Mr. Twelve´s personal story of the Arab Spring
“This is the new generation, the future of the youth. This collection is made for those who fight oppressions. Those who stand up for their civilian rights. This collection contains uprising pieces, that completes your daily protest”, TWELVEPIECES.
TWELVEPIECES is a minimalistic streetwear brand, founded in January 2017, that emphasizes world issues. The creative head of the brand is Amir Hassan, who is teasingly, though fondly, called Mr. Twelve. The Danish designer with Egyptian background has just recently graduated from VIA University College in Aarhus. He uses his designs as personal form of revolution, standing up for justice in his country of origin.
His fashion is inspired by Arabic culture: ‘The Spring’, his first collection, shows different shades of ocher, reminding of Egyptian landscape. “If you stroll around the streets of Cairo, you see earth tones and sand colours everywhere. You can even spot Cairo in the material. The soft touch of the fabrics and the wide silhouettes gives you a Middle Eastern feeling”, describes Hassan.
Fashion´s Revolutionary Potential
As the name of the current collection already discloses, its topic is the Arab Spring Revolution: Freedom, Justice, Brotherhood and Rebellion are the values communicated through the clothes. They are printed on the garments in Arabic letters. “The four words are the words they used in the Arab Spring, it’s what the people screamed at the protests”, explains Hassan. “They are meaningful and powerful for me since they tell the story of people starting a rebellion to fight for justice and freedom, which only works with the solidarity of brothers”, he elaborates. Besides Arabic calligraphy, the designs are graced with strong symbols such as the raised fist that stands for solidarity, support and resistance. The V-sign, on the other side, is a gesture of peace.
The designer takes part in the revolution through telling its story in his clothes, thereby inspiring others to stand up. “Fighting for freedom is definitely not a positive thing in everyone’s eyes, especially not in a time with Trump, Brexit and national parties getting more and more influential all over the Western World. Though I do not want to promote any specific political stand, my message with ‘The Spring‘ is clear: Stand up for your rights!“, says the designer.
Photographs by Viktor Sloth
As Hassan states, all his milestones can be traced back to the number twelve, explaining his nickname Mr. Twelve. Therefore, his first collection is arranged around this personal mantra: the collection consists of twelve items, each one being produced only twelve times, leading to a limited quantity of 144 pieces in total. Through this concept, the brand seeks to promote uniqueness and individuality.
Roots – the nostalgic story of a peaceful Egypt
Hassan’s personal design-story about Egypt is just about to start. His upcoming collection in warm, red and pinkish colours is called ‘roots’, telling the story about his heritage. “Unlike the rebellious values from ‘The Spring’, this collection will also represent a more peaceful and beautiful side of Egypt, mainly inspired from my childhood when I was used to visit my family every year”, says the designer about his upcoming fashion line.
”I think it is very important to represent and showcase both sides of Egypt. Though the country has been suffering from various dictators and corrupt politicians for years, it is important to stay positive and showcase Egypt and our culture on a larger scale than just my 23 years in this world. For me the pyramids, camelbacks and hieroglyphs are among the things I find beautiful and inspiring. Not only does it represent a time when Egypt was a frontier for what would be a modern society, it also helps me visualise the culture and tell the story about Egypt and – of course – my roots”, he elaborates nostalgically.
TWELVEPIECES' second collection ‘roots’ will be launched on December 12th, 2017 – certainly in line with the designer’s personal mantra!! Find more information about the designer on http://www.twelvepieces.dk