A Feel for Fashion: Hanan Besovic (@ideservecouture)
Hanan Besovic known for his irresistible @ideservecouture Instagram persona, moved to the United States after studying business in Croatia. Always attracted to the fashion industry, he decided launched the concept during the pandemic. His voice offers a fresh and fun angle on all things fashion. Certainly, it takes a certain sense of humour to arrive at this description: “PhD in meme / Master degree in throwing shade / Minor degree in fashion (for now) / Fashion expert in making.Learning and sharing knowledge of fashion.” With upwards of 110 K followers, Besovic has built a community who delights in a consistently ironic take on fashion — couture or otherwise.
What creates an emotional response for you in fashion today?
I wish there was a formula for it so I could share it. But it’s this combination of a few elements in fashion. When it comes to clothes, I am always looking for creativity and a story. A set is something that complements your collection and gives it another layer of understanding. If it’s theatrical, good! People will remember it. The models should embody your idea, it’s the way that they move, how fast they walk, so many things. And last but not least, the music. Music should be able to transport us to the world you want us to go. That’s the closest that I can get to a “formula.”
Often we see several designers arriving at a similar idea during a season. How do you explain this creative intuition?
Nothing unusual, I think. The ideas might be similar, but they are reinterpreted differently by every designer. A lot of fashion designers are inspired by similar stuff. I mean eternal figures like Audrey Hepburn or Leigh Bowery. Designers are often inspired by each other also, which is a great thing. If we look at the recent collections, the main inspirations for many collections were liberation, freedom and how we should dress now post pandemic. It was more about enjoying life to the fullest because that has been taken away from us for a bit. So when the similar ideas show up on runway, there is always a good and legit reason for it.
How do you feel about designers expressing or interpreting their worldviews in their collections?
I love it because fashion is all about self-expression. Not just a liberation in creation and self-expression but also in showing their view of the world. Be it dresses with political agenda like the TAX THE RICH dress worn by Alexandra Ocasio Cortez, WHO GETS TO BE AMERICAN? from Prabal Gurung or the infamous Maria Grazia’s WE SHOULD ALL BE FEMINISTS T-shirt. Fashion is about expressing yourself.
How would you like to see fashion evolving this year?
How much time do you have? Because this list is so long! There are a few things I wish might happen. I would love to see the industry reintroducing some old fashion houses. I mean, look at Schiaparelli. The brand that has an amazing history and is now reliving the golden era of Schiaparelli. Give these houses a new life. And then there is just wishful thinking. The example being that Saint Laurent should start doing haute couture. Anthony is a brilliant designer, and I am sure he is up to the task, but I would love to see the craftsmanship of Saint Laurent during the couture season. All the greats have couture, from Dior or Balenciaga, Saint Laurent belongs to that special club.