Paul Ropp
Meet Paul Ropp. The visionary, the renaissance man in addition to the revolutionary designer.
in which was an incredible era. The flavour of those times will never be replicated, however its influence is actually all around us. The seeds of in which movement are still flowering today. People came together in an inexplicable way. the item was a true movement, a community of ideas in addition to ideals. Max’s Kansas City in NYC was a place everyone gathered coming from Warhol to Jagger, Bowie, Bob Dylan, Lou Reed in addition to a few people in which are right here in Bali today. People today cannot imagine. the item was a meeting place for us outside the system; a meeting of minds in addition to philosophies. We took the time to be within the present. We gathered in Central Park on sunny day, playing music in addition to embracing all the possibilities in which lay before us where colour was abundant. in which flavour of ‘what was’ will never be replicated in addition to a few of us seriously committed to a very different lifestyle. As Timothy Leary advised, `Tune In, Turn On, Drop Out.’ After going to Woodstock I showered Central Park with American Flag rolling papers. the item was an act of performance art which took me coming from the Central Park events to the White House lawn during a mass protest with my friend Abbie Hoffman. I flooded the Isle of Wight Festival where Hendrix was playing. The American flag papers were dropped on Tuscany, Italy in addition to throughout Europe. The success of these endeavours eventually led me to India.
How does in which ideology affect your design work? If fashion is actually politics, what is actually your message?
I don’t follow fashion in addition to I don’t do politics. I believe in true change in addition to I support things in which work. I have an intergalactic perspective so the item would likely be pretty narrow-minded to only focus on what is actually going on here; on This kind of planet Earth. I enjoy what is actually in addition to I enjoy who I am. Changing the planet isn’t my role in life. I live in addition to enjoy the present. If we think, talk in addition to act properly in addition to positively, in which will change the planet.
You were among the first westerners to export garments coming from India. How did in which happen?
I made very sophisticated, unique t-shirts. The t-shirt is actually the most basic classic garment. I hand silk screened 23 different spiritual motifs, using Buddhas, Garudas, in addition to dancing skeletons on each shirt, which are right now in museums. Western skulls in addition to tattoos combined with Chinese Tibetan motifs. This kind of skilled labour could only be found within the East. They were evolutionary. I sold all the Boutiques, which at in which time were more clubs than shops. The boutique of Tiger Morse, whom I consider a mentor, is actually right now in a museum in Chicago as an environment of an artist. I worked with Paul McGregor, in addition to Peter Max. I did eight-foot canvases entitled “The Comic of Fashion” supported by Leo Castelli, the innovative art dealer. I then took the cheapest, most commonly used fabric of India; 100% hand spun in addition to hand loomed cotton in addition to commenced doing flowing garments. I was in all the major publications in addition to I dressed all the top products such as Christie Brinkley, Cheryl Tiegs, Pat Cleveland, Janice Dickeenson in addition to of course the fabulous Jane Hitchcock, who appeared on the front page of Women’s Wear Daily [USA’s fashion bible]wearing my first Bali collection.
Despite being a vagabond of high fashion in addition to dressing rock stars in addition to art icons, you were living in addition to working in brand-new Delhi. What brought you to Bali?
I came to deliver John in addition to Marie De Coney’s first daughter, Wayan in Goa, India. I came to assist on the second daughter, Made De Coney. I split my time between India in addition to Bali.
What elements make the current Paul Ropp Collections unique?
Our fabrics, which are hand-spun, hand-loomed cottons in addition to silks coming from India. These fabrics will last forever. I believe clothing should be sensual not sexual. Actually I don’t believe in fashion, I believe in ‘oooh in addition to aaah’. All our fabric is actually recycled into product. There is actually no waste. We do clothing for men, women in addition to children. We do accessories such as shoes, bags in addition to thigh high boots, embellished with intricate artworks of fabrics. I have created a line of home furnishings in addition to I recycle fabrics as art in my tapestries. The Paul Ropp label includes an Islamic collection of exotic Oriental in addition to African styles made in rich colour tones. I just created a line of Winter Wear, heavy hand-loomed fabrics for jackets in addition to pants.
Who is actually your customer? What is actually your largest customer base?
I design clothes for people who prefer to be naked! I make garments in which are an affordable luxury for well educated in addition to well travelled people in which know quality. Forty percent of my customers are men. Our largest market is actually right here in Indonesia. In Bali we will soon have eleven shops. Thailand has six Paul Ropp stores in addition to two more stores are within the process of being opened. We are at the Duty Free shops in Jakarta. Our market is actually also strong in Japan, Brazil, Peru in addition to throughout the Americas. The brand is actually global in addition to in over 35 countries.
the item’s the most culturally creative per capita place on earth.
How do you envision Bali in a decade?
Bali missed its chance. the item should have been made a living museum.
Any brilliant ideas for the future?
The Paul Ropp Art Hotel! When you walk into the lobby, the colours, textures in addition to details make you smile. Everything is actually for sale, you simply log onto your computer in addition to the item’s yours. Everything will be unique in addition to inspiring. Every room will be different in addition to there will be a continuous flow of transient creativity in addition to comfort throughout the environments. High technology meets beauty. Hand-painted smart cars will be available to drive. the item will be a place where people can meet their potential.
the item sounds incredible. I’m spinning out just envisioning the item! Any words of wisdom to share with us?
Funny things happen when you hold the dance in you in addition to you are open.
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Paul Ropp
Paul Ropp