Time, Space and Absent Materiality: Networks and Associations in Contemporary Installation Art
Interaction and participation are words that are often presented in larger scale works of contemporary art. These works fall within a tradition of 1960s minimalism and installation art that emphasises the viewers experience and relationship to the space and its objects. Since the 1990s, these types of art works have also often centred on establishing relationships between viewers, what art critic and curator Nicolas Bourriaud calls relational art. Breaking with some of the traditional ways of viewing art in a contemplative manner, these works demand direct and active engagement with the viewers. As these forms of art continue to enjoy popularity and be exhibited both in prestigious museums and in public places, it is worthwhile to look further into the relations they create between artist, art work and viewers. Seeking active spectatorship and taking inter-human relations as the central aspect of the work, Bourriaud’s theory of relational art has been criticised for not sufficiently questioning the political nature of the relations in the works he regularly refers to. Combining some of the insights of relational art with a theory that does not make explicit political claims will maintain focus on the relations but draw attention to the complexity of the associations made while bringing the material aspects of the installation into the discussion. Actor-Network Theory presents a relatively new sociological approach that focuses on networks and associations including both humans and non-humans, making it appropriate for analysing situations of any size. Adrian Piper’s The Probable Trust Registry (Rules of the Game #1-3) (2013), Olafur Eliasson’s Ice Watch (2014 & 2015) and Thomas Hirschhorn’s Gramsci Monument (2013) are all notable works of installation art that engage their audiences and emphasise different temporal, spatial and material aspects of networks and associations created in the work. Placing these works within the tradition of installation art and analysing them through the combined lenses of relational art and Actor-Network Theory, further insight will be gained into the relationships it creates with and between the viewers themselves and to the objects.
Abstract from thesis presented for the Master’s in Digital Art History at Uppsala University, Spring 2018.
Art and Action in the Anthropocene: Communicating the Realities and Urgency of Global Warming in Olafur Eliasson’s Installation Art
The aim of this research is to explore how artists and scientists can work together to communicate the reality and urgency of global warming, using Olafur Eliasson’s installations Your waste of time (2006, 2013) and Ice Watch (2014), made in collaboration with geologist Minik Rosing, as case studies. Analysing Your waste of time and Ice Watch within the frameworks proposed by the socio-geological concept of the Anthropocene and Timothy Morton’s theory of hyperobjects, this paper will evaluate how these installations illustrate and engage with these concepts and how art should be seen as an important part of climate thinking and action. The context and setting of the installations, the audience’s interaction and experience with them, and their engagement with hyperobjects and the Anthropocene are analysed. Although Your waste of time attempts to expand the limits of human comprehension by staging an encounter with an 800 years old glacier, the institutional setting and presentation of the ice blocks as sculptures, preserved by a cooling system, prevents it from completely breaking down the distance between human beings and nature. Ice Watch, on the other hand, in its public location had more to the viewers interacting with the ice blocks, providing a metaphor for the role of humans under conditions of the Anthropocene as well as succeeding at drawing our attention to the hyperobject global warming. With the emergence of several artistic and interdisciplinary initiatives leading up to COP21 in Paris in November and December this year, the importance of including art in addressing climate change is increasingly important in communicating climate change and in catalysing political action.
Abstract of my Bachelor’s thesis, completed 27 May 2015.
Image courtesy of Studio Olafur Eliasson.
The town of Versailles, located just south west of Paris, is a site of power and change. Established by the Sun King, Louis XIV, it became the seat of the Ancien Régime and the aristocracy in the late 17th century. For almost a century it was the home to the royal family and the de facto capital from which three kings ruled the country until social tensions rose to the point of rupture. Displeased with Louis XIV’s handling of the nation wide financial depression, the people of France overthrew the absolute monarchy in the Revolution of 1789. It was in the vicinity of this history and these past aristocratic opulences, embodied by the massive Château de Versailles, that Agnès Troublé grew up. But when it came to her fashion company, it was with an unmistakably revolutionary spirit that she decided to design and manage it. A film producer, art gallery owner and philanthropist, the universe of agnès b. now extends in all cultural directions. But fashion is where her story started.
The next of convention-breaking Belgian designers, Mats Rombaut is at the forefront of vegan and sustainable luxury footwear. His designs are minimalistic with a pure focus on creating a high fashion product, completely free of toxic substances and animal products.
After completing a degree in economics, Rombaut switched career paths with an internship at Lanvin’s men’s accessory department which later led to working as accessory designer for Damir Doma. He has the know-how of design, production and management derived directly from experience.
His eponymous brand was launched in January this year during the men’s fashion week in Paris. Boots, derby styles and hightop sneakers made from tree bark collected in Uganda or canvas made from organically grown cotton are the new staple pieces. Dyed and coated with latex for water resistance, the texture comes close to resembling leather.
A women’s line was recently unveiled at the women’s fashion week. Two styles are redesigned from the men’s line with an addition of heels. Combining tree bark in the back of the shoe and cotton canvas in the front, the heel itself is made of wood. In the fusion of natural with the fabricated, there’s an elegant roughness in the preservation of the materials’ own textures.
For now, Rombaut keeps his business small; the shoes are produced in close collaboration with Italian manufacturers, the men’s line made in Florence and the women’s in Rome. After the fashion musical chairs were kicked off a few years ago and the recent drama of Nicolas Ghesquière’s parting with Balenciaga, the creative freedom of a smaller company structure is appreciated. “Big businesses are so much about meeting goals in sales and constant expansion,” Rombaut says, “It kills the creativity.”
With his emphasis on fashion ethics, it’s no surprise to hear that Rombaut has teamed up with fellow fashion ethics-warrior Bruno Pieters to create an exclusive line of footwear for Honest by. Having just finished listing the sources, production locations and pricing details for the fully transparent fashion company, the brand takes a another step towards a more conscious consumption.
Earlier this year, Edward Snowden leaked information about the National Security Agency’s vast surveillance programme, revealing that the United States had systematically spied on its citizens. In a world where nothing is private anymore, Adam Harvey has picked up the fight to regain privacy. Using fashion as his weapon, he creates designs that protect individuals from the constantly wakeful eyes of the surveillance state. Based on military camouflage, Harvey brings the techniques to the masses.
Harvey first became known with CV Dazzle, a concept created to confuse face detection softwares (CV referring to “computer vision”). Presented as his master’s thesis at NYU, it consists of a catalogue of looks that work as facial camouflage. By hiding the cheek bones and avoiding feature enhancing make-up, the face becomes unrecognisable to the computer programmed eye.
With the Stealth Wear project, Harvey takes anti-surveillance to the next level. To hide from drones, the new Big Brother, he enlisted the help of designer Johanna Bloomfield to create hooded capes, caps and scarves with the purpose of hiding the wearer from thermal surveillance techniques. Made out of a textile with nickel woven into the fabric, the material reflects heat and blocks out the infra-red radiation that naturally is transmitted by the body. As a result, the unmanned aerial vehicles that survey the skies are unable to pick up human signals. Formerly reserved for military equipment, Harvey packs the technology into designs inspired by the Muslim hijab and burqa - garments that are symbolic of the separation between man and God. Harvey also created the OFF Pocket accessory for the project, a phone case that blocks out all outgoing and incoming signals from your phone.
Other designs and projects include the Camoflash clutch with a built-in LED flash to overexpose any picture taken of it, and the more radical DNA Spoofing. A genetic experiment with the techniques of digital IP spoofing, it attempts to eliminate the possibility of collecting and analysing the genetic materials that humans naturally shed daily. Genetic material from another source is used, concealing one’s own identity. Still very conceptual and experimental, the project presupposes a future in which surveillance may be so evolved that it would include a physical tracking of individuals.
Privacy is neither a right nor a privilege. With society under constant surveillance, it is time to fight back. The most essential function of clothing is the protection of one’s physical privacy. In this sense, fashion is an efficient weapon. In a constant state of emergency and with never-ending warfare, Adam Harvey’s designs are aesthetic statements about a not-so-distant dystopian future; the people versus the cameras.
Full version of my retrospective of Raf Simons' work for Jil Sander. Written for 14:27 Magazine, January 2013.
The 2nd of July 2012 – the walls of a salon on the Avenue d'Ièna in the 16th arrondissement of Paris were covered in more than a million flowers; blue Delphinium; various soft pinks and yellows of Peony, Roses, Zinnia, Dahlia, Campanula, and Achillea; pure yellow Solidago; whites of Queen Anne's Lace, Orchids and Pipettes; and red Orchids, Celosia, Roses and Achillea. It was the setting of Raf Simons' first presentation as artistic director for Christian Dior. Additionally, it was his first ever haute couture collection made according to the strict rules of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. Translating Christian Dior's 1950s fashion into a language suitable for a 21st century client, the autumn/winter 2012-13 haute couture collection was Raf's own modern take on the concept of ultimate femininity fused with Dior's own passion for gardens and flowers. At the time of its launch, the ever legendary 1947 Corolle collection, commonly known as the New Look, put forward an elegant look that accentuated the ideal feminine beauty. With its cinched waist and flowing skirt made from post-world war controversial amounts of fabric, it gave the female body a resemblence to a flower in bloom. Equally, tight-fitting tops teamed with slim, hip-hugging pencil skirts gave the opposing impression of the resting flower, ready to burst open at the first hint of sunlight. Both classic looks often referred back to, Raf offered an updated version with clean lines and clever material choices that effortlessly suits the modern times with a romantic yearning towards the future.
While many womenswear designers state their aim as celebrating femininity, few have that unique ability to translate their understanding of the constantly changing gender concept into clothing that is both artistically original and commercially successful. The key to Raf's prosperity in fashion seems to be his small-town humbleness in combination with a burning passion for art and unending intellectual curiosity. From his early days of providing a new version of tailoring for young men, the Belgian designer has now mastered the language of flowers to express a more sensual and erotic side which distinguishes his collections for both men and women. It is the result of a process of rebellion and maturity, mostly played out on the grounds of German purist brand Jil Sander where he for seven years reigned as creative director. The newly begun era as artistic director for Christian Dior most likely would have been impossible without this previous chapter in his career.
It was a new beginning for the brand and naturally for Raf himself. Minimal and seemingly simple, few risks were taken. There was though a more youthful touch to the silhouettes with boxy jackets and slimmer trousers. His tailoring skills were a perfect match and was exactly what seemed promising in the monochrome with a hint of camel offering. The more important collection was to be presented shortly thereafter during the women's fashion week in Milan the following month. Having never created womenswear before, it was a collection that could make or break the designer. With close connections to the men's collection, it was an exercise in androgyny. The Raf Simons woman was born out of the man's DNA – sleek tailoring turned towards the future. Still playing it quite safe, the collection lay in perfect line with the Jil Sander heritage, although there was a slight difference in the personality. Full-length black dresses were sliced open to reveal the backs, allowing a sensual femininity and vulnerability shine through for the first time. Sarah Mower proclaimed in her review that Jil Sander had finally found itself a worthy heir, and the industry embraced the brand's new direction.
The crucial follow-up to two highly successful collections came with spring/summer 2007. With a sense of rebellion, there was more of Raf himself rather than Jil Sander. Colour was the keyword, bringing in bright yellow, orange, red, green and blue – each hue well-saturated and allowed to shine matched with a monochrome. The menswear collection caused Tim Blanks (in retrospect, uncannily foreseeing the future) to compare Raf to the Spanish master of couture, Cristobal Balenciaga, claiming that the designers share connections to the classical and joining them with a natural futuristic sensibility. Again, the ready-to-wear collection followed the same lines as the menswear, but Raf's womenswear vision was rapidly taking shape. He took another step towards liberating the feminine nature of the Jil Sander woman, offering her tailoring in audacious colours. The strict purism was loosened up and Raf even introduced an element of glamour in what probably is the collection's most memorable look; a glittering silver sequined skirt teamed with the brand's staple crisp white shirt.
By spring/summer 2008, Raf's womenswear had become confident and more characteristic in its expression. Though still connected to the opposing menswear, it was no longer a predictable sequel to it. The first look, a tailored piece buttoned at the front like a jacket but cut off as a strapless top, colour blocked and teamed with slim, orange trousers, was shrouded in an almost invisible layer of chiffon. Most impressive were dresses made of layers and layers of tulle, cut in flowing shapes or sensually opening up and enclosing the woman in delicate origami-like petals. Besides the technical innovation, it was a representation of a different kind of beauty from Raf. Usually romanticising teenage subcultures and the various obsessions and passions of youth in his eponymous collections, his womenswear was distinguished itself as a separate love affair.
Autumn/winter 2008-2009 brought beauty out of conflict as Raf let the Jil Sander atelier's dressmakers swap places with the tailors. The resulting dresses and coats powerfully enclosed the body with their architectonic construction. It was a clever use of the dramatic trick of contrasts; heavy tweed appearing to be light as chiffon, constructed deconstruction, artificially organic, decorated minimalism, demure eroticism, rigid weightlessness... Confusing as it may sound, the contradictions brought a new energy to the purism, further pushing the boundaries of Jil Sander.
The 1920s were revived back in spring/summer 2009 and Raf showcased a ready-to-wear collection that modernised the fringed dress of the sexually challenging girls of that time. A projection of Man Ray's portrait of Kiki de Montparnasse with an African mask preceeded the show. The surrealism and exotism expressed in the legendary 1926 photo were translated in thin fringes, draped around the female body to sensually reveal bare waists, as well as earrings encrusted with jewels levitated through the earlobes. Fringes fluidly draped around the body were juxtaposed with streamlined tailoring to still maintain the Jil Sander woman. However, like a reversed modern day flapper, Raf let her break free from her traditional role of strong business woman to reveal a less strict side, though equally strong and confident.
Raf went back to nature with his spring/summer 2010 outing. Pornography, land artists and Zabriskie Point were the start of a deconstructed collection that recalled the conceptual fashion of Rei Kawakubo. Garments appearing to decay, peeling off in layers did have an organic feel, having been exposed to the forces of nature or, as seen in the aforementioned film, worn when passionately rolling with a beloved other in the Death Valley. Knitted pieces barely concealing the bodies gave the illusion of sculpturing the female figure. The aesthetic freedoms taken by Raf to expand the purist vocabulary of the brand resulted once again in a successful collection that amalgamated traditional tailoring with futuristic romanticism.
Spring/summer 2011 turned out to be the most important season during Raf's reign at Jil Sander. With a wave of minimalist revival sweeping through fashion, everyone looked to the German purist brand to deliver a lesson in perfect detail reduction with sleek tailoring. A rebel at heart, Raf gathered his team and decided to go the opposite way; maximalism. The extreme opposite to minimalism was found in haute couture and Raf magically merged the two into one entirely new concept. Enchanted by nature and the vivid colours of flowers, he delved deep into the floral world, extracting different hues and saturating them to their extreme. This time they were paired with each other, inspired by the audacious combinations of Yves Saint Laurent's collections. The silhouettes also were blown-up, recalling the grand gowns of couture but the minimal amount of decoration, innovative fabric choices and plastic bags (that became the most covetable accessory of the season) took the salon to the street – echoing the spirit of Saint Laurent's decision to, as the first haute couture designer to do so, launch a ready-to-wear line.
Continuing his exploration of couture codes, Raf revisited the 1960s. Autumn/winter 2011-12 drew its inspirations mainly from Louise Dahl-Wolfe's fashion photography of couture in ski resorts, and the work of Diane Arbus. It was here in particular that the heritage of Cristobal Balenciaga was seen – bold shapes and clever innovation in cuts took fashion in a new direction. Florals remained in a new aesthetic version as patterns of glitched up traditional swiss flora.
After the spring/summer 2012 show, Raf stated that it was the last of his “haute couture trilogy”. He had with the past two seasons experimented with the vocabulary of traditional Parisian haute couture but still not challenged the most grand element of the show; the closing wedding dress. In a colourful cubist garden, inspired by the one at Villa Noailles in Hyères, a predominently white collection walked. The strict tailoring gave a clinically pure feel but was easened up with Picasso motifs on knitwear and paisley prints – a different type of floral. Tailored dresses with diamond details exuded the elegance of Grace Kelley, and especially the ominous cinematic perfection of the characters she portrayed in Alfred Hitchcock's films. Shortly after the show, rumours arose that Raf would take on the direction of Yves Saint Laurent. They were proved false, but the fashion industry was still at unrest with the delaying decision of who were to take the vacant spot at Parisian big player Christian Dior.
Just a few days ahead of the autumn/winter 2012-13 ready-to-wear presentation for Jil Sander, it was announced that it would be Raf's last for the brand. It also emerged that Jiline Sander, the founder of the brand, would return to it. Colourful flower arrangements enclosed in glass cases were placed around the catwalk, symbolising femininity in the protective environment of a home. The main dilemma of modern feminine psychology is the choice between motherhood and career. So Raf wanted to put forward a day in the life of a woman engaged in a relationship. There was a frailty in the way the models clutched shut their coats, as though protecting themselves, while dramatic slashes of PVC in delicate dresses had a strong edge of repressed sexual desires. The corresponding men's collection that had been presented earlier seemed a perfect fit with its dominating black and leather, with hints of lost innocence in childlike motifs in the knitwear. As the last set of womenswear looks were paraded, Tonight, Tonight by the Smashing Pumpkins played – a favourite song of Raf's, underlining the emotional importance of the moment. He used it for the first time for his eponymous debut presentation, as well as for his spring/summer 2011 show that marked his 15th anniversary in fashion. The immense emotion and passion was felt by everyone, and the audience rose to their feet cheering, dragging the designer out on the catwalk again, touched to tears that streamed down his face. At the same time, Billy Corgan's voice was heard from the speakers; “Believe in me as I believe in you, tonight, tonight.” - the ultimate proof of mutual love between Raf and the industry.
After the success of the couture collection, Raf presented his first ready-to-wear for Dior. “It was about freedom, sensuality and sexuality...” he said of the inspiration. These words sum up the entire body of his womenswear. Adding “the future” and emphasising again his romantic view of the times and ages we inevitably move towards, the picture was completed. Although there might be little resemblance between his eponymous collections and the shining organza in wraps and ball gowns, they share a base in some very abstract concepts and are merely created through different lenses to suit their target audience. The different expressions come together in an incredibly virtuous picture that few of today's fashion artists are able to create with a similar cohesion.
Entering Jil Sander as a relatively unknown menswear designer with a rebellious spirit and inspired by youth and subcultures, he exited as one of the most well-known personalities in the industry, now instead drawing his inspiration from mid-20th century Parisian salons. What remains unchanged throughout his total of 17 years in the industry is the unique touch of individuality underlined with confidence and humbleness. Raf has managed to seduce his audience, from press to buyers to clients, with his poetic collections filled with passion and a unique sensuality, celebrating femininity underlined with a strong force of eroticism. Retracing his creations for Jil Sander, we can see the formation of an individual designer personality coming to terms with the inevitable coexistence of the masculine and feminine in modern times. The resulting clothes stretch beyond fleeting fashion trends, holding a strong emotional complexity underneath the flawless surface. The first apparition of Raf's take on the Christian Dior woman is a continuation of what he explored in the last years of his reign at Sander, taken to another level by the craftsmanship of the in-house atelier as well as the codes of the Dior brand. Her cult has formed and her name is already worshipped. As she talks her lips breathe spring flowers; I was Chloris, who am now Flora. (Ovid)
Image: Floral arrangement by Mark Colle, photographed by Dinah Hayt, Zeit Online.
Academy Anniversary: Walter Van Beirendonck reflects
As an original member of the Antwerp Six, and fervent champion of the Belgian avant-garde aesthetic, Walter Van Beirendonck has inspired generations of fashion students to flock to Antwerp – the small city with a big reputation. Not only a creative inspiration, he has also taught at the Academy.
A series of exhibitons across the city celebrate the Academy’s 350th birthday this month, while the illustratious Fashion Department itself turns 50. As a figurehead for the original movement, Van Beirendonck lent his vision as curator for a celebratory retrospective at the MoMu Fashion Museum.
Here, Van Beirondonck reflects on the Academy’s influence, Antwerp Six reunions, and his influence now on the future of Belgian design.
All clothing by Walter Van Beirendonck from his SS03 'RESPECT/RETHNK/REACT' collection, taken from Dazed & Confused, Issue 97Photography by Ronald Stoops, styling by Walter Van Bierenconck and Dirk van Saene
Dazed Digital: For this year's Antwerp graduate fashion show you reunited the Antwerp Six. Have you all been in touch throughout the years?
Walter Van Beirendonck: We have, definitely, because most of us are living here in Antwerp. Everybody is working on their own project or collection, but we see each other from time to time. For the graduation we come together for the jury; that's rather unique to be all together in the one room.
THE ACADEMY WAS TOTALLY UNKNOWN THEN, SO EVEN WHEN YOU SAID “I'M STUDYING IN ANTWERP”, NOBODY KNEW ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT.
DD: You put Antwerp on the fashion map; how do you feel that city has changed from your time as a student to now?
Walter Van Beirendonck: The world has changed, fashion has changed and the city has changed. The Academy was totally unknown then, so even when you said “I'm studying in Antwerp”, nobody knew about the department. The exposure that the Antwerp Six and Martin Margiela gave to the fashion department, attracted a whole new generation of students, who came from all over the world. And I think that the evolution in the city - now you can call it a fashion city - has a lot to do with what happened in the school. It's all connected, to what happened around 1985.
Stephen Jones for Walter Van Beirendonck, taken fro Dazed & Confused Novemeber 2007Photography by Matt Irwin, styling by Nicola Formechetti
DD: You all have a distinct style; what did you have in common?
Walter Van Beirendonck: We were friends at school, studied at the same time and were fascinated by a lot of the same things. We traveled together, went to Paris, to parties, dressing up... It was a very dynamic moment and I think that there was a lot of ambition to really make it. To get out of Antwerp and to get out of Belgium.
We went through a very long process, school for four years and then four or five years of making collections in Belgium, so we were preparing ourselves for almost ten years. I think then we had the opportunity to create a very distinctive, recognisable signature. Everybody had the time to evolve in their own personal way.
IT WAS A VERY DYNAMIC MOMENT AND I THINK THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF AMBITION TO REALLY MAKE IT. TO GET OUT OF ANTWERP AND TO GET OUT OF BELGIUM.
DD: You've been teaching at the Academy, and influencing generations of designers. For example, at Dior you have Kris Van Assche, who went to the school, and Raf Simons, who started as your intern. How does it feel for you to see how they have progressed?
Walter Van Beirendonck: It's really nice to see because they are very precious to me. I started to teach in 1985, so most of the later generations were students of mine. I saw them at school, I trained them and then I saw them starting up careers and doing incredible things. It feels really good that I had the opportunity to stimulate them and let them become individuals.
DD: Besides designers, you have had Academy artists such as Peter De Potter and Willy Vanderperre, who collaborate with fashion. Do you encourage interdisciplinary work at the Academy?
Walter Van Beirendonck: Definitely, as some graduates go in different ways. Make up artist Peter Philips and stylist Olivier Rizzo became very well known in their field, while Peter De Potter more so in the art world. We don’t create relations between disciplines, but it’s a natural evolution. Everybody evolves the way that they feel the most comfortable with.
DD: How did you feel when you were asked to curate this project?
Walter Van Beirendonck: Until now we never had an exhibition about the school. There were no archives, and nothing recorded about the school and the way we were working. We had to start from nothing and that took a lot of energy. We held reunions with the teachers and went through the list of graduates, highlighted the people we wanted to show in the exhibition and started from there. Two thirds of the exhibition is archive pieces, what these people made when they were graduating. Some of them date back 30 years..
DD: How do you imagine the Fashion Department will develop in other 50 years?
Walter Van Beirendonck: I hope we can maintain this way of working because what we have here in Antwerp is a rather precious. Creatives can come and work for four years solely on their own individual fashion identity. Due to our small structure and very personal working methods we can create that kind of environment. I hope that we can keep that in the future, because it's a rather fragile thing in this world.
A definitive on Belgian design, the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp celebrated its 350th anniversary this weekend. As part of the celebrations, Antwerp, the insignificant city with a worldwide impression, hosts a series of exhibitions showcasing its most influential fashion icons.
The beginnings of Belgian fashion can be traced to the ‘Antwerp Six’, a collective of designers who graduated from the Academy in 1986. Such collectives come together in industrious design environments, notes MoMu Fashion Museum director, and curator of the Antwerp exhibitions, Kaat Debo: “They become friends, they party together, they study together, they go to concerts together, and at the same time they create together and they influence each other.”
From those you know, like Margiela and Simons, to the next generation and behind-the-scenes key figures, here are Dazed’s Top Ten Antwerp Visionaries.
Raf Simons
A revolutionary from the off, Simons self-trained as a menswear designer under the eye of Linda Loppa, head of the fashion department, creating his first collection in 1995 entirely by himself. Now, as Creative Director of Dior, he has a house of les petite mains to assist him. A long way from his early teenage subculture references, Simons resides in the higher echelons – yet not without a touch of Belgian controversy. For AW13, his second Dior Couture collection, Simons reimagined a ‘global vision of couture’ far removed from the careful homages to Monsieur Dior of before.
Peter De Potter
Artist, writer, and curator Peter de Potter graduated from the Academy in 1992. Creating seminal works in printed tomes in his early career – including ‘The Fourth Sex’ in collaboration with Raf Simons – de Potter is now considered a pioneer of Tumblr creation. His solely online projects I Am An Image Machine and Angelic Starts embrace new approaches to art in the digital era, combining found and archive image to reimagine context and generate a new, thought-provoking dialogue.
Maison Martin Margiela
Fashion's mystery man graduated from the Academy in 1979, working for ten years as a freelance designer, including for Jean-Paul Gaultier, before showing under his own name in 1989. In complete opposition to the exuberant, high-profile fashion of that era, Margiela's highly conceptual collections displayed the rebellious attitudes shared by earlier generations of Antwerp designers. The most extreme of his peers, Maison Martin Margiela continues to question the conventions of fashion and taste – even so far as to collaborate with H&M in 2012.
Devon Halfnight LeFlufy
Originally from Vancouver, Devon Halfnight LeFlufy is part of a new era of young international designers honing their craft and aesthetic at the Academy. His graduate collection ‘True Believer’ reflected the manner of Antwerp generations past, combining an anarchic attitude with a respectful understanding of craftsmanship and design – yet with an internationally referenced, contemporary edge. The collection’s psychedelic mix of West Coast street wear codes and laser cut henna symbols make LeFlufy an Antwerp export to watch.
Dries Van Noten
Modest in attitude but bold in style, season after season Dries Van Noten enchants the fashion world with his prints – combining preppy stripes with brocade florals for AW13. Born and raised in the Flemish capital, his first store “Het Modepaleis” - the Fashion Palace - stands majestically in the centre of town. As sole financer and owner of the Dries Van Noten, the label maintains a mystery as intriguing, yet a whole lot more modest, as Margiela – another hallmark of Belgian design values.
Walter Van Beirendonck
A member of the Antwerp Six, along with Ann Demeulemeester and Dries Van Noten, Van Beirendonck is synonymous with larger-than-life and surreal creations. For his SS14 menswear collection, the designer distorted masculine elegance with garish prints and embellishment, sharp 2D planes protruding from shirts, and shoes adorned with cerise penises. As current head of the Academy fashion department, Beirendonck continues to exert his influence, raising future generations of dauntless designers.
Bernhard Willhelm
German born Bernhard Willhelm joined the influx of non-Belgian aspiring designers to study at the Academy after the success of the Antwerp Six, graduating in 1998. Elevating standard references to the realms of bizarre, Willhelm collections feature clashing colour, eye-popping prints, and over-sized proportions. Yet, core values of design craftsmanship and innovative cut are never undermined.
Full article is up on DazedDigital: Top Ten Antwerp Visionaries
Co-written with Natasha Slee
A love of women comes as no surprise from the French. Famous cabarets like Le Chat Noir and Folies Bergère established in the late 19th century are still in business, not to mention that the most famous turn-of-the-20th-century club Le Moulin Rouge. Despite this history, when monsieur Alain Bernardin opened his cabaret Le Crazy Horse in 1951, he looked to America for inspiration. Taking the name from the Sioux chef of the 19th century American frontier, and originally referring to the club as a “saloon”, it immediately distinguished itself from all other cabarets. Still today they proudly call themselves the most avant-garde of the Paris cabarets, their sole aim is to present a show that celebrates femininity in all its different shapes. In the beginning, the show was mainly focused around various burlesque routines with musical and humorous numbers in between. It was in the 1960s, with new movements in art and culture that le Crazy of today took shape. Bernardin made sure to be up to date with the new attitudes towards art and sexuality, deciding that each number that was presented on his stage would have its own unique tableau. Each number would have a specific set, choreography and lighting. Keeping the company within the family, even after the death of Bernardin, Le Crazy was eventually sold in 2005. Having worked with Cirque du Soleil, Andrée Deissenberg, the current Managing Director, is responsible for taking it forward, pushing new boundaries and reinventing the repertoire.
The goal of the new direction is rooted in the club's unique expertise: “subliminating women through unusual and surprising creations.” Guest stars have as of late been brought in, the first of them being international burlesque bombshell Dita von Teese, followed by French star Arielle Dombasle and the ultimate goddess of modern Western femininity; Pamela Anderson performed a number based on Brigitte Bardot's hit song "Harley Davidson" written by French national icon and ultimate womanizer Serge Gainsbourg. Fashion designers have created costumes, if so rather small creations, for the shows, and Christian Louboutin was welcomed as the first “guest creator” in the spring of 2012.
Extract from my article on Crazy Horse, published in HUSK Magazine autumn/winter 2012, "Girls Don't Cry".
Thom Browne has with his menswear collection played with the rules of traditional menswear. Last season, the American designer showed his first womenswear collection which proved to be an extension of his ideas for the men’s wardrobe. Stiff, oversized silhouettes were just the type of unconventional and theatrical elements that we rarely see on the New York Fashion Week schedule. And they were a welcome addition.
His spring/summer 2012 collection was set back in the 1920s at a party - drawing the mind directly to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, an influence also seen at Hyden Yoo this season. One may already have an idea about the decadence, and art deco glamour, but this collection moved beyond that. He opened with sophisticated nautical resortwear – the first look a tailored ensemble of layered jackets and a wide skirt with sailboats as embellishment. It was the atypical resort wardrobe, treading in the cartoonish with the exaggerated silhouettes, shapes, stripes and round sunglasses.
Then back to the Long Island of F. Scott Fitzgerald. Browne’s foundation in menswear was found in reconstructed versions of a traditional striped men’s suit, tailored to effortlessly fit a woman’s body. La Garconne felt like the ideal inspiration for Browne. Bias-cut dresses with long fringes smoothly draped and embraced the body. Stiff, drop waist shift dresses were given volume and stiffness to enhance the dramatic. The designer particularly played with proportion; lengthening or shortening of sleeves, pants and waists. We saw a tightly fit jacket with the natural waist line placed at the hips, mid-calf hem and sleeves of the same length. Yet the most stunning pieces were dresses with pleated skirts that were twirled around the models’ feet, the posing by a cocktail cabinet enhancing the drama.
Compared to his premier season of womenswear this felt more complete. We saw everything from over-the-top costumes to looks that were ideal for the all-American East Coast woman. Wearable or not, ultimately it’s impossible not to love Thom Browne’s womenswear vision.
Some highlights from the Paris collections, for Veine Magazine.
Ann Demeulemeester
Ann Demeulemeester's heart lies at home, in her Le Corbusier house in the outskirts of Antwerp. It was a very personal collection and of the comfort of a Sunday afternoon spent in the home. There were even denim-looking jackets, vests and trousers. Embracing the men's floral trend, she did it her way; black velvet appliqués, shadows of vines found in her own garden. Naturally, the Byronic hero received his share of her attention as suits came in satin, again with the shadowy flower print. It was a different side of Demeulemeester that had its share of black deconstructed tailoring but combined with a sense of lightness and comfort.
Haider Ackermann
Woman was born from the rib of a man, but Haider Ackermann's genesis goes slightly differently. From the woman's draped silk dress, he created man. For his first real menswear collection, his romantic visions of draped silks were translated to the male sex, with the same strenght and poetry. Tattooed men carried layers of luxurious materials and elegantly tailored pieces in jewelled tones. Ackermann took on the bomber jacket, offering it in a wine-like red, bright and soft blue or shiny black leather. What makes Ackermann's offering stand out is that he tells a whole story. Although the clothes themselves spoke beautifully, their well-matched wearers completed the vision of the designer's dream. And it made us eager to see where they will go next.
Givenchy
Riccardo Tisci has one specific strength that sets him apart from the rest of today's designers: his incredible talent for printmaking. Sticking to a set of signature silhouettes, including the shorts and leggings combination, the main variation between the seasons are the prints used. Moving away from the saints, technology and tribalism appeared to be the themes for spring/summer 2014. Cassette players and circuit boards were alternated with portraits and stripes in a geeky kind of adolescent look. In fact the two strongest looks were without prints; shirt, suit jacket trousers, sandals and a jacket tied around the waist, one in all black, the other in all white. But for sure, next fashion week this is what the new kids on the street will wear.
Rick Owens
This season, Rick Owens earned a mention by having Estonian metal punk band Winny Puhh performing at his show. (A quick look at Wikipedia enlightens me that their first hit single was entitled “Noodles and Sour Cream,” although what astonishes me is that they've been active for almost as long as I've lived.) The clothes were classic Owens, we all know it by now: skirts and shorts with straight tailored jackets, elongated silhouettes and the fair amount of leather. What was new was the sportier edge with some net tops and a shoe collaboration with Adidas. But really, who looks that closely at the clothes when you have three grown men in the middle of the catwalk in wolf masks growling in an Uralic language?
Raf Simons
At the centre of all of Raf Simons' work is the concept of the interzone. Borrowed from a Joy Division song title, it is the source of the power that his collections radiate. Showing in the newly opened Gagosian gallery in the Paris suburb Le Bourget, the current exhibition on display features sculptor Alexander Calder and furniture designer Jean Prouvé. The tension between the artists set the tone for the show; the industrially fabricated shapes of Prouvé's chairs juxtaposed with the free movements of Calder's kinetic sculptures. This was reflected in the clothes that displayed baby-like rompers emblazoned with ad-like prints. It was the sincere and personal expression of a designer still young at heart and yearning for freedom in a world where individuality is lost in the process of massproduction.
London has for long been the origin and centre for the finely tailored suit, the tradition being upheld by the bespoke tailors of Savile Row. With this in mind, it may seem unfair that the menswear scene for so long has been overshadowed by the women's collections that twice every year draw the attention of the fashion world. It has been a year since the British Fashion Council launched London Collections: Men, allowing British designers to showcase their collections in accordance with the fashion weeks in Milan and Paris. The result has been a huge success, with luxury brand giant Burberry finally bringing the men's collection home from the catwalk of Milan. Perhaps what separates London from the other fashion capitals is the support given to young talents. Launched by Fashion East and Topshop, MAN is one of the initiatives that gives up-and-coming menswear designers the chance to show their collections to the industry. Bobby Abley, Alan Taylor, and Craig Green are the three designers who have earned this sponsorship and put on a collective show.
Alan Taylor is one of the most exciting new talents on the menswear scene. For his spring/summer 2014 collection he once again used tweed produced by a family company in his native Ireland. Its heaviness was lifted with linen, giving the collection a lighter feel suitable for the warmer seasons. Taylor worked with qualities of the different materials; sheer jackets laying bare their stitches while heavier garments had their closings hidden. Colours were kept light, with crisp white, rough gray, and rustic peach pink. Taylor has a particularly interesting intellectual approach in his designs. Exploring perception from the point of the “theory of the fourth dimension.” He attempts to present all dimensions at once as though we were four-dimensional beings. The result is constructions that allow us to re-think the body itself and its dimensions in space and time. The last few looks of the collection best showed his experiments in perception. Jackets and shirts were added upside down at the hips, offering a new viewing angle for their tailoring.
Taylor's collection embodies the spirit of British fashion, built firmly on tradition and innovation. He and his fellow designers continue the legacy of London as one of the world capitals of creativity and craftsmanship. If anything, London Collections: Men assures us that classic tailoring is still alive and comes in multiple dimensions.
Damir Doma, having presented his first women's Resort collection at Pitti Uomo, offered Saharienne tailoring, herringbone pattern and tartans for spring/summer 2014 in Paris.
Damir Doma men's spring/summer 2014 for HUSK Magazine
The shape of a menacing sun reminiscent of the scenery from Apocalypse Now adorned jackets and sweaters, setting the tone for Miuccia Prada's men's spring/summer 2014 collection. It was a vision of paradise, though a rather dark one.
Richly coloured pinstripe suits were combined with exotic prints to make up a Gauguin-esque palette. The formalness of the strict tailoring was further taken down with a casual tennis-style shoe. Once again reinterpreting the Hawaiian-print shirt, it came in a variety of floral and leaf motifs. Together with the layering of long-sleeves under short-sleeve shirts, it was the element of good taste-bad taste skilfully balanced by Prada. Varsity-style jackets with silhouettes of cityscapes and beachgoers under the strong sun and hazy clouds best captured the theme of the collection: a distinctly Western cliché and high class tourist resort, with an underlying sense of madness and delusion.
The darker side of the collection is derived from within. It is the source of a power that has the ability to transform a tropical paradise into a war zone. In fact, the setting sun in all its beauty poses simultaneously a threat of the inescapable night. With women present in the show, wearing pieces from the Resort collection, there is an interesting contrast in power relations. The women exude a sense of serenity and rationality; they are in control. Masculinity appears flawed, as though the tropical conquests were doomed to fail. The internal darkness and its resulting madness is the true menace.
Prada is one of the rare designers who each season make a statement. She does it elegantly and not at the expense of the clothes. This collection, as per usual, is as strong aesthetically as spiritually. Perhaps in the end words have no power; Prada's collections are stories that are best when worn and lived in. Fashion, and certainly that produced by Prada, has a power and may shed light on the ways which “seemed to lead into the heart of an immense darkness.”
