Born in 1983 in Switzerland, Dominic Knecht studied at the University of Applied Sciences and art of Northwestern Switzerland, in Basel. He was awarded with the swiss federal design award in the years 2010, 2012 and 2013. In 2011, Dominic Knecht established his own label in Berlin, and a countertop in Villain, Mitte. He set himself ambitious goals, aiming to carve out a niche for his label in the higher price segment. After working in Berlin for four years, his work can be yet seen in a showroom in Bâle, Switzerland. He clears the frontiere between prêt-à-porter and haute couture, offering sensitives works of art, that he always desires to be treated "with care"... |
What the designer is principally interested in is the appearance of the bare skin beneath. Which parts of the body are visible, and how is the degree of transparency changed by the movement of the wearer or of the viewer? In the case of certain pieces, the degree of transparency changes with distance, from small slits to complete nudity.
Other fabrics expose the skin as the angle from which the article of clothing is viewed changes. Some of the stripes in the fabric lie across curves, shielding them from view. By means of sophisticated cuts and interesting technique, he has succeeded in creating a collection for a seductive woman which, in spite of what it exposes, is not too obvious. |
"Fabric is the garment of our intimacy"
His collection, back in 2011-2012, "Fabric of intimacy", was built mainly thanks to a weabling loom. The result were very delicate garments made out of manifold threads, weaving, carving, and a lot of aperture that leave bodies visible to the eyes.
Pieces were mainly black and white. We find as well some designs made out of very fine leathers, creamy as butter. Those leathers pieces are sometimes carved, sometimes plain and of a raw simplicity. In order to create this collection, Knecht learned to weave, to bring the yarn together in a unique way through warp and west to create a material surface. The design process involved an interaction between the designer, a cut of the clothing and the female body itself. Knecht begins by weaving the garment on the body in order to decide where points of contact should ideally be placed. Where the fabric hugs the body, constraint is created; where it is loose, the body can move freely. |
work content
During this year of collaboration, I helped Dominic creating some of the fabrics on the loom. As it was a brand new technic for myself and ruled by precision and patience. Each creation took around three months to be achieved. He taught me further sewing arts, models cuts, how do deal with a long term creative project.