Photography Gioele Vettraino
Interview by Samira Solimeno
Styling Sara Danese
Model Holly Nicole @ Next Models Milan
Make-up Clara Spadoni
Photographer’s assistant Sara Galletta
Fashion Assistant Nicola Aliventi
Editor-in-chief Valentina Ilardi
Heritage is a GREY project that gives voice to the far-sighted fashion generation of designers and emerging brands that are establishing themselves in the contemporary scene.
For the #04 edition of Heritage we are proudly presenting ÇANAKU, an Italian brand by designer Jurgen Çanaku, offering a fresh and unordinary view into contemporary menswear. Classical clothing tainted by modernity with the use of unusual cuts, colors and fabrics is the main feature of the brand, which aims to mix romance with a rockstar attitude.
The fil rouge of Çanaku is a contemporary interpretation of the sartorial dress, a garment that has defined and trapped the Western male identity for centuries. How did the will to reinterpret this garment and free it from social constraints come about?
Çanaku’s original idea was inspired by my father’s wardrobe, a man of great integrity. My will is to tell my story and my vision through what he has worn during his life. My father taught me to overcome my limits, to not easily settle, to look beyond the horizon and dream that on the other side there will be something wonderful. As a child I was shy and introverted, I used fashion as a tool for communicating. Through Çanaku, I would like to pass-on this message: you can shout, without speaking.
Your collections are characterized by romantic symbolism. Your work is inspired by a historically “masculine” imagery, like that of rock and boxing. How do you get these two souls to live together?
Freedom has a price. It’s a form of experimentation and a way to overcome your limits. As I previously stated, my source of inspiration is my father Ismet, a real rock star in my eyes. He dreamed of bringing his family to safety and he succeeded. That’s a real rocker’s gesture, leaving for an unknown place, escaping from war, being able to find a safe place in the world for all of us.
A boxer has the same courage: how do you get in a ring with a trained opponent knowing that you could hurt yourself? It takes courage! Boxers make sacrifices to overcome their fears, they fight against themselves first. I see romanticism in this approach, something worth fighting for. I am not in tune with the competitive society that demands us to be perfect and wealthy. I aim to be romantic and kind, always looking at my limits and trying to overcome them.
Çanaku creations have been worn by celebrities such as Irama, Achille Lauro and Maneskin, personalities who are defining the Italian and international music scene, through an image that breaks down the concept of the binary genre. How important is it for you to know that people wearing your clothes are free to express themselves?
It’s fundamental. when I started to make collections I never imagined I could share my vision with other people. We can not please everyone but the important thing is to feel good with yourself. I don’t like to talk about binary, it is now established that it is no longer a man/ woman society.
The theme of travel as an experience of personal growth is very much present in your work. What is the most important thing that you have learned in these years and that you hope to convey to those around you?
It all started from the concept of journey and I’ve learned one thing only: TO DREAM. I take this lesson with me and try to transmit it to those around me.
As various micro-trends on social media show, Generation Z, which grew in the years of streetwear, is attracted to all that stems from past decades. Yet the tailoring trend, which has returned to the catwalks after the pandemic, does not seem to be so popular on the streets. According to your experience in the fashion world, what are the causes of this rejection?
It certainly takes time, the fact that some artists, like rappers, are starting to change their fashion aesthetic, gives hope. The sartorial trend has always been a little obscure for young people, partly because it is associated with power and it’s perceived as “classic”. Young people are now giving “sartorial” a different meaning. We are revolutionizing it. Menswear is experiencing a magical moment, with lots of new proposals, it will just take some time to embrace it.
In your collections you experiment with colors, prints, jewelry and footwear, building a total-look proposal. How do you hope Çanaku will evolve in the future?
Everything is already perfect the way it is. We are currently working on many product categories: with this SS24 we have developed a real footwear collection and we are focusing on denim which is new in the collection. We are building something that is not just a trend, but is rather timeless and meaningful for our customers, that above all is the value of the brand.
