My exclusive interview with Assaad Awad!

[LaMaisonGaga 23,884]

Here's a little treat for everyone. This is a interview I've done with Beirut-born, Madrid-based designer Assaad Awad about his dress for Lady Gaga. This is part of my giant 2013 fashion breakdown which is currently going on via my official blog and Instagram page so make sure to check out lamaisongaga.tumblr.com for more exclusive, hidden details from Gaga's designers and collaborators!

On October 28th, 2013 Lady Gaga was seen leaving her hotel in London, looking like a true piece of art, channeling the “Decayed Venus”. Here are all the exclusive deets I got for you.

Made entirely of paper thin strips of shaved wood, her Yes, I Wood dress, belongs to Assaad Awad’s Spring/Summer 2014 “Meteor” collection, inspired by the inventiveness of Japan.

I was curious about the inspiration, the materials used, the timing, weight, smell… so as promised, below all the details you should know about it. 

The conceptual dress is made out of very thin pine wood layers (initially a 30 cm wide x 10 cm high piece of wood) from Asturias in Nothern Spain and represents “the ephemeral beauty, the never lasting things we see in life and we only see them once”.

Assaad spent a week thinking about the execution of the piece and another week to finish it in his workshop in Madrid. The dress looks like it weighs next to nothing, and in fact is very light, the actual weight is just the base which is a couture dress, the layers of wood are hand-stitched on.

One of the most interesting things about the wooden couture creation is its smell: “Usually, when you enter in my workshop, the smell of leather is the first noticeable sign, ’cause I’m a leather luxury good artisan”, Assaad told me: “When I started working on this wood dress, the smell of pine invaded the whole atelier”!

The wooden couture was styled with Wood Wig, Assaad created in coopearation with London-based hairstylist and hat designer Florian Dovillez, and his vintage (circa 1890) bronze feather crown, found at the Marché aux Puces in Paris.

A pair of Azzedine Alaïa taupe suede platform lace-up ankle boots with ankle buckle strap and lug soles provided the finishing touch. Gaga did her own ghostly make up for this.

[LittleMonster20 9,575]

That was like one of Gaga's most ICONIC outfits ever

[Weasel 12,525]

Imagine being asked to design for Gaga and you expect her to work your dress like: 

And then you wake up, excited to check the pics of the Lady Gaga and you find this: 

 

 

[AmericanGUY 4,609]

@ARTPOPthatbooty off topic but i'm so glad to see how recognized you've become in the online fashionsphere! you're a true hustler  

[SlayGagaloo 16,152]

7 minutes ago, Weasel said:

Imagine being asked to design for Gaga and you expect her to work your dress like: 

And then you wake up, excited to check the pics of the Lady Gaga and you find this: 

 

 

 

[LaMaisonGaga 23,884]

6 minutes ago, AmericanGUY said:

@ARTPOPthatbooty off topic but i'm so glad to see how recognized you've become in the online fashionsphere! you're a true hustler  

Thank you so much!  

[BoomKack 6,492]

I'm pretty sure I have a wood strip from that dress somewhere, they sold them for like £10 each for charity

[bitchimtrying 2,495]

1 hour ago, Weasel said:

Imagine being asked to design for Gaga and you expect her to work your dress like: 

And then you wake up, excited to check the pics of the Lady Gaga and you find this: 

 

 

Yes, but that look made headlines at the time and out of all of her looks we are still talking about it today, so really he's probably laughing all the way to the bank. 

[moonsago 5,410]

One of my favorite Gaga looks ever, I was in awe when I first saw this. Sadly one of her last iconic & extravagant looks  

but that’s gonna change with LG6 

[Edonis 26,841]

We love a Lebanese legend! 

And a very interesting interview! I’m so happy you got this amazing opportunity to speak to him!