Text by Koura-Rosy Kane
While thinking about the fashion industry, the mainstream psyche often disregards some places and cultures – knowing that creation comes from various horizons. With that in mind, it is always refreshing to be able to see perspectives, blossoming out of the western standards. Oroy Shakhidi, from Tajikistan – trained at the Central Saint Martins – is the perfect illustration of the value of heritage in the creative process.
After graduating in 2020 from her BA in Fashion Design, she showcased her womenswear collection in September 2021 at the London Fashion Week under her own label OROY, created in 2021. Her collection Simurgh is deeply inspired by Persian mythology and literature. After touring the ancient city of Bukhara, she tried “to translate all [she] experienced and discovered from [her] trip, especially the memories [she has] from [her] childhood spent in Tajikistan.”
Taking inspiration from cultural products that are her own, OROY is a label that also cares a lot about its impact on the environment. “As a pathfinder for eco-friendly fashion, I explored vintage clothing methods, by studying each item’s secret of survival and their solution to long lasting design” explains Shakhidi. Because of the environmental emergency, the designer commits to create a collection that is using thousands of tonnes of offcut leather – which would have been thrown away otherwise.
We discuss with Oroy about her visions, aspirations and hopes for the future.
We are happy to have you on Flanelle Magazine OROY. You formally studied at the well-known fashion school Central Saint Martins. How did you experience these years in this institution?
The college is known for its high admissions from all over the world, so it was a dream come true to be accepted. I felt very lucky to be in the presence of world class talented and skilled teachers who I learnt so much from.
I believe it’s one of the colleges where you easily find yourself in a multicultural and extremely international family. Studying with the students from different origins lets you understand that you are a part of a bigger thing, you are the citizen of the whole world. It gives you possibilities to explore more about each of them, their values and norms which will potentially help in your career after graduating.
Beyond your sustainable and luxury approach to design, you are also deeply inspired by Persian mythology and literature. Could you explain these influences further?
Having toured the ancient city of Bukhara, part of the Silk Road, which untimely led me to the creation of ‘Simurgh’. Through my research I found a manuscript by Sufi poet Farid ud-Din – ‘The Conference of the Birds’ which illustrates a marriage of poetic and artististic imaginations through vivid and lively colours, majestic lines, curves and space. I try to translate all I experienced and discovered from my trip, especially the memories I have from my childhood spent in Tajikistan.
Speaking of your influences, your approach is also truly bound to your interest in art and design. How are all these influences coexisting in your practice? And how would you describe your aesthetic overall?
My design values consist of originality and innovation with luxury at the forefront of my aesthetic. I use classic and experimental tailoring, keeping silhouettes unconventional yet wearable. I want to keep my brand forward thinking, I always use traditional and modern craftsmanship and use colours and textures that meld together in an unorthodox way.
Your collection was part of the digital London Fashion Week in September this year. They describe it as “a contemporary approach, combined with thoughtful assembly ensures longevity.” Why are producing long-lasting designs important to you?
As my mother taught me from my childhood, “it is better to buy a better-quality item once in a season than three cheaper ones during the same period of time”. Longevity of items is one of the first things I consider when it comes to sustainability.
As a pathfinder for eco-friendly fashion, I explored vintage clothing methods, by studying each item’s secret of survival and their solution to long lasting design. A contemporary approach, combined with thoughtful assembly ensures longevity.
Facing an important wasting problem in the fashion industry, you commit to create a collection based on thousands of tonnes of offcut leathers – which ultimately would have ended up in landfills. How did you proceed to source these materials?
During my second-year of studies at Central Saint Martins, Eleather was introduced to students by the Nike Project. All students were asked to design an accessory from this recycled leather. Through the project it was clear there was no other way of recycling leather, natural fibres. I still think there is a lot of room for improvements for Eleather to develop the process of its recycling. However, Eleather has recycled over 7,500 tonnes of leather waste alone. The company has been awarded the Recycled Claim Standard from Textile Exchange as well as High certification by the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and various awards over the years.
The goalEleather has always been to produce contemporary fashion clothing – relevant for the current time and the future – that are created and consumed in a way that can be sustained, used for a longer period which tackles the issue of over consumption head on. As we are thinking about our generation in a more sustainable way than before, hopefully, the future generation will meet their needs as well.
Now that you graduated from Central Saint Martins, what are you planning on doing next?
After graduation from my BA in Fashion Design Womenswear in 2020, the brand, OROY launched in July 2021 and participated at London Fashion Week in September 2021. The brand continues to produce ready to wear and demi couture collections excitedly and we are looking forward to the future.
