Please introduce yourself.
Karam Fairouss, 28, currently living between London and Tangier. I hope that’s enough
About living in Uk
I enjoy the confused reaction I get when I say that the UK is my favourite country to live in. This country is truly beautiful, I’m deeply attached to it.
I have my routine in London which I repeat to its most minuscule detail on the daily basis, and I’m easily agitated and inconvenienced when I’m far away from that routine. The music and film infrastructures are strong here, I like taking advantage of that. In the past two years I spent a good amount of time in the countryside of south England, the raw landscape is unique to this place, I really love it.
About his childhood
getting in and out of trouble. My calm way of being
( as others like to describe it ) is a lot to do with my chaotic childhood.
Do you have any favorite designers?
Sure. Carol Christian Poell goes without saying. Kei Kagami’s work is a beautiful melange of poetry and industrialism, I’m lucky I got to work closely with him, he truly doesn’t get enough credit. And Maurizio Altieri has a lot to do with how I dress.
When did your interest in Carol Christian Poell begin?
Way before I could afford it. I think I was 17 or 18.
Before you discovered CCP, which brands did you like?
like many others, I liked Rick Owens, Jun Takahashi, Rei Kawakubo etc…
Where do you mainly get your inspiration for fashion?
The internet and other places. It can be a song, a line from a film or a book that nests in my mind and affects everything that I do, including the way I dress.
For example: me and a friend of mine were talking about a certain character from a tv series, my friend described him as “ damaged but would destroy anything“ . This sentence stayed with me for months and dictated all my actions ( in a destructive way at times ).
I want to note that the way I dress changes also depending on the mental state that I want to be in. For a period of time I wore exclusively Geoffrey B Small because I wanted to feel the same way those clothes appeared to me: slow, quiet and distant…
What are your thoughts on collaborating with other designers? Are there any brands you would like to collaborate with?
I don’t work in fashion. I don’t think I can be useful to fashion brands. My opinion on collaborations generally isn’t too favourable.
How do you balance fashion trends with your personal style?
The one or two brands I wear don’t work with a trend or season basis, I don’t think about that. I like to play with certain bold colours from one period to another but that’s about it, and that’s hardly to do with any trends.
What is the most recent purchase you made that you love? Why do you love it?
Some objects that I use around the kitchen. But I think you want to know more about a clothing-related purchase. That would be a long perforated kangaroo leather shirt from Carol Christian Poell, from the 2008 collection.
What is your process for conceptualizing and completing content?
There’s no concept behind what I share. I randomly photograph what I find worth photographing and forget about it. When I’m over-caffeinated or sleepless I’d post and ghost. There’s no thought behind what you see.
Is there a message you aim to convey through your content or work?
Not really.
<Impressive stuff>
These days when I’m not working or spending time with my loved ones I find myself living in Jun Konagaya’s world, I found out about him a year or so ago and I still don’t know what to do with myself. His Organ album is unearthly.
Oh, and I enjoy Penny Goring’s poems quite a lot. I also love whatever my dear friend Giorgos Kazakis does and will do.
Can you share some pivotal moments or stories that have shaped who you are today?
My life really wasn’t short of pivotal moments and I can’t tell you one without the other but we wouldn’t want to bore your readers. Maybe someday over coffee.
What is the first thing you do when starting a new project?
I try to convince myself out of it. If that doesn’t work then I know for sure it’s what I need to do. The rest depends on the job.
What are your current goals?
To make more money for my investors.
About hobbies influenced by pesonal taste
I am constantly on the move between two locations with strong cultural contrast, I think that does it. The language has a strong impact too. And I watch a lot of films
What are some of your most cherished possessions? Why are they important to you?
my phone and computer, I wouldn’t be able to live without them. My screen time is up the stratosphere.
What is the most enjoyable and the most challenging part of your work process?
I work mostly with Moroccans, I am not sure if you’re familiar with the Mediterranean way of work, it’s very laid-back, although romantic but can be very taxing when you want to get things done. Interpersonal relationships are of immense importance. That’s the most challenging part and also the most enjoyable.
Could you explain the process that led to your current tastes and preferences?
just observing everything from the people I meet to the films I see and traveling from a place to another.
Do you believe your tastes and preferences will change in the future?
it changed many times in the past, I’m sure it’ll keep on changing.
Can you tell us about your recent activities or projects?
My work has always been a private matter but I am currently working on something that I am excited to share in the next few months, I hope.
I will share very soon, inchallah.
First contact with Karam Fairouss : 20th June 2024
