Delikatessen

What is Delikatessen about?

Delikatessen is a high brand that concentrates on shirts and adheres to fashion movements. The vision for Delikatessen concept is to start with a product of purity: something that achieves a balance between old craft and a modern approach to design. I feel the need to provide products that challenge the ideas of tradition and push them forward for the current times. I work in a small team , independently, we want to better ourselves and achieve critical recognition for our work. We feel it is time to have a new outlook towards fashion. We forget products valued on status but instead appreciate those products where the time and thought was put into their development. We are modern artisans.

Shirts are most important garment in Delikatessen collections, Why?

True, shirts are my passion. Shirts are my focal point. I build mens silouette around shirt, its color, form and texture. I am fascinated by composition, structures, forms. The colors play important role in my collections. Within the concept of shirt I introduce in my collections innovative Kimono shirts, blouson shirts, shirts-t-shirts, shirts jackets.

I believe that an ideal shirt exists only as continuum, a moving idea, concept to be constantly chased, approached, never totally reached.

Are the knitted accessories for upcoming summer 2011 hand made?

All accessories are hand made - hand knitted. For SS I came up with bow-ties and ties. For AW I have developed a wider range of hand knitted accessories: shoulder cups, head bands, gaiters, the shoulder cups are the real hit. They are exactly what I want to bring through in fashion - a new form made in a traditional way.

If yes, is the craftsmanship important in modern fashion systems?

Yes, yes... craftsmanship and uncompromised quality have always been of high importance to me. When I look what is happening in the modern fashion systems, I see indeed, a dramatic decline in craftsmanship over last decades, however at the same time I noticed that what I am doing is valued by stores and individuals, and I see that there is certainly a new and strong revival of craftsmanship. There are other brands that focus on craftsmanship, however this remains a niche and definitely is not a main stream. Craftsmanship is in a way in opposition to what we expect of fashion nowadays. Craftsmanship adheres to certain values, forms, colors and is not urged to create the new, it celebrates the beauty of simplicity of what has been proven to be good...

Actually I could say that in my brand Delikatessen I am making craftsmanship a fashion...

What are your sources of inspiration?

I reach the highest level of creativity by interaction with other person. I have worked last few years with my friend and we have had the best ideas when we had to work hard day and night, sleep in the hotels in the middle of nowhere, go out late or not sleep at all. We would often refer to abstract art, people like Malewich, Van Doesburg, Stazewski and Strzeminski etc... I love Morandi for his use of color, texture. His still lives are very emotional.... This I believe is a pure art.

How important are your travels and homeland for your creative process?

Traveling is a catalisator of creativity for me. When I travel I meet a lot of people and my adrenaline level goes up, my mind opens for new ideas.....And Poland is my homeland, Warsaw is a great dynamic city, I live in the center in my own atelier, I love it there and I have to go back to Warsaw to create...

What roles have visual arts in your work? And how can fashion be considered art?

Photography and filming are important... One of my best prints, which I carry on in all collections, is the collage of stills from my own black and white movie. This is a religious procession in Seville. I do not consider fashion to be art.... it is craft...

Tell us more about your F/W 2011-12 collection?

Yellow is the the most important color in Delikatessen collection for AW 11/12. I have build my collection around this color. I have introduced new forms of shirts. The most outstanding one is the Kimono Shirt for Men. Many shirts have detachable pockets and hoods. Details are important: sizes are embroidered in yellow, internal pockets are also yellow. Accessories are more and more important - the shoulder cups are the bestseller, even though I thought they were too daring.

I am very happy with my lookbooks for AW 11/12. I worked with a great young photographer - Bobrowiec and the pictures and movies are minimalist, pure and highly esthetic. They show my direction...