Lubov Azria Speaks Her Mind About Being The Future

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Lubov Azria is the chief creative officer for BCBGMAXAZRIA, the umbrella company for more than 20 labels including Hervé Léger, Runway and BCBGeneration. Recently, she took a break from her husband, Max and 60-room mansion in California to hop on her private jet and land in Chicago for 24 hours. We met up with Lubov to ask a few questions about art, fashion, architecture and being the future. Not necessarily in that order.

R: Let's talk colors.
L.A.: Well this is a transitional collection so I think we were inspired by sort-of modern gypsy. In terms of color I like the tones of denim, this comes across as an Eastern European influence. It's really great to mix the opposites for instance a folkloric theme with American and mixing sportswear with lingerie.

R: Are you the future?
L.A.: We are the future. [gestures at the table between us] Everybody is the future, we live in the future.

R: Who's not the future?
L.A.: That's interesting because we're working on 2014- everybody works in the future.

R: That's crazy!
L.A.: I guess so.The hardest thing is to be in the moment.

R: What's new for 2014?
L.A.: I can't tell you.

R: You can't tell me!? Not even a color, patterns or texture? An idea or a place in time? [Lubov shakes head] I think the way we've been thinking in Chicago lately, in this age of innovation is about places and time rather than pushing a particular aesthetic. Designing a journey is the future. It's hard to believe you don't have a particular time in mind or a space when designing for the future.
L.A.: The magic comes at the end.

R: While you're traveling in Chicago, while you're aging, while you're living, how do live? What do you find the most inspiring about the way you're living?
L.A.: Well I actually took an architectural tour... on a boat. I learned a lot and found it extremely inspirational. I love the art deco, I love the modern and I love the old architects that put up these pieces that were absolutely breathtaking. I love the mix of function and design--it was very interesting. Every city should have a tour like this where they describe the differences and the architecture type. Knowledge is amazing.

R: What was your favorite building?
L.A.: Anything that is art deco, I love the juxtaposition of the old and new together. It's not a particular building, it's just the way that is all come together. It was really about just sitting there and understanding that life is so unpredictable. That accidents are actually brilliant in different ways. The whole idea that a train station would sell the air and the space above them is brilliant.

R: So what can we look forward to for Fall 2013?
L.A.: Its coming- a lot of texture. Textures and colors, photographic prints, feathers which will make it a really rich and beautiful collection. For runway, the theme was Bahaus. When I'm thinking about a collection, the first thing I do is pick up art books. I spend hours in the book store and just flip through books, I'm looking for information, mentally. Most of the time it's color. The last time we were inspired by big birds--it was a photography book. It was just pictures of these enormous birds-I was obsessed over them because the way the photographer photographed them was like the whole bird is cut off and all you see is the beak. I thought that was so fantastic. I love the way people see things.

Art has different influences on people. For me I think its proportion and design. It depends what feels fresh to you, that's what you react to and then you go with it. There's not one day thats the same--changing evolving, moving, trying new things, jumping off the roof, you know, its fantastic.

R: Paper or plastic?
L.A.: Always paper.

R: Where would you go on your dream vacation?
L.A.: My house.

R: What would you wear on your dream vacation?
L.A.: Pre-Fall 2012, actually. I think it represents me, and usually I don't let a lot of "me" in, but Pre-Fall has a lot of what I really love.
· BCBGMAXAZRIA [Official Site]