Hasta La Ideas

Designed in Hackney: we conclude our week of fashion design from Hackney with Hussein Chayalan and his dresses that emit laser beams. 

The laser dresses for Swarovski were the finale to Chayalan’s Spring Summer 2008 collection, called Readings, and were inspired by ancient sun worship and contemporary celebrity status.

Hundreds of moving lasers were embedded in the clothing, engineered and programmed by Moritz Waldemeyer, together with crystals that refracted the rays of red light.

These images are from a movie by Nick Knight. Watch the movie here.

Chalayan’s studio is in the south of Hackney – see all our stories about his work here and see the studio’s latest collection at www.chalayan.com.

Movie: Hussein Chalayan on working in London

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In this interview that Dezeen filmed with Chalayan for the Design Museum in 2009, he talks about his relationship with London and the way the city has influenced his work. Watch this movie on Dezeen Screen »

Designed in Hackney map:

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Key:

Blue = designers
Red = architects
Yellow = brands

See a larger version of this map

Designed in Hackney is a Dezeen initiative to showcase world-class architecture and design created in the borough, which is one of the five host boroughs for the London 2012 Olympic Games as well as being home to Dezeen’s offices. We’ll publish buildings, interiors and objects that have been designed in Hackney each day until the games this summer.

More information and details of how to get involved can be found at www.designedinhackney.com.