© Lisa Holzer |
Vienna-based Ute Ploier has been successfully establishing her menswear label since 2003. January 2004 marked her debut in Paris when she showed her Electrification collection for the autumn/winter 2003/2004 season during the Paris Fashion Week.
Her creations reflect a critical analysis of the modern men’s armour, the suit, and all that evolves around it: role play, social connotations and issues of masculinity.
Her designs feature dress codes and elements from different social levels while remaining wearable and most of all comfortable. Unusual textile combinations and manufacturing techniques are at the basis of her designs.
“Each collection is a project in itself. I am not a formal designer. For me, it’s all about the idea, the concept, the social aspect. There are many male fashion designers who design for women. I wanted to reverse that and experience what it is like for a woman to design for the opposite sex; to create from another point-of-view and outside the usual system."
Ute Ploier was born in Linz (Upper Austria) in 1976. After spending one year in London attending fashion and graphic design classes at Central Saint Martins College, she started her formal education in 1996 at the University of Applied Arts, Department of Fashion, Vienna. During her training, Ploier was taught by Jean-Charles Castelbajac, Viktor&Rolf and finally Raf Simons. In2000, while still at the University, she presented her first collections in Vienna and Berlin. In 2001, she co-founded the label “zwie” together with Matthias Meinharter developing designs between art and design.
2001, Ute Ploier received the Fred-Adlmüller stipend and was invited to the Swiss Fashion event GWAND. in Lucerne. In 2003, she was awarded the renowned Prix Hommes for best menswear collection during the 18th instalment of the French fashion and photography award in Hyères, France. Ploier is the first Austrian ever to win this award. The previous year she already had won the fashion prize of the City of Vienna at the Austrian Fashion Awards with the same collection entitled Noli me tangere/Don't touch me.
Ploier is a regular on the art scene .The presentation of her spring/summer collection 05 together with collegue Christiane Gruber took place during the MAK Nite 2004 in the museum of applied arts MAK, Vienna. The backdrop for the defile was a light and sound installation by Matthias Meinharter entitled “Transacoustic Chandelier”.
awards:
2001: Fred-Adlmüller stipend
2002: Fashion prize of the City of Vienna
2003: Prix Homme for the best menswear collection, Festival International des Arts de la Mode, Hyères
where to buy:
ANTWERP
Walter Shop
LONDON
Selfridges
B Store
TOKYO
United Arrows
VIENNA
Park
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