His captivating collages have won the attention of luxury brands such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Moncler. His works have been featured in prestigious publications like Vogue, L’Officiel and Harper’s Bazaar. But fashion is not the only digital field collage artist Constantin Prozorov is used to playing in.
Constantin Prozorov’s digital art has captivated luxury brands such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Moncler. Courtesy of the artist
From hi-tech to the automotive industry, it would be reductive to define this digital artist with over 268k followers on Instagram as a fashion content creator. “I can’t call my work ‘contents,’ because it takes a lot of time. And this is the reason why I am doing only one project per year,” the German creative recently explained during a conversation at Istituto Marangoni Paris, where he shared his experiences and insights with Jacopo Cozzi, Programme Leader for Istituto Marangoni’s BA in Fashion Styling & Creative Direction.
Constantin Prozorov is a German Independent digital artist living in Paris, who blends elements from different eras to create a scenic storybook that draws the audience into a otherworldly exploration. Courtesy of the artist
Meet the digital artist merging everything from Renaissance art and fashion to mythical creatures and robots in surreal collages loved by Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Moncler
Constantin Prozorov specialises in collages that blend cultural elements from different eras to create a compelling visual language and narrative. Each of his works, mainly created using the digital collage technique, is like a scenic storybook that draws the reader into a wondrous, otherworldly exploration.
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His compositions contain a kaleidoscope of characters and motifs that often merge into the surreal while offering the possibility of rational interpretation. He explores a variety of themes from Renaissance art and high-end fashion to mythical creatures and robots, flora and fauna, while world cities and urban worlds are often transported into an enigmatic environment.
One of Prozorov's digital collages for Gucci. Courtesy of the artist
And while collage art has existed for centuries, Constantin Prozorov has developed a novel approach to using it as a vehicle for fashion storytelling on social media through a wildly artistic lens.
Who is Constantin Prozorov, and why do his artistic kaleidoscopes always go “Beyond Fashion”?
Born in 1986 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, but raised in Munich, the digital collage artist currently lives and works in Paris.
“I started doing collages about six years ago. I had moved from Berlin, where I worked for a famous fashion designer, to Italy. It was really hard to find something, so I continued to do some collages in my free time. Then I met someone who had a communication agency that mostly worked with premium brands and encouraged me to continue,” Constantin Prozorov explained. “So, I started doing a lot of still collages, editorials and also working with some fashion magazines. Then I came to Paris, where I became very close friends with the creative director of a communication agency, and she told me she was working with animations. I had no idea how they worked, but she gave me an idea.”
Prozorov started making collages after moving from Berlin to Italy, during his free time. Courtesy of the artist
So, he reached out to some of his former university companions who specialised in multimedia and animations. “I told them: ‘I have this client in Paris; they asked me for animations. Try something out.’ They tried and sent it to me and told me: ‘We are not really excited about it. It doesn’t seem right.’ But I said: ‘It is right, I want it!’ Because nobody had it, nobody did it like that before,” explained Constantin Prozorov.
Prozorov's first collages were stills, it wasn't until later that he started developing animations. Courtesy of the artist
But Prozorov’s career is in constant evolution. “I am actually working on a book right now because I would like to become a director. It is my next step. I want to go to Los Angeles and take my first steps into directing,” he revealed during his meeting with Istituto Marangoni’s students in Paris. “Because I think that when you are a creative person, only one direction might be possible, but most of us will want to explore all the fields.”
Prozorov’s career is in constant evolution. Courtesy of the artist
This would be the next step after he presented his own exhibition Beyond Fashion a few years ago. “For me, fashion always reflected our Zeitgeist. This is why I called my exhibit that way,” said Constantin Prozorov during his conversation with Jacopo Cozzi.
Five lessons we learned from the master of avant-garde digital collages in fashion
“You can create amazing things only if you are not afraid to make mistakes” – collage artist Constantin Prozorov
You clearly have guidelines to follow when working on a bigger scale and with important clients. But if you look confident and can give them the feeling that you know what you are doing, it is easier for them to trust you. “In general, to be creative, I must be free and can’t be too controlled. That is why I sometimes also had to say no to some collaborations, but I have never regretted it,” Constantin Prozorov said. “Trust your instinct. I think you can create amazing things only if you are not afraid to make mistakes. That is why I create concepts and share my vision with my team. Don’t be afraid to create something better or different,” was his advice.
Prozorov believes that you can create amazing things only if you are not afraid to make mistakes. Courtesy of the artist
“I was never perfect in anything, but I was curious in everything” – Constantin Prozorov
Prozorov is an all-round artist who has studied fashion and communication design. And he doesn’t intend to stop. “Right now, I am working on a book because I want to become a director. It is my next step; I want to go to Los Angeles and take my first steps into directing,” said Constantin Prozorov, revealing that Sony Music in France has already presented him with some proposals. “I think that when you are a creative person, following only one direction is possible, and some people can be perfect in something, but some of us will want to explore all the fields. I was never perfect in anything, but I was curious in everything,” he said. “So, this is why I am so flexible, and if something is not working, I try to find something different to make it work for me. And even if it is working right now for me, I am not counting on it, so I am already looking further.” This is also why Constantin Prozorov started to work with fashion brands, but his last three collaborations have had nothing to do with fashion.
One of Prozorov's collages for Moncler, where his animation and collage style shine. Courtesy of the artist
“Always try to go beyond what you did before, even if it worked” – Constantin Prozorov
For every collaboration, Constantin Prozorov tries to challenge himself. “I always try to go beyond what I did before, even if it worked. Behind every project, there is always a long and difficult work; it takes at least 5 months to plan a collage,” he explained. “I also always listen to the clients and what they have to say because they can surprise you. Sometimes they give you some interesting inspirations. In general, I see myself as a storyteller, so I could never follow only one way. I need to experiment.”
Prozorov believes it is essential to find one's personal style and voice. Courtesy of the artist
“Go out there and forget everything you have learnt in school, have your own vision” – Constantin Prozorov
It is always important to know the history of fashion, culture and history in general because it helps you find who you really are, Prozorov stated. But it is also essential to find your style and voice. “I always say to go out and forget everything you have learnt in school. I was not an easy student; I was very rebellious because I knew I had a vision and wanted to show it outside,” he told the students. And about his references, he said: “I personally love Alessandro Michele and Virgil Abloh, but I think my inspirations came more from films. I am a huge fan of Tim Burton and Wes Anderson. I also love Jeff Koons, Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso.”
One of Prozorov's collages for Gucci. Courtesy of the artist
“We are underestimating how fast AI is going. It will replace those figures who can’t make errors, but designers are less replaceable” – Constantin Prozorov
According to the digital artist, Artificial Intelligence will affect all the fields of our life, but maybe not so much in the creative area. “In my opinion, we are underestimating how fast AI is evolving. Maybe even in 10-20 years, it will reach the levels of the human mind,” he said. “I haven’t used it myself yet, but I am getting out of request to go in this direction, and I am trying to figure out now how to combine these techniques with collage.” In the next 1 or 2 years, AI will probably be more and more a trend since it is something new, and many brands will be exploring it, as it happened with NFTs and the metaverse. “The difference between human intelligence and Artificial Intelligence is that humans make errors; we are not perfect. And this is very important. In a few years, AI will be affecting many aspects of design, and companies, to save money, will probably replace some professional roles that can’t make mistakes. But not the designers and creative directors, who are less replaceable and whose work is unique,” he concluded. “It is happening already; everybody is working with AI in the fashion industry, but now it is a trend because everybody wants it. For sure, it is an opportunity because they can control everything and don’t have to deal with people. And it costs a lot now, but it will be more affordable in the future and accessible to everybody. I feel like human creativity and AI in the next years will work hand in hand.”
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Clementina Bianchi
Editor