Fashion Insider: What does a DJ do during fashion week?

What would a fashion
catwalk show be without music? Each season, fashion designers not only
curate a collection of clothing, but they have to consider the venue,
backdrop, model casting, styling, and what soundtrack they want to animate
their collections.

As part of FashionUnited’s new ‘Fashion Insider’ series, finding out
what goes on behind the scenes of fashion week, we spoke to DJ
QuestionMark, a London-based DJ, musician and producer, who has DJ’ed for
designers during London Fashion Week and New York Fashion Week on the
importance of music for catwalk, what exactly goes into making the perfect
clash between music and fashion, as well as how to break into the industry.

Fashion Insider: DJ Question Mark

How did you become a DJ/pursue music?

I was sent to learn classical piano and flute when I was really young.
Randomly, I met a DJ when I went to a rehearsal with friends and that
opened the door to the DJ world to me. Through DJing, I had to do all the
research about what I’m playing, even what I’m collecting. The whole
process from digging, listening, researching and playing it loud to people
taught me the reason why I like music so much.

I majored in Civil Engineer at the National Taiwan University and I
spent most of my time making music. It turned out I had various experiences
in making music for different art forms, like designing sound for theatre
projects, DJing in the club, playing the flute in both jazz big band and
classical orchestras, as well as writing scores for short films and
ads.

For me, music is a powerful medium to break through all the boundaries
between different worlds.

When/how do start preparing for London Fashion Week?

London Fashion Week has its unique vibe of how it’s open to conceptual
even experimental works. I start by talking with the designer about the
core concept of the next collection, 6 months in advance from the show day.

Discussion is a big part of my working process. Before I start writing
the pieces, I’ll try my best to squeeze every conceptual extension from the
core concept, including the forms of texts, images, stories, musical
references and even installations. Then I’ll spend time on framing the
aural shape of the season, like a few key sounds, sounds of the train,
water drops, animals etc.

You’ve been collaborating with London Fashion Week designer ApuJan for
a number of seasons to create the perfect soundtrack to his collections –
how did this partnership come about?

Collaborating with Apu is a long term project and a deep collaboration.
We spent a lot of time learning from each other, from how we think and
create, sometimes it’s not all about music and fashion. For example, both
of us are anime fans, so we found artistic common ground from anime. It
didn’t necessarily create the work, bit definitely helped the
communication.

Clothing and music becomes two different mediums of the same art,
organically, they match each other in the end, because we created the
stories together.

How does this differ from your normal working style?

I have worked interdisciplinary for years, including with dance, figure
skating, theatre, fashion, hip hop party, and jazz concerts. The key to
making good work is to listen and listen carefully to what might inspire
you. When I work with others, I listen to my collaborators, when I work on
my solo projects, I look at myself and check my past again and again for
inspirations.

For the creating process, there is no big difference to my other works.
The only difference. and probably the biggest one, is working with Apu is
working with ApuJan’s (as a brand) team. After all these years, we have
become like a family, the connection is way more closer than a professional
crew.

What goes into producing the music for a catwalk show?

6 months – 3 months in advance – talk, think, discuss about the concept.

3 – months in advance – making music demos look for musicians to
collaborate.

1 month in advance – final adjust of all the tunes.

2 weeks – rehearse for the show.

1 day before – final adjust of all the show including with the running
order.

What’s the most difficult aspect of DJing a fashion week show?

I have DJ’ed on other catwalk shows, but when I work with ApuJan, I’m
more of a musical director, rather than only DJing.

The most tricky part is to make sure the music matches the clothes on
the catwalk. There is always a plan of how the music goes, but there are
always accidents, some models walk too fast, some models walk too slow,
some times the order changes at last minute because a certain piece took
more time than expect. I personally think the all musicians playing on the
catwalk need to know how to improvise so the music won’t stop.

Additionally, as well as playing the music, my job includes timing the
models, quickly figuring out the average time it takes for each model to
walk out and walk in. Then tweak the music strategy, and give instruction
to my band members. Maybe loop the following 4 bars and put solo on, or cut
the next section and skip to the next tune. Most importantly, I still have
to finish the story I’m telling from my music.

I would say, the most different part is to sort all the potential
problems and make a good show no matter what.

You’ve created numerous soundtracks for ApuJan – do you have a
favourite?

It’s really hard to tell to be honest, because every tune for ApuJan’s
shows has been original. There are so many memories in each of them, as the
team spent literally hundred hours in coffee shop, my studio, and the
rehearsal room.

The one that is most special would be ApuJan’s spring/summer 2015 show,
where the only the sound I use is from a sewing machine. This is the most
straight forward way to show what’s the relationship between the music and
textile/ clothes. The sewing machine was heavy and a little bit off the
tune, (I did my best to choose the one nearly perfect) but it still sounds
beautiful and totally worth it!