Marc Ascoli searches for the X factor in Hong Kong
Searching for the X factor
"It's a strange quality - an X quality. It's when you feel something special is coming," says Marc Ascoli, carving the letter "X" on a piece of paper to emphasise his point. "When you meet someone with it you know there and then - it's a combination of talent, enthusiasm and personality. It's very exciting."
When it comes to talent spotting, Ascoli has a sixth sense, so it is fitting that he's a guest judge of the Hong Kong Young Designers' Contest at Hong Kong Fashion Week.
The Frenchman has been the creative force behind some of fashion's most provocative imagery since he teamed up with Yohji Yamamoto in 1984. During an early collaboration with the Japanese designer, Ascoli employed the relatively unknown Nick Knight, who had been working as a photographer in the London underground scene. Ascoli took him and graphic designer Peter Saville under his wing to work on catalogues for Yamamoto and produced now famous images such as "Susie Smoking" for Yamamoto's autumn-winter 1988/99 catalogue.
"Bold silhouettes at local fashion contest", Video by Hedy Bok
Ascoli is also credited with discovering fashion photographers Mario Sorrenti and Craig McDean and, in the roles of art, image and creative director, has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry from Jil Sander, Cerruti, Chloé and Calvin Klein to Gianni Versace and Hugo Boss.
It's his third visit to the city, and he says he looks forward to exploring the local fashion scene further. "I saw some work of the young Hong Kong designers and it was very energetic, very few restrictions and a lot of research, which is interesting to see from the younger generation. It was exciting," he says, his hands swinging in unison with his silk purple scarf. "I can't compare Hong Kong's scene to what I saw while working in Japan because it was a different time. Japan in the early '80s was booming - the economy and the fashion scene. It was when Comme des Garçons and Yamamoto arrived in Paris and Japan was rising on the fashion map."