Any up-and-coming designer would be giddy at the opportunity to dress Lady Gaga, the fashion world’s latest style icon.
But when the pop star’s stylist approached Mark Fast to borrow some of his body-hugging knitwear designs, the Canadian-born, London-based designer politely declined.
“I love her music and that Bad Romance song is stuck in my head all the time, but we don’t necessarily have to accept everyone just because they are famous,” says the soft-spoken designer.
“My work is about a lifestyle. It’s not fast-food fashion. It’s not about trends, it’s about classic, it’s about the body, it’s about beauty. Maybe that gets lost in the picture with certain celebrities.”
Not that the 29-year-old designer has anything against celebrities. Kate Moss, Beyoncé, Kylie Minogue and Rihanna are all fans of his body-sculpting knitwear with the sexy peekaboo weaves that is often referred to as hosiery for the body.
“He has taken an old craft and made it look modern,” says Barbara Atkin, vice-president of fashion direction at Holt Renfrew, where Fast’s collection is sold in Canada.
Expectations are high to see what magic he will weave for his next show at London fashion week in February.
