Stella Shared 3 is both a unisex collection and collective bringing together three artists and three visions with our values, including Ed Curtis – a London-based designer whose interdisciplinary practice spans painting, fashion and sculpture. Reflecting his raw and experimental approach, paired-back luxury pieces feature his electric, psychedelic prints bursting with a saturated euphoria. His motifs are sanguine symbols of letting go, with his hand-painted graffiti Stella logo energising a joyful and countercultural attitude to traceable wool knitwear, organic cotton denim and our vegan Logo and iconic Falabella bags.
Ed Curtis will also be hosting and curating an immersive store takeover at our 23 Old Bond Street London flagship, with an exclusive event bringing our communities together on 14 October. Committed to elevating and amplifying next-gen voices, we connected with him to discuss his vision for Stella Shared 3.
Given that you normally have so much control over your collections and shoots, what did you enjoy about collaborating with Stella?
EC: I was pleasantly surprised by how much input the Stella team wanted from me. This collaboration went far beyond creating artworks for clothes – we’ve created images and installations that go deeper into the Ed Curtis x Stella world. Working with Stella has given me the opportunity to create at a scale and pace that isn’t possible when I’m working on my own projects.
How would you describe your artistic vision and your work?
EC: I’m very curious about creative possibilities – it’s an endless quest that compels me to create a more vibrant and colourful landscape. All of my projects are improvised; ideas come often and at great speed. This chaotic and free-flowing process is integral to my practice; a day in the studio is full of visual surprises and the physical interaction fuels the creative process. The freedom I allow myself leads to the sense of rawness in my work – this lack of planning and structure is rare in fashion and is why other people find my work interesting.
What inspires your art?
EC: The idea of making something I haven’t seen before is the inspiration for all my artistic activities. My work is usually a reaction to the situation I’m in. The pandemic has led me to take more risks and to take time away from social media to focus on my art. I like to think my brain is full of experiences and memories that will eventually influence my work; I'm never short of new ideas.
What about the youth of today inspires you?
EC: The social, cultural and political events we grow up with are big influences on what we create and how we dress. These experiences seem to have made young people more conscious and caring about the impact we have on our planet by the decisions we make.
What made you want to be part of Stella Shared 3?
EC: The opportunity to show my work to a wider audience was a very exciting prospect. This project has given me the opportunity to creatively input into every aspect of the process, from the conception of an idea to the prints, to garments, styling, art direction, photography. It's exactly the direction I see for myself.
