Jun 29

Jun 29 Efetishism

Milan-based Italian-Syrian designer Efrem Damiani of the brand Efetishism is creating self-proclaimed ‘humanswear’ inspired by fetishism. After all, according to them: we’re all humans, and we all love fetishism. The name ‘Efetishism’ comes from the term ‘commodity fetishism’ - coined by Karl Marx, and derived from Western society’s obsession with material goods. The subversive brand is inspired by Cher, Prince, Elvira the Witch, Michèle Lamy, Tamara De Lempicka, pakistani model and feminist Qandeel Baloch, 80’s pop culture, the underground ballroom scene in the documentary Paris Is Burning and Donna Summer. In fact, every time Damiani sketches a new piece, they literally imagine how Donna Summer would look with it on. There’s also a certain level of cynicism to all the looks, as Damiani hates real life, and wishes there could be more magic in their creations. Their latest collection ILLUMINATI ARE CUTE is inspired by the myths and conspiracy theories surrounding the ambiguous concept of the illuminati - referencing themes of domination, brainwashing and celebrities that may or may not be involved with the supposed ‘cult’. The looks are meant to shed light on the topic, and encourage people to build their own opinions on the subject. (Also, just putting this out there - Damiani also has a beautiful unibrow, with a championing Instagram bio that reads: ‘#unibrowmovement’, and incredible personal style, as seen on their feed.)