Kojak

Grey Sheep

kojakstudio

Location

cairo / egypt

Kojak is a fashion brand that blurs the line between haute couture and ready-to-wear through creating costume drama pieces. Kojak is not just a fashion brand, it relies on storytelling to send a message. The stories primarily rely on personal experiences and scenarios that are meant to push the norms and to have people question what they see.
Mohanad Kojak, the designer behind his namesake label, looks at his label as a means of education: educating the public on the fact that there are different thoughts and opinions. The designer, however, never imposes this educational side of the brand. It is always done in a silent and subtle way, through adding a certain detail whether through an accessory, a fabric or a
cut. The story is expressed through both the collection and the shoot concepts, which are based on his personal experiences and observations through life. And this is what inspires the designer.
“It’s like highlighting unordinary experiences. In a way, it’s seeing beauty in the ugliness,” Kojak said.
On the other hand, Kojak is also considered an experimental brand, with the designer relying sometimes on unusual fabrics, like upholstery fabrics and tassels to create his pieces.
Kojak participated in the first season of Project Runway Middle East, where he got closer to pinpointing his design aesthetic and diving more into his brand’s design identity. Throughout this journey, he also had more time to refine his skill as a designer and storyteller

Latest Collection

Haute Heaven

INSPIRATION
The Kojak Spring-Summer 2017 is inspired by the oppulence and rich designs of rococo
architecture, a luxury in design that defines the Kojak silhouette. Kojak takes us back in time to
when human beings were trying to create heaven on earth through art. Kojak’s interpretation of
the style that defined an era celebrates the beauty that is missed in the modern age. Giving space
for the expression of love and harmony, the collection comes with a delicate finesse combined
with a modern flair, fit for the practical personas.
THE COLLECTION
Featuring soft silhouettes that are typical of the era and elaborate embroidery, the ready-to-wear
collection features Kojak’s first attempt at creating shirts. The use of angels is a re-occuring
theme in the SS17 collection. Kojak drew inspiration from the chic rococo style and from the
depiction of angels, which was a common illustration used in the art of that era. Some shirts
feature exaggerated sleeves that are inspired by angel wings and the over-the-top styles and
embellishments of the time. Canvas-work stitching and appliques are also a defining factor of
this collection. A canvas-work stitched angel on a denim jacket is one of the collection’s
statement pieces. Kojak also drew some inspiration from the spring-summer trends, featuring
ruffled shirts, dresses and pants. Lending the collection more edge are the white cotton t-shirts,
featuring angel prints and rococo-style portraits.
Kojak relied in this collection on shimmery fabrics combined with handmade embroidery and
customized appliques, rather than patterns. Satin and tulle are the main players in this collection,
lending the collection a more modern direction of opulence that comes in a softer, breezier form
which suits the spring and summer seasons.

The collection features the typical rococo colors, which are pastels, but with a little twist. They
take on more earthy tones of baby blue, dusty pink and white.