IVAN BONTCHEV, REFLECTIONS BY STYLIST
Ivan Bontchev was born in Sofia, Bulgaria, but his passion for fashion led him to Milan where he has grown professionally up to becoming one of the most popular young stylist, and - among the magazines for which he works for - we find the Italian and French edition of "L'Officiel Hommes", "Max", "Hero Zine", "Urban Magazine". Season after season, his work implies a reflection on the meaning of fashion, its evolution, but also on public expectations and the needs of society; being a privileged observer of all of this makes his point of view rather interesting.
How did you become a stylist?
I am Bulgarian and that's where I started. I had a job interview for an independent magazine in Sofia called "Edno" ("One" in Bulgarian) for a position of fashion assistant. The artistic director liked me, so after a while he gave me the opportunity to create something for the magazine. I never had any official training, so I had to learn everything by myself and this is why I fell in love with styling. When I moved to Milan, I had a portfolio with editorial projects, but it was not right for the Italian market. I almost had to start over, but it worked. I started working for "Slurp Magazine", after a while I got my first job as an assistant for "L'uomo Vogue" under the guide of Claudia Gastaldi, and from there I went on.
During the 20th century, fashion was a revolutionary language that marked protests and struggles against social conventions, what do you think it expresses today?
Fashion is, and always will be, a mirror that reflects the cultural environment of society. In the past, its language was more gaunt, and more concrete. Today it is enriched with different dynamics and different factors, making it more universal. Fashion today is not likely to educate, as it did in the past, but to challenge.
Are there style icons of the past and present that inspire your work?
Of course, both. Lately I started going back to the old national folklore and customs of the Balkans, the land from where I come from. Especially the traditional garments have always been for me the subject of intense interest.
What directions do you think men’s fashion is taking?
I think in general that both men's and women's fashion are moving towards liberals trends. In difficult times fashion has always become more daring, like a sanctuary for dreams and freedom of expression. In nowadays people have a need for this, so they can continue to believe in a better future. It's hard to break the rigidity of men's fashion to make it more frivolous, but the last few seasons have shown steps in that direction. A mix of a new formal wear with an aesthetic of the sportswear with also something of the couture silhouettes, if you will. So, I think, in a few years men's fashion will develop into something more daring, while maintaining its classic foundation.