KOSTAS MURKUDIS

— “Medieval alchemists and mystics believed they were justified in their search for the mythical elixir of life, a universal medicine supposedly containing a recipe for the renewal of youth. The search for this elixir and a quest to make gold became the grand goals of alchemy.”

I was born and bred in Dresden. From an early age on as a a child, two places and their stories always held a magical fascination for me: the Grünes Gewölbe in Dresden, Europe’s largest collection of jewels and treasures collected from all corners of the world, and the city of Meissen, home of Meissen porcelain and the story of alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttcher who was locked up by the King of Saxony in order to produce gold. He failed. Instead he discovered white porcelain, which ended up saving his life.

I was fascinated with the medium of chemistry and decided in the late 70s to study in Berlin. After two years however I ended up giving in to my artistic streaks.

Now, starting work on a new collection always reminds me of the alchemist’s search for the true and perfect formula. Mixing ingredients that might clash, repulse or compliment each other always leads you down new and exciting paths.

The fragility of this process is an aspect which describes me quite well. I love questioning this balancing act again and again – to experience vulnerability as strength.

I find glass for instance is an exciting medium – transparent, cool, reflective, hard yet fragile. Molecules and chains of molecules, a symbol, like siamese twins – what role does time play in the mix?

Kostas Murkudis, July 2010, Berlin
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Kostas Murkudis is a Fashion Designer and Creative based in Berlin. After launching his career at Wolfgang Joop he started a 7 year long collaboration with Helmut Lang. In 1996 Kostas Murkudis founded his own label, launched in Paris with his debut Spring Summer 1997 collection.

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