Why is it that Belgian fashion is never out of fashion and how come such a small country produces a high number of fashion, industrial and interior designers? These are two of the most frequently asked questions in interviews with Belgian designers.
Undoubtedly one answer may be the high quality of training, but other reasons could be traced in the timelessness of the pieces produced. People who may not be entirely convinced by these replies, may find further answers in the "Dress Code" event.
Organised with the support of the Belgian Spirit initiative and opened last December during the Business of Design Week (BoDW) event in Hong Kong, "Dress Code" is a unique fashion exhibition.
The event, launched in partnership with the Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) and curated by designer Charles Kaisin, is inspired by a very simple idea - the rules and codes we all abide by on an every day basis in our lives.
We do indeed employ certain garments in different fabrics and materials for specific purposes - to protect ourselves at work for example or to please ourselves and other people - and we are not just influenced by the actual changes in the seasons, but also by trends and style choices or by the way we think cult labels may help us shaping our identities.
The title of the event also refers to the way Belgian designers have disseminated and enforced season after season their own trademark codes and styles, combining in their collections art and design in equal measures, coming up with garments and accessories made to last thanks to the ideas and concepts supporting them.
Kaisin included in the event garments and accessories by as many Belgian designers, brands and labels as possible: the exhibition features indeed conceptual Martin Margiela, the Antwerp Six (Dirk Bikkembergs, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries van Noten, Marina Yee, Dirk Van Saene and Walter Van Beirendonck), minimalist Raf Simons and crazy Jean-Paul Lespagnard; iconic scarves by Olivier Strelli and bags by the oldest luxury leather house in Europe, Delvaux (founded in 1829 in Brussels), just to mention a few.
More established brands are juxtaposed to young designers such as Alexandra Verschueren, Heaven Tanudiredja, Christian Wijnants and Wim Bruynooghe, or recently founded brands, such as Omsk and Filles a Papa.
The final result is a selection of modern pieces characterised by sharp tailoring, sculptural elements, bold graphics, subtle fabrics, intense colours or solid neutrals, in a nutshell a collection of designs in which sartorial codes are blurred and combined to provide innovation.
What inspired the title of this event?
Charles Kaisin: In Europe you often see on event invitations the words "dress code" and they inspired me the title of the exhibition. The idea was to present a selection of Belgian fashion - more than 60 designers showing over 250 pieces, including accessories and jewellery - with 4 fields of code: Casual, Uniform, Back Tie and the work of fashion graduates, a way to discover our fashion talents. We show established designers including famous names like Ann Demeulemeester for example, but also the work of interesting starters and fashion school graduates.
Is this the first time you create such an exhibition of Belgian talents for the Asian market and what do you expect from this event?
Charles Kaisin: Yes, this is the first time at this level. This is a fine opportunity to discover new or unknown talent for the Asian public and professionals. We are very happy with the setting in the Hong Kong Design Institute. My sets are based on the amazing architecture of the building, but also reference paper bags linking them to topics such as consumption, shopping and ecology.
It is impossible to pigeonhole the designers included: from the pieces on display it looks as if Belgian fashion was in a constant flow and transformation, would you agree with this point?
Charles Kaisin: Yes, I definitely agree! If there is one common element in Belgian fashion designers you could say they are all highly individual with very pronounced styles and personalities. Belgian designers do not follow trends, resulting in the fact that “Belgian fashion is never out of fashion”, as Nica Broucke, Fashion Editor at Elle België also states in the exhibition notes.
What makes Belgian designers so unique in the current fashion scene?
Charles Kaisin: Quite a few points: quality, that is execution of designs; contemporary moods and timelessness; research, since their collections are considered as laboratories of ideas; individuality, as a lot of specific and different directions are explored and, last but not least, their narratives since every collection has its own story.
What kind of criteria did you follow while selecting the pieces that had to be included in the showcase?
Charles Kaisin: We present collection pieces reflecting the designers' universe, so we have archival pieces from an early A.F.Vandevorst collection, Martin Margiela's designs that became iconic over the years, and handmade pieces like the hats of Elvis Pompilio. Overall the event proves that Belgian designers are very creative and often unique.
Is the exhibition divided in different themes and sections?
Charles Kaisin: The hall includes a design by Ann Demeulemeester together with an impressive selection of the "Brillant" handbags by Delvaux. We also showcase a vintage "Brillant" bag made in 1958 to prove that a good design is eternally modern. The space for "Uniform" features work from designers with a particular style; "Black Tie" is instead a magic space for evening and cocktail wear whilst upstairs we have the "Casual" pieces. The work of fashion graduates mingles perfectly well with that of professional designers.
Who is your favourite Belgian fashion designer?
Charles Kaisin: It's difficult to choose just one: I really like Jean-Paul Lespagnard for his fresh collections; I like the spirit of the Brussels La Cambre Mode/s/ school; I adore the timeless style of Ann Demeulemeester, and the new Antwerp generation like Mattia Van Severen or Wim Bruynooghe.
What did you discover about Belgian fashion designers that you didn't know?
Charles Kaisin: A lot of things. I like fashion, but when you must select a number of pieces, you must make some serious choices, and that's when you spot new things. Together with fashion consultant Linda Van Waesberge we offer a very interesting view of Belgian fashion today and the new talents of tomorrow.
You are also showcasing your own designs in Hong Kong with the "Design in Motion" event, an exhibition presenting your work and research from 1999 to 2013 that includes interior design pieces, but also your iconic handbags. Is there more emphasis on fashion or design/installation in your exhibition?
Charles Kaisin: It's a mix of things, a balance between these worlds. My exhibition features more than 100 objects including product design, unique pieces made for collectors, prototypes, videos of the manufactured process and so on.
In your creations and installations you combine design, architecture and fashion together, are you inspired in your work by Henry van de Velde?
Charles Kaisin: Being an architect I like the work of Henry van de Velde, but many things inspire me - meeting people, travelling, exploring new theatrical pieces, reading books, going to concerts and exhibitions and being interested in life in general. A healthy combination of people and art keeps me keen and enthusiastic. I also love to work with my students. All that is incredibly inspirational!
Is there a piece in your exhibition that is particularly important or dear to your heart?
Charles Kaisin: The Delvaux bags and the K- bench.
"Dress Code" is at d-mart, HKDI & IVE (Lee Wai Lee), 3 King Ling Road, Tseung Kwan O, NT, Hong Kong, until 31st March 2014; "Design in Motion" is at HKDI & IVE (Lee Wai Lee), 3 King Ling Road, Tseung Kwan O, NT, Hong Kong, until 14th February 2014.
All images in this post courtesy of the Belgian Spirit initiative.
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