Fashion in Style
Belgian fashion is among some of the world’s most avant-garde and creative, with designers such as Ann Demeulemeester, Martin Margiela, Dries Van Noten and Raf Simons leading the field. To celebrate Maasmechelen Village's decade in fashion, ten hot young designers have been selected by the Flanders Fashion Institute to create a piece for an exhibition, Fashion in Style, which will show at the Village on 24 September. On 20 October, top Belgian model Anouck Lepère will reveal the winners, and all pieces will be auctioned, with proceeds going to Kageno, a charity that helps impoverished communities in Rwanda and Kenia.
ANGELO VAN MOL
Menswear designer Angelo van Mol, a graduate of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, can look forward to a bright future while being inspired by the past. His piece for the show is inspired by the riches and craftsmanship of Ancient Egypt and the myths of the Pharaohs, and was made using basic tools that haven’t changed in centuries. The fashion designer, who is of Ghanaian and Belgian heritage, recently won Arise Magazine Fashion Week’s Menswear Designer of the Year in Nigeria, and looks set to become a rising star.
www.angelovanmol.com
Why Maasmechelen Village?
“I didn’t expect to buy that much for 50 euros”
ANN BRUGGEMAN
Le Cambre graduate Ann Bruggeman applied her talents at the atelier of Raf Simons before launching her own label in 2010. Her aim is to transform beautiful, quality materials into comfortable yet elegant essentials. Her inspiration for the show was a lightweight plastic sample that had been sitting on her desk for some time, which she turned into an accessory – water resistant, shockproof, practical, yet also funny, futuristic and very pretty. It’s light as a feather yet one day Bruggeman may prove to be a fashion heavyweight.
www.annbruggeman.com
Why Maasmechelen Village?
“This is shopping as science – you do the maths”
JUDITH THOMAS
German-born designer Judith Thomas achieved her Master’s in Fashion Design from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp in 2010. Her graduating collection made strong references to childhood and combined fragile transparent fabrics with heavy materials such as thick wool. Her contribution to this show also takes inspiration from girlish memories, in this case the journey to and from school. Her extraordinary creation recalls the adult wearer’s childhood journey, with sensations of feeling small again.
Why Maasmechelen Village?
“It’s an uptown shopping experience in a downtown village”
KIM STUMPF
After graduating from Le Cambre, Belgian-born Kim Stumpf worked with a number of high profile fashion designers, including Vivienne Westwood, Bruno Pieters and Haider Ackermann, before starting her own label in 2010. Driven in previous collections to create sculptural pieces with a second skin feeling, her piece for this show was inspired by a trip she took to India in 2009 and her fascination with Indian artisans and their high-class workmanship.
www.kimstumpf.com
Why Maasmechelen Village?
“It really seems like a real village – with food, drinks and shopping all concentrated in one place, it’s very practical”
LEA PECKRE
The 26-year-old French designer Lea Peckre is a graduate of Le Cambre, and she apprenticed at a wealth of top names, including Givenchy, Maison Martin Margiela, Chloe and Isabel Marant, before launching her own collection inspired in part by the landscape of cemeteries. With this collection she caught the eye of another top name, Raf Simons, who chaired the Grand Prix du Jury L'Oreal Professionel at Hyeres this year and awarded her the top prize. Her piece for the show is concerned with the absurd beauties of life’s end and by the secrecy where technology has no relevance.
leapeckre.tumblr.com
Why Maasmechelen Village?
“It’s an interesting space and concept for commerce”
LIEZE PLATTEEUW
In 2010, Belgian designer Lieze Platteeuw achieved her Master’s in Fine Arts and Fashion from KASK Gent, and in the same year she was honoured by Movex, the Andalusian foundation for leather technology and innovation. Giving proof of her fundamental know-how in using leather, Platteeuw’s unique piece for the show is an outstanding creation that is neither garment nor non-garment.
Why Maasmechelen Village?
“It’s a place where inspiration and fashion go together”
NATHALIE FORDEYN
Since graduating from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, Thai-Belgian designer Nathalie Fordeyn has worked at such illustrious studios as Diane von Furstenberg, John Galliano and Sonia Rykiel. The 25-year-old is inspired by surrealist art and imaginary worlds, and for this show she has created a parallel universe where everything looks odd, in which creatures have strange limps, big heads and small faces. Fordeyn’s metal and fabric piece hopefully makes its viewers feel uncomfortable but ultimately gives them joy.
Why Maasmechelen Village?
“The pizza looks amazing. I have to go back to try it”
NELE CATTRYSSE
Pattern designer and dressmaker Nele Cattrysse, encouraged by winning bronze at the Triumph Inspiration Awards this year, created her own couture lingerie collection, Sun Mae, inspired by her Korean heritage. For her show piece, she took as her starting point the idea of a highly independent woman, strong and distant, yet perfectly self aware and intrigued by her reflection in the mirror.
Why Maasmechelen Village?
“I feel wonder, amazement and joy at so much hospitality, enthusiasm, innovation and professionalism”
SOFIE CLAES
When Belgian-born fashion designer Sofie Claes premiered her first collection WOLF at Paris Fashion Week this year, she made a dream come true. The Esmod Paris and Amsterdam Fashion Institute graduate had always yearned to start her own label and her debut collection showed off her love for minimalism, timeless designs and craftsmanship, as well as Suprematism, the early 20th century art movement founded by Kasimir Malevich. For the show, she created a unique accessory that not only combines two essential qualities, aesthetics and comfort, but which also reflects her passion for Suprematism’s geometric figures and shapes.
www.wolfbysofieclaes.com
