Neven Mihic is a Croatian artist based in Dubai. He is currently a faculty member at the College of Fine Arts and Design at the American University of the Emirates. Neven designed costumes for over thirty theater performances and cooperated with theaters of all kinds. From large national theater houses up to informal alternative companies.
The performances comprised many genres from operas, operettas, ballets, dramas and even comedies. And they covered quite a lot of historical periods… from the Ancient Egypt until the modern times.
Neven Mihic just created a collection of beautiful fashion illustrations inspired in Egypt and Aida. He shares with us where from he draws his inspiration and about the theater scene in Dubai.
THE INTERVIEW: NEVEN MIHIC
After having worked in some many theater performances. What is your opinion about our Dubai Opera? What do you think should come next?
Dubai Opera House is very famous after one excellent season. For now, they don’t have their own productions. They have performances brought from Europe. They are amazing productions: operas, ballets, and musicals. It would be amazing to make one new production here in Dubai.
For example, the opera Aida would be incredible. Aida is a very famous Verdi’s opera, and here in Dubai, you can find a lot of inspiration. Take a look at the luxurious hotel Burj Al Arab or at the Wafi Mall and you can start dreaming.
How do you prepare your fashion illustration collections?
After my previous collection of fashion illustrations called fashion faces in black and white, I decided to start a new collection. This time inspired by Egypt´s history and the opera Aida. Before drafting the first drawing, I think about all the collection, the quality, the techniques, some interesting fashion poses, and the backgrounds. Also, I watched many documentary movies about Egypt. Fashion is fantasy at the end of the day.
These illustrations are part of my course Fashion illustration at the Fashion department of College of Fine Arts and Design. I love combining different materials, colors, and artistic techniques. These drawings could easily relate to opera Aida, maybe for some contemporary production. But also, they are connected to fashion, especially because oriental style is very refined in this region. One of my dreams would be to make one fashion collection and present it here in Dubai.
What is your occupation besides teaching?
As you said, currently, I am teaching courses of fashion illustration and draping. These are very interesting and useful course for fashion designers. But I am passionate about headwear: hats, fascinators, tiaras… of all kinds and shapes. So, I design and hand made my headwear pieces.
For next year, I am planning to make a new exciting collection of fascinators again for the Dubai World Cup 2018. Also part of the plan is a new exhibition of fashion illustrations.
If you want to get to know better Neven Mihic, check his website and his Instagram.
Photos credited to Abdul Alrahman Al Masri.
