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Since March 2020, the physical experience of the fashion shows carrousel spread over the 4 fashion capitals came to an abrupt standstill when Covid hit us.

Everyone all of a sudden had quality time to reflect back on their (professional) lives. Fashion designers knew that they had to come up with alternative ways for the presentation of their from home made collections.

The only way up was a digital version, as we no longer could come together during fashion weeks season. The fashion months of sep-oct 2020 en feb-March 2021 were living proof that even in testing times of a pandemic, we continued to indulge in original, emotional, and beautiful collections through the digital lens.

But there was also the realistic thinking process if fashion month should be reviewed, revamped or be broken up ?!

Because proof was there that through our online narrative, we continued to stay connected with our audience, we reached our consumers. Even in a more direct, personal way.

So do we still need to organise a live fashion show ? Do we need to follow the fashion calendar ? Do we need to choose one of the fashion capitals to present ? Or can we just show wherever we want, whenever we are ready, as we will always be able to connect online with everyone ?

We are now 18 months later and we just wrapped up fashion month for the presentation of Spring Summer 2022. All 4 fashion capitals choose the hybrid system; we enjoyed the in person catwalk shows again and the digital option many designers decided to explore even more.

What a human delight being able to watch the clothes live, to touch the garments in the showroom but above all share and discuss these experiences with others in the moment. Meanwhile we also embraced the newest digital versions of fashion films, videos and gamification discovering the latest collections of the fashion creators on repeat.

Though I noticed something has changed, or should I say evolved ? Some of the catwalk shows presented a complete different type of approach.

We had blockparty’s in New York where we could join in, shows announced where it was going to happen and we all could register to come.The chosen models who walked the walk were you and me. I got to know better and discover more black fashion talent thanks to the fact that amazing in full force communities like Harlem’s Fashion Row and Black in Fashion Council were included to the CFDA list amongst  their fashion colleagues.

In Milan, Francesco Risso not only invited his guests to the show but also asked them to come to the studio beforehand to try on their Marni outfit. His catwalk presentation felt like one big sense of belonging, everyone is included, a welcomed member of the Marni community.

And in Paris, Demna Gvasalia for Balenciaga gave us not only his interpretation of the red carpet catwalk but also spoiled us with a bespoke “The Simpsons” episode in a local theatre. Especially the sense of humor was a real treat, hardly happens in the fashion world. The funniness was the start of a thinking process. It’s clear that this was an invitation to make you think, to make you tick: What is his message through the presentation of the SS22 collection?

Here again we see the Fashion designer encouraging his audience to question life and therefore fashion related matters. The fashion show, whether it’s in person or digital, is no longer the presentation of your latest creations. But also a communication tool of explaining where they are, their identity, their criticism and their way forward in the fashion industry.

We feel more like a participant than a watcher. We feel more involved, respected when the brand wants you to take part in this new way of presentation.

Shared experiences embrace the democratisation of fashion. We are all invited to sit at the FROW. We all become a privileged audience.

The interaction-invitation is the new direction we need to take. We realise that witnessing a shakeup of the runway prototype has a positive impact. We welcome it, want more of it and see this as the future of fashion.

Because there is no time like showtime !

Tbc.

TeDe

It’s been a while since I posted on my website. I don’t really know why, I suppose my focus was more on digital sharing than written storytelling.

But I’m back. In times of pandemic and social distance the need for writing is more adequate.

Since the lockdown dynamics, my relationship to fashion has shifted. It all seemed irrelevant focusing on my wardrobe, when globally millions of people became infected with the Covid virus.

My daily focus was on the human and social impact this pandemic has on us all, meanwhile trying to stay healthy, sane and safe at home, figuring out how to be responsible and supporting one another.

Living in lockdown, even temporary quarantine is not an easy task. It’s against human nature, we are made to be outside and interact.

So this new (social) life comes with ups and downs, mood swings between acceptance of what comes next and longing for what was before.

In these moments, fashion stepped back into my life. Because through fashion we can express and handle our emotions. I really listen to my moods and how I feel emotionally will instantly effect what I wear.

When I have a tense day, I wear infamous sweatpants because I don’t want to feel my clothes attached to my body but rather loose. The relaxed feeling is satisfying. When I have an energetic day, I kind of dress up, jeans and a tailored blouse under a blazer. It empowers my self-esteem, it reminds me of who I am, what I am capable of. When Ifeel grateful, I need to put on the brightest colours like red, green, blue, yellow representing feelings of love, hope, warmth, respect and courage.

I strongly believe that your wardrobe will get you through those challenging times. Have a look, make a choice based on how you feel, put it on and enjoy !

We all have a relationship with our closet. It’s like a conscious bonding, but when we have a dip, we tend to look away.

But we always come back to our garments. We need each other. Your clothes are your life support, your feel good factor in whatever situation you’re engaging.

Now more than ever, we must indulge in what we have. We spend so much time indoors, rediscover your fashion tools. (Re)wear that nostalgic vintage dress you enherited from your beloved grandma, unwind in your partner’s favourite jumper, show off in the designer dress you bought with your first salary and dance forever in those boots you nicked from your bestie.

You will feel whole ! It’s the combination of feeling better and the ability to handle daily life challenges that clothes can evoke.

As Bill Cunningham put it so truthfully :

“Fashion is the Armory to survive the reality of everyday life.”

That’s the power fashion represents.

Because when you respect and love thy clothes, you will respect and love thy self.

To be continued.

TeDe

In my ongoing quest to discover sustainable fashion designers, I visited the atelier of Eva Maria Bogaert a few months ago on a sunny January morning in my hometown of Bruges, Belgium. 
Bogaert’s background is in visual arts; she graduated with honours in painting and sculpture. This is clearly visible in her clothes. Stepping into her workspace felt like entering a world of light, colours, shapes and movement. It was a delightful melting pot of tailormade garments, ready to be touched and tried.

Bogaert chooses not to go with the fashion seasons. Her designs conform to her inspiration in the moment and the trouvailles of organic materials. You see, Eva Maria believes in craftsmanship and sustainability.Even with an old curtain fabric, she can create the most elegant coat or dress.

She explained that her creations represent an experience, a certain atmosphere. They evoke the simple pleasure of making clothes.This honest and natural way of thinking produces timeless, functional and playful pieces in her small collections. Once a piece is sold, she doesn’t make a second. No waste, no leftovers.

I wanted to try it all! The elegant cover-up coat, the sarong style maxi skirt, the colourful lighthearted dresses, the cool see-through bomber jacket or the relaxed wide leg trousers.She definitely has us, women, in mind when she designs. Each of us will find something that suits us, that matches our personality. She expresses it on her website evamaria.me so gracefully :

“I love women. I really do. And I love especially their way of wearing their femininity. That’s why I design clothes. It’s a tribute to the diversity of femininity.”

Isn’t that beautiful?  If your motivation for making fashion is to celebrate women, I can only applaud this. Fashion is so much more than wearing clothes. We can express and be ourselves through our chosen outfits.

Bogaert’s new collection launches in the upcoming weeks. I invite you to discover all on her website and keep an eye on her upcoming private sales and pop-up events. And if you’re very eager, you always can make an appointment to visit her studio.

I’m very happy I met her and could explore her ethical and transparent fashion. Eva Maria is a forerunner in the Belgian green fashion movement. We will definitely hear more from her over the coming years. Stay tuned!

To be continued…

TeDe

As you might have found out by now (follow my Instagram!), I have a soft spot for fashion illustrations. Therefore I decided to cover Fashion Month through the hands of 4 Fashion Illustrators. They also happened to be the 4 chosen by Nick Knight’s SHOWstudio. He always has collaborations going on with guest artists and he is a true supporter of figurative art in the fashion world.

Before we reflect back on the SS18 collection presentations, I want to share a fashion anecdote with you: did you know that Mr Christian Dior in his early twenties was working as an illustrator for the fashion department of the French newspaper Le Figaro? Most fashion designers make an enormous amount of drawings for the creation of new garments. They have the power of the line and the brushstroke.

First up, Veronica Mortellaro at NYFW. If you say NY, you think Tom Ford, Calvin Klein and Jason Wu, designers who Mortellaro did indeed sketch. In acrylic ink she draws simple faces with what looks like simple clothing. But her minimalistic stroke presents a harmonious tailoring. You can really recognize the designers’ typical style.

Next on the fashion map was LFW. Julia Pelzer got the honour of colouring in British eccentricity. Therefore she picked Gareth Pugh, Hussein Chalayan and Erdem from the list. Julia draws with colours and vague silhouettes or in profile faces. You can sense the type of materials in her sketches; a clear and elegant observer.

We move on to MFW where Tina Berning spoiled us with watercolour and ink-on-paper creations. I wanted to focus on Italian designers so Fendi, Armani and Gucci were obvious choices, because Italian fashion is drama, grandeur, glamour and bigger-than-life dress code. For her, everything is in the detail. I see the waving Fendi maxi dress on the catwalk or the blown in the wind scarf of Armani’s model. For not saying that the geeky-chic Gucci sunglasses are all present. Tina has an amazing skill to illustrate movement in her figures.

Finally we end in PFW with Frederic Forest. When you look at his drawings for Jacquemus or Lanvin it looks as if he doesn’t lift his pen until he has finished the picture. It looks simple to do but it isn’t. He manages to show us the dress, skirt or coat with only one line. Frederic has the talent of the brushstroke in the moment.

I very much enjoyed the unique drawings and interpretations of the catwalk looks and runway stages.To me, the illustrator / artist has become as important as the photographer covering fashion month. A fashion show is no longer complete without them.

To be continued
TeDe

@trees_de

@veronicamortellaroart

@julia.pelzer

@tina_berning

@fredericforest

We have busy times ahead of us as Fashion month kicks off in New York next week for the presentation of the SS18 collections. For about 4 weeks the Fashion incrowd lives and works together, meeting and greeting in 4 different Fashion capitals in the most intensive way possible. Designer teams, models, photographers, buyers and sellers and the press are all in one way strongly connected in this Fashion rollercoaster.

Let’s have a closer look on the model and photographer during those busy weeks: which model will receive the record of running most of the catwalks? Which photographer will (almost) attend all the shows? And which model will the photographer shoot non-stop on and off the catwalk? It’s known that they build up an intense, even intimate relationship to achieve that ultimate, perfect pic but how does the photographer decide the looks of a model?

It makes me reflect back on Irving Penn and his series “Nudes 1949-50”. He made a pic in 1947 of his “Nude No.1” as a reaction to, as he called them, “all the skinny girls with self-starved looks” at Vogue. Longing to photograph “real women in real circumstances”, a whole series followed in 1949. It is a beautiful, ultrarealistic observation of the female body. But what struck me most is the fact that a male photographer back then already realized that a “size zero model” was not an option. These are really impressive observations for the Fashion era he lived in!

And where are we today? What are the expectations of the photographer? I think these last years have brought an honest awareness on board in the Fashion community. It feels good to see Ashley Graham covering several magazines and walking runways for different designers. Many Fashion editors banned too skinny models from their magazines. Models nowadays look fitter and stronger. They are more themselves and love sharing their workouts and clean, healthy food recipes. When the photographer catches this in the lens, it will only enlighten our views.

There is still a way to go but we are navigating in the right direction. For now, sit back, relax and let the models and photographers surprise us with the images of the new SS18 collections.

To be continued…

TeDe

As we enter the month of July, we all start to get those long awaited summer vibes. We also get the presentation of the haute couture collections of certain fashion houses in Paris.

New on the scene was the addition – or shall I call it the acceptance – of some ready-to-wear lines like Miu Miu, Rodarte and Proenza Schouler.

Couture is about made-to-measure, perfect craftsmanship and emotion. Ready-to-wear is about industrially-made garments. It does create some confusion as they seem each other’s opposite.

But I suppose that doesn’t mean they can’t show next to each other. If all designers focus on artisanal skills and emotion, it will clear up the fashion sky. The fashion world is in upheaval anyway and is trying to find new means of identifying and presenting themselves to their customers and the general public, so I can only applaud the open-mindedness of the “Chambre Syndicale” to invite more designers for the Couture Week.

Thus we had newbees on the catwalk but we also had one return that didn’t go unnoticed: Azzedine Alaia was back after six years of absence. He has his own unique style, unconcerned by deadlines because he never showed during the fashion calendar in February or September, only when it suited him.

We recognized his silhouette in the body-con short and long dresses with the typical knitwear. New were the decorations and prints on the clothes plus the use of more colours like white, red, green and blue.
His amazing eye for detail came in the black plastic-wrapped headdresses. The models looked like queens reigning in Ancient Egypt – powerful women I mean like Nefertiti and Cleopatra. Naomi Campbell could definitely wear it off.

It was a masterpiece of a collection and Alaia was one of the highlights in Paris.
Call it a perfect kick-off for the summer months.

To Be Continued.
TeDe