In the mood for change: An Interview with Illustrator Roman Serra

Art — 26.10.17

Interview: Desislava Todorova
Illustrations: Roman Serra
Photographs: Detlef Honigstein & Timmi Taubenschreck


We ponder the idea if transformation in fashion is essential to the creation of innovation. One fashion transforms into another until we realise everything new is a well re-invented old.
 In nature as in fashion, this is mostly related to seasonal change – change of temperatures, change of colours, change of silhouettes, change of mood. If bright pastels and greens were ruling the catwalks last season, this year’s round of spring/summer shows have shown us that the future belongs to those who are daring – prints, doodles, patterns, stripes and checks.

If anything, fashion turned on its head when “banned” by fashion-savvy people over saturation of branding like the Burberry check exploded into a symphony of textures and various combinations. Or not? Branded culture obsessed millennials have already happily braced lower price point versions like JW Anderson’s Uniqlo collaboration (we’ve all seen the beige mac at least 10 times each on average!).

What’s curious for this upcoming season is the unintended sophistication of traditional takes on heritage and craftsmanship. While London embraced streetwear to its fullest, Paris gave us a whiff of elegance, tipping on its thigh-high boots which we saw in numerous shows. The 1980s are still in the picture and somehow caught up in this momentum of vinyl fuschia glory.

Good luck with the monochrome preferences out there – this time belongs to maximalism.
 London College of Fashion designer Roman Serra illustrates his vision on what makes fashion transformative.



How would you describe your approach to illustration?
Free-hand, intuitive and experimental.

What is your favourite image and why?
The undercover series. I love the use of the electric colour for the makeup.

How do you see the transformation in fashion?
A greater shift towards 100% sustainable production, slow fashion as the norm, more gender fluidity and design with a cause.

As a fashion designer, what is your favourite element to work with and why?
For me, it would be colour – it provides such a direct expression of the wearer’s personality and emotion.

What is important in fashion now (you can mention a trend/idea you liked from any of the SS18 shows)?
In this time of decadence and excess, it would be the creative expression that facilitates new beginnings and (political, social and environmental) change.