By Jessica Ye (Jessica Yap)
Why are we so obsessed with turning pop stars into modern-day deities? My recent dialogue with young Spanish designer Enric Marti—the creative force behind the “The Worship” collection—dives straight into our collective fixation with celebrity culture and that thin line between fandom and faith.
At just 23, Marti is already proving he has a remarkably clear eye for the industry. Fresh off winning ‘Best Emerging Designer’ at MODAFAD 2015 and making a splash at Barcelona Fashion Week, he isn’t just making clothes; he’s engineering a commentary on what he calls “celebrity worship syndrome.” In a world where digital noise and social media hum 24/7, Marti uses the language of fashion to show us just how omnipresent these icons have become.
From high-end luxury campaigns to the curated feeds of reality stars, their influence is astronomical. We sat down with Enric to chat about the “Engineering” of his vibrant aesthetic and why Lady Gaga is his ultimate “celebrity God.”
JY: Having launched your fashion label, what is your favourite part about being a fashion designer in Barcelona?
EM: Being a designer in Barcelona allows me to recreate a specific atmosphere through colours, fabrics, shapes, and various decorative elements. Furthermore, when one views fashion as an open door to a world of fantasy, there is a fine line between costume and the commercial industry. Navigating these two environments is what I find most exhilarating.
JY: How did you select the materials for this collection?
EM: I typically work with heavy, thick fabrics that help me translate the volumes I have pictured in my mind into a physical reality. Structured wool is a common feature in my work. I also adore vibrant colours, so velvet is frequently my choice for achieving those vivid hues.
JY: Your palette for “The Worship” is incredibly bold. What kind of mood were you aiming for with those vibrant choices?
EM: I wanted to present a spiritual colour mood blended with the saturated brightness of the entertainment world. Since reading David Freedberg’s The Power of Images, I have been deeply interested in pursuing the concept of design through ‘presence’, even though it is complex to achieve.
JY: The sewing techniques here are fascinating. They look incredibly detailed—tell us more.
EM: Since the collection explores how tradition is restructured for the contemporary age, I decided to utilise a range of traditional sartorial and couture techniques, such as basting and embroidery, and apply them to modern structures. This is my approach to transforming the conventional into something modern and unconventional.
JY: On average, how long does it take to finish a hand-embroidered piece like this? (above)
EM: It depends on the ambition of the piece; it may take three days, a week, or even longer. The production time does not concern me, as I reject the idea of creating easy, commercial clothing without inherent value. I am confident that my clients appreciate the artisanal depth within the collection.
JY: You’ve mentioned that your collection is inspired by the idea that celebrities are our new “Gods.” What makes them the ultimate originators of style today, and how do your designs translate that?
EM: The turn to individuality along with the weakening of traditional faith has bled into every specialized sector of modern culture. In such situations, the worship of celebrities represents a familiar concept that audiences can adopt into the formation of theirsocial identities, and this constitutes a change in the way cultural meanings are generated as the celebrity becomes a key site of attention and personal aspiration.
The very idea of a ‘celebrity’ generates para-social interactions, which are instances whereby worshippers respond to what they think of as real emotional attachments with figures that they only knew through their representations in the media; a one-way relationship. So the investment with phantasmal projections of need -> fulfillments becomes real, as much as it could’ve been God for Christians back in the days.
Having said that, “The Worship” is therefore my aim to translate this halfway reality/fantasy way of living the spiritual contemporary life, with the use of intricate embroideries and colours combinations.
JY: Would you consider yourself an advocate for celebrity worship?
EM: I prefer to remain neutral. I believe this phenomenon happens for a reason, and I am simply focusing on making the evidence more evident through my artistic expression.
JY: Who are your personal “celebrity” Gods?
EM: Emotionally, it would be Lady Gaga. However, it could be anyone I find relatable depending on the specific interaction.
JY: If there was a soundtrack to this collection, what would it be?
EM: II was quite fond of Stole The Show by Kygo while working on this collection. Although it does not summarise the work, it certainly uplifts my mood.
JY: Tell us about the collection you just presented at Barcelona Fashion Week.
EM: My Fall/Winter 2016 collection was a continuation of sorts. I call this new collection ‘The Worship’s’ little sister. It is titled ‘Loathed Reality’ and explores pursuing a glimmer of hope within our innate sadness. I used colourful velvet, wools, and metallic embellishments to define this new chapter. I definitely feel that my identity as a designer has become more defined through this process.
ENRIC MARTI‘s collections are available via NotJustALabel
View runway images of his Fall/Winter 2016 collection here
This article is published as part of Couture Troopers’s Issue 1: BELIEF
