[You can read an extended multimedia version of this article at 2beMag #7, with Gori pics!]
Your latest collection Rat Scabies was showed OFF Cibeles in Madrid for first time. How did it feel and why did you decide to do it now?
Well we did present our collection in Barcelona a couple of weeks ago, but that was only for the press. So I decided to come to Madrid because it ́s been an objective of mine for a long time now. Yesterday Barcelona, today Madrid and tomorrow Berlin, or whatever it will be, I prefer to enjoy the road, rather than to reach any particular goal.
How would you describe your artistic style? How has this style developed over time?
Gori de Palma revolves around values of liberty, transgression and everything that distances itself from what is defined as purely conventional. I don ́t have a concrete source of inspiration.
Everything arises from my own imagination, but I admit being drawn to certain aspects of the feminine nature, such as femininity with a strong weight on sexuality, eroticism, sensuality. What also inspires me are certain musical movements such as new wave, punk, post punk. My favorite motto is “action generates inspiration”.
Did you always want to become a designer?
No, I just came to the realization recently; before fashion design I started off by doing naval construction, repairing motorcycles and classic automobiles. Therefore I can admit that more than fashion itself, I ́m intrigued by creation, reconstruction, treating materials and the satisfaction of a work well done. Those are the main values that I ́ve always cherished.
Do you have a target audience for your collections?
I prefer to avoid the formal path and I ́m always striving to create new challenges and I constantly challenge myself to overcome my own bad habits and prejudices.
If you could choose any person in the world that you could design an outfit for, who would that be?
Patti Smith
Which designers or artists do you admire?
Musically I admire everything that has to do with Nick Cave, or the darkest “new wave”, the music scene in Berlin in the 80 ́s with Einsturzende Neubauten and Lydia Lunch. Creatively I admire the Italian cinema by Fellini and Pasolini and the surreal ideas of Lynch or Jodorowsky with Buñuel and the sexuality of Fassbinder, W. Borowczyk or B. Schroeder. And speaking about fashion, I admire designers like Mr. Saint Laurent that have transcended their own personality, or Miguel Adrover, for his humanization of fashion. In a global way I admire all those independent designers that manage to live out season after season, surviving collection after collection.
What are you most proud of professionally?
I feel proud of having had the opportunity to meet very special people, friends, collaborators, because without them I wouldn’t be where I am today. All these people have made the path more bearable, and on many occasions a source of joy.
What would be your dream project?
I guess a dream project would be one that allowed me to combine all my passions, cinema, fashion, motorcycles, architecture even if they don’t have anything to do with each other.
Describe your philosophy about the art of fashion.
I don ́t think fashion design can be considered as art, even though it implicates esthetic, emotional and cultural dimensions just as art does. But that doesn ́t transform fashion to art for one very simple reason: art is made to please the eye, while fashion design really is created to cover function and necessity.
What advice do you have for a young person who strives to be a fashion designer?
The anxiety of personal exceedance, the work, consistency and to confide in other professionals is habits that will help you to establish yourself as a designer. And of course, to find your own way to express yourself, and to find a personal style that will permit you to transform a garment into a dream.
