Merging Realities Between Art and Fashion: An Interview with Pari Ehsan
- farnazdadashi
- Mar 14, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 16, 2023
Have you ever felt like a work of art or fashion has transported you to another world? Pari Ehsan, also known as Pari Dust, has the ability to do just that. As a visual artist and fashion influencer, she explores new ways to merge elements from the visual world, blurring the boundaries between fashion, art, and design to create immersive experiences that transport viewers to new realms. She expertly navigates these intersecting worlds, crafting seamless and cohesive narratives that are both exquisite and inspiring. Each collaboration is symbiotically paired with a poetic description that sometimes feels philosophical and encrypted with hidden messages.
As a longtime fan of Pari's collaborations, I am honored to share an interview where we delve into her creative process, inspirations, and the ways in which she integrates fashion and art to create truly unique works of art. Join me as we explore Pari's world and discover what makes her such a visionary in the world of art and fashion.
What motivated you to use art and fashion as your mediums for visual storytelling?
Art and fashion are my original loves. I’ve always been a self aware individual even from a very young age. These elements, in moments, creating art or expressing myself through fashion allowed me to step outside of myself to flow freely and to have an experience. In essence a very welcome form of escapism and play. I fell into doing what I do when I was in a moment of transition and quite serendipitously became obsessed with styling myself in ways that heightened the emotional reaction that an art exhibition provided for me in hopes that others would seek the same. At the time I felt as if the art world was intimidating and I desired to provide a portal of entry for myself and others.
Nick van Woert, Dory, 2014; Heron Preston x Sami Miró Vintage puffed organza top and sheer trousers, Tia Adeola ruffled mask, Monique Péan fossilized dinosaur bone necklace, Lia Chavez, Model for Infinity Interval Solar Pavilion;Monique Péan pyritized dinosaur bone geometric oval ring,
Your work often invites viewers to step into a world that blurs the line between reality and fantasy. How do you create these immersive experiences, and what do you hope viewers take away from them?
I hope to incite the act of discovery in viewers. I do a deep dive of research on the artist, the work, the context and from there I layer in a dialogue of visual components that tease out the medium, colours, conceptual themes that I’d like to further explore through the performative imagery and written narrative.
Can you tell us about a time when you were particularly inspired by a piece of clothing or an accessory and how that translated into a photoshoot?
I have to say colour is my lifeblood. There was a Marc Jacobs collection from Fall of 2014, the runway show was set against Magritte-like clouds, mesmerizing dreamy organza dresses in pastel ombre elevated my mood beyond words. I was high on colour. I held the vision of those pieces and as fate should have it a Philippe Decrazuat show opened at Elizabeth Dee Gallery, Decrauzat is an artist who explores abstraction through moiré effects which engage the eye and body to a hypnotic degree. I still remember how transportive it was to wear that Marc Jacobs piece, floating through space and time, entirely perception shifting.
Leila Seyedzadeh, Under the Same Sky, 2022; Pairi Daeza Fire Within blouse, Pairi Daeza Fire Within trousers
Which fashion designers are currently on your radar?
I love the made-to-order model which seems to be proliferating. I feel like this lends itself towards a more sustainable and experimental future in fashion where pieces are heirloom in nature. I adore the Iranian designer Narges Tafi, Turkish designers Dilara Findikoglu and Siedres. The Ukrainian brand Bevza. I believe it is important to elevate the designers who are expressing themselves against all odds, their creations are alchemical. I love Puppets and Puppets for the designer/artist Carly Marks surrealist take on fashion. Kim Shui for her kaleidoscopic body positive shapes and fabrics. The designer Zoe Gustavia Anna Whalen who debuted her first collection at New York Fashion Week and presented her show as ritual with silhouettes constructed in reference to Victorian garments and pagan ceremonies.
Alicia Mersy, Your Ability to Touch is Limitless, Larrie;
Fall Risk Volume 5: Dress to perform success in lush knit wavy plaid top & pant
If you could own any piece of art in the world, which would it be?
A mirrored work by my hero, the Iranian artist, Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian. Her entire life was an act of resistance.
Your work often involves creating dialogue between different cultures and perspectives - how do you see art as a tool for fostering cross-cultural understanding and empathy?
Art short circuits our conditioned ways of thinking. In a flash decades of programmed belief systems may be circumvented upon the encounter with an artist, a work, an installation or just a knowledge that the work exists. I believe art is the most potent way to build empathy between disparate cultures and people. Quite honestly I feel that art in its many forms is our humanities greatest source of hope and our vessel for imagining and creating new futures.
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