He carried out his first exhibition in Turkey in 2003 with Murat Pilevneli. The pinnacle of their relationship was perhaps when the artist exhibited his video work “The Absent Presence” that included Tilda Swinton at the 51st Venice Biennale, in the Turkish pavilion, coordinated by Murat Pilevneli. Beral Madra curated the pavilion that many renowned art critics, artists and biennial visitors were deeply interested in. Caglayan’s exciting designs are shaped by architecture and geometry, with a wide portfolio including fashion design, sculpture, painting, choreography and film. Through functionally and architecturally designed apparels, the artist delves into complex topics such as; his own history, the female body, political issues, exodus or cultural identity. By conveying a conceptual touch to the fashion industry, Caglayan becomes a name that changes the meaning of the fashion industry while bearing variety to the art world.
Huseyin Caglayan was born on August 12, 1970, in Nicosia. The Cypriot - British artist and thinker Çağlayan and his family refuged to England in 1978. After graduating from Highgate School, he studied for a National Diploma in fashion and clothing at the Warwickshire School of Arts. Later on, he continued his education on fashion design in Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design. For his graduation project “The Tangent Flows”, that took place in 1993, he created a collection with silk fabrics that he smeared iron dust on and then left buried in soil for months. In 1994, he founded his own brand that carries his own name. Huseyin Caglayan’s works have been exhibited in; Pippy Houldsworth Gallery (UK) Les Arts Decoratifs (France), Lisson Gallery (England), Istanbul Modern (Turkey), Tokio Contemporary Art Museum (Japan), London Design Museum (UK), Musée de la Mode, Palais du Louvre (France), Collete (France), The Window Gallery (Czech Republic). Also, throughout his career Caglayan gained numerous awards such as; “Fashion Visionary Award” (Audi Fashion Festival 2013), “The Lucky Strike Designer Award” (Raymond Loewy Foundation 2012), “Lifetime Achievement to Design “(FX International Interior Design Awards 2009), Designer of the Year (British Fashion Awards 2000) and Designer of the Year (British Fashion Awards 1999) and MBE (Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2006).
Huseyin Caglayan lives and works in London, England.