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
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