to be Filipino), Lesley Mobo.

If you look his name up on the internet, you’ll get a number of articles that’ll trace his history from his humble beginnings in Aklan, to his struggles studying a full undergraduate course in Central St. Martins (which he paid for by himself without the help of any scholarships whatsoever), to his eventual success in attaining the Diesel Award in International Talent Support, to his current commercial work with Harrod’s as well as his personal efforts to create what he calls “directional” pieces in developing his own line.

Last year, I had an email interview with him, which gave me a first glimpse into that fascinating mind and the principles and philosophies that influence his design process. This year, he came back to the Philippines for a special project with Absolut Vodka, which went on tour through Asia. In this interview specific to the Absolut event, there were marked changes in Lesley’s thoughts and musings, although there was one particular point that remained the same: the importance of creating directional pieces.

Of all decades of fashion, this latest one is perhaps the most undefined. There were looks that characterized each decade or even era past, yet in this present time what we constantly see on the runway are reinventions–’60s inspired or ’20s inspired. There is little or not enough effort to create something defining and directional. “We young designers need to deliver something to define our time,” Lesley says. “We know about what has been done in the past, and now we need to look forward in design. We need to create something truly directional.”

It’s easier said than done, of course. And Lesley of all people will acknowledge that. And it’s tough on most designers because of the constant demand to come up with a new collection each season: you don’t really have the time to think over directional items.

I have here my (rather lengthy) article on Lesley’s design direction and Absolut Vodka project, which came out in the Bulletin not too long ago. Since I couldn’t find the final edited interview from last year, I dug up the email reply that Lesley made, dividing it into two articles: one about his experience in London and a stream of consciousness discourse on the importance of establishing a Filipino identity in design.

Lesley is insightful and just brilliant, and it was really interesting to read his email interview, which gave you the feeling that he was typing as fast as he could to catch up with his thoughts. (Hence we added formatting to the text before running it in the paper.) His words offer a wealth of information and force anyone who works in a creative role to think carefully about design philosophy and the language on which their works are built. It is not about negating other design processes or invalidating other priorities, rather, it is about possibly including these ideas for the long haul, and considering if it is something that one may personally deem important.

Here’s the latest article on Absolut Vodka, which appeared June 30, 2006 in the i section of the Manila Bulletin. Here’s the interview on London Fashion. Here’s the interview on Filipino designers. The latter two appeared last year in the i section of the Manila Bulletin.

Photos here and in all the linked articles courtesy of Lesley Mobo or Absolut Vodka. Additional photos swiped/borrowed/seen on Catwalking, which is one of the best sites for fashion editorial images.