Exploring Carol Christian Poell

If you happened to be strolling along the Naviglio Grande around June of 2003, perhaps enjoying a beautiful day in Milan, the sight of several seemingly lifeless bodies floating down the canal might have caught you slightly off guard.

There is no reason to be concerned of course as this was merely Carol Christian Poell's attempt at presenting his Spring/Summer 2004 collection.

Carol Christian Poell was born in Linz, Austria in 1996. He had been introduced to the family business of leather making at a young age and thanks to sheer natural talent and a bit of hard work perfected his craft rather quickly. His stepfather worked in a clothing factory for most of his life which allowed Poell the opportunity to develop an interest in clothing with a gravitation toward the intricacies of tailoring. After high school Poell furthered his studies at the Senior Academy of Commerce and the School of Fashion and Design in Austria which he eventually left to pursue tailoring at The Costume Michelbeuren School for Tailoring and Dressmaking in Vienna. This was after deciding to depart the family business and while he did not regret this decision, he soon realized that to be a tailor did not require tertiary level education. He shifted course once again this time making his way to Milan where he received his masters in fashion design at Domus Academy and together with Sergio Simone, established the production and distribution company C.C.P. Srl in 1995.

Despite traditional education, Poell's designs and production methods remain unconventional to say the least. He explores practices which include injecting animals with dye prior to skinning thereby naturally altering the state of the leather as well as smearing leather with blood in an attempt to maintain the essence of life not long before producing the final garment. Experimentation goes beyond utilizing familiar materials which is made clear through the use of human hair to produce neck ties and other articles of clothing.

While his choice of textile manipulations may prove to be unnerving, the way in which he constructs garments is fairly out of the ordinary as well. Poell incorporates various meaningful techniques with two of his most recognizable lines being labelled "self edge" and "dead end" respectively. Dichotomy being a consistent theme with Carol's work, it's no surprise that they contrast one another so unashamedly. Self edge encapsulates the idea of strength and security. These clothes are impeccably constructed often feeling rigid or stiff on the body. Dead end pieces oppose this form of construction and its associated ideologies with garments being held together by nothing other than insecure stitching and tape providing the appearance that the clothes are being pulled apart.

Having little regard for comfortability is not completely out of character for Poell.

He views the human body as merely a three dimensional form with his primary goal being to create clothing which manipulates proportions, pushes boundaries and defies all previously accepted rules of design.

Poell continues to rebel against fashion systems, refusing to be confined by the constraints of a demanding industry expecting designers to release collections according to a pre-determined calendar. Instead he spends time perfecting details with each collection only being released once he is completely satisfied with every piece. The rebelling does not end prior to presentation with the finished clothing presenting themselves to the world on anything other than your typical polished runway.

The designer's most infamous spectacle took place not along the sides of Italy's Naviglio Grande but in the water itself. "Mainstream-Downstream" was Poell's way of providing his take on the state off the fashion industry and acts as a metaphor for the way in which mainstream fashion flows in one direction consistently, lacking any sort of excitement.

Given Poell's reclusive nature and tendency to shy away from media attention, he views the presentation of his collections as an opportunity to voice opinions and initiate necessary conversation. Spring/Summer 2002 titled "Traditional Escape", thought to represent breaking free from the fashion dictate, saw blindfolded models climbing out of an office window and descending a balcony with the help of nothing other than a makeshift rope.

A few other honorable mentions would be laying lifeless bodies on metal tables in a room meant to simulate a morgue in "Best Before" and trapping men in the cages of an animal shelter with the unmistakably violent barking of ravaging dogs heard in the background of "Public Freedom".

Poell's work transcends physicality. To hold one of his pieces is to experience the inner workings of his mind if only for a moment. Anyone who is able to communicate their feelings and thought processes without saying a word is an artist in their own right and that is why his creations will remain timeless.