German shoemaker Burak Uyan on Helmut Lang and making women happy

German-born Burak Uyan (right), creative director of shoe label Burakuyan, explains the role Austrian fashion designer Helmut Lang has played in his life and why collaborations are so important.

"It was actually my first choice, and all my studies were heading in that direction. But when I was 13 or 14 years old, I changed my mind after discovering the work of Helmut Lang. After that, I took a deep interest in fashion and, after high school, I eventually went to study womenswear at the Institute of Design Vienna [in Austria]. It's the same institution that Lang went to."

"Back in the day, he was not only contemporary for his time, but also ahead. Silhouettes, the way he played between the masculine and feminine, and how he mixed materials and fibres … I loved the effect of it all."

"That stage of my life was very nice in terms of starting to build up the Giambattista Valli brand. I came on board when they were just starting to work on the second collection, so it was nice to help build the brand from scratch.

"I was in charge of many aspects, like furs, shoes and bags, which I had never done before. And that's why it was a great experience, I got to learn so many things and to refine my craft. Also the fact that I could supervise so much was very rewarding."