Antwerp Six: Belgium Avant Garde

[softgrey]

yes...let's not forget to credit the images we post everyone...thanks...

 

[MaLkAv]

That comment was mine, and I am glad to see such a beautiful and powerful response, because that is exactly how I feel about my favorite designers, and that is how I think one should feel about fashion in order to appreciate it for something more than just clothes you put on your body.

You're so right Faust!!!

I have to say that my favs are Ann D. and Dries. Bikkembergs is sooo boring... I remember when I saw some of his earlier works... there were beautiful pieces but all the latest stuff, I don't like it at all.
Well, to tell the truth I like only Ann and Dries among the Belgian six.

 

[skeeterbe]

I couldn't agree more on Bikkembergs.... I'm in Belgium at the moment visiting my family for Easter and his logo-ed tees are everywhere! It's like the new Belgian version of Von Dutch . But then I went to a party on Friday and there was this guy wearing the bright green tee with the big Bikkembergs logo... which he has crossed out with a big splash of red paint, and on the back he'd written 'LOSER'... That made me laugh

It's all rather disappointing, this commercial sell-out, as he used to do really nice stuff in the early days. My first ever suit was a beautifully cut gray Dirk Bikkembergs which I bought at one of his stock sales in Antwerp...

I know he still does his 'first' line in menswear but even that is all tainted by the logo-craze he's going through... I remember seeing a jumper with a gold embroidered 'Bikkembergs Sports Couture' - unfortunately I don't think he's being ironic.

 

[MaLkAv]

Yes Skeeterbe... Dirk Bikkembergs is as mainstream as he is boring.
One thing that came in my mind right now is that when I came to Belgium I only visited Bruxelles but there were nothing worth looking at as far as fashion is concerned...
I knew that Antwerp was the place to hit to see something but I was disappointed not to have seen some beautiful shop in Bruxelles.
I was even tempted to catch the train to Antwerp and go for a 100%-shopping-day but I just staied there a couple of days and I didn't manage to go there...

ok, sorry for the OT

 

[Scott]

I couldn't agree more on Bikkembergs.... I'm in Belgium at the moment visiting my family for Easter and his logo-ed tees are everywhere! It's like the new Belgian version of Von Dutch . But then I went to a party on Friday and there was this guy wearing the bright green tee with the big Bikkembergs logo... which he has crossed out with a big splash of red paint, and on the back he'd written 'LOSER'... That made me laugh

It's all rather disappointing, this commercial sell-out, as he used to do really nice stuff in the early days. My first ever suit was a beautifully cut gray Dirk Bikkembergs which I bought at one of his stock sales in Antwerp...

I know he still does his 'first' line in menswear but even that is all tainted by the logo-craze he's going through... I remember seeing a jumper with a gold embroidered 'Bikkembergs Sports Couture' - unfortunately I don't think he's being ironic.

How often do these stock sales go on? Are they permanent or do they just happen a particular time during each season? My friend Ninette took me the one of Ann Demeulemeester's which was near the harbour...it was brilliant but unfortunately they don't take credit cards at these sales.

skeeterbe,do you ever hang out at Fish 'n' Chips? My word,the countless times I'd meet up with friends there

Malkav...I didn't leave Antwerpen either when I was there. It was enough getting to know that maze-of-a-city let alone try to explore Bruxelle

 

[Spacemiu]

Marina Yee has said before that she's inspired by the Flemish Primitives. She's known for her fabric combinations and patterns. Space,did you get those off Modo Bruxelle?

.

yeah

 

[droogist]

Aha!: www.marinayee.com

 

[Estella*]

just wanted to say thanks for another interesting thread, especially for the information on marina yee and dirk van saene both of whom i did not know!

i just ordered this book from amazon, the others sound exciting, too but are too expensive right now

 

[Meg]

i'm so happy to see this thread. I have always identified more with the belgian avante garde aesthetic than the japanese so I'm glad that we have this thread in which I can find out more about them. Thanks for all the comments

 

[AlexN]

Some older Ann Demeulemeester

That feather piece was on eBay recently! I was wondering what collection it was from...

 

[AlexN]

My favorite of the lot is Ann Demeulemeester, as you all know. I lover her aesthetic, her fine line between edge and sweetness, confidence and timidity, simplicity and complexity. I love the sence of romance, mistery and subtlety that her clothes exude.

I used to like Dirk Bikkimbergs a lot, but Milan spoiled him big time. I still think that he is a good craftsman...

Agreed.

I'm so disappointed with Bikkembergs now. A lot of his old stuff was sooo nice. It's sad. And it looks like last season was the last of his good old stuff at yoox, though I think there are still a few good pieces coming in.

 

[Scott]

Cannot agree more Meg! There's something a bit more organic in their foundation that I seem to connect with better. Like I said on the Japanese thread,for all their creativity their work is very accessible.

As far as favorites,I think identify myself more-so these days with the works of Jurgi and Bernhard(most especially his earlier works). There's a certain whimsy and humour in their work that I never saw too much from the other's. It's changing a bit though,I think thanks to some of the newcomers like Wijnants and even Pieters & Van Steenbergen.

 

[skeeterbe]

How often do these stock sales go on? Are they permanent or do they just happen a particular time during each season? My friend Ninette took me the one of Ann Demeulemeester's which was near the harbour...it was brilliant but unfortunately they don't take credit cards at these sales.

skeeterbe,do you ever hang out at Fish 'n' Chips? My word,the countless times I'd meet up with friends there

Malkav...I didn't leave Antwerpen either when I was there. It was enough getting to know that maze-of-a-city let alone try to explore Bruxelle

The stock sales are normally twice a year, most of the Antwerp based designers have them for 2 or 3 days, usually including a saturday. Occasionally they have them for special reasons (the best *ever* was when Raf decided to quit a couple of years ago and left it all behind... and i mean 'leave behind' literally: in a huge stock sale in his workshop... clothes, posters, boxes, anything... that was just, like, out of this world, i couldn't carry it all! Ok sorry gonna stop making u all jealous )

Anyway, the stock sales are advertised in most Flemish newspapers... which I know isn't much use to most of you! I'll have a look out and let you guys know when the next lot comes up.

I've been to the Ann one and wasn't too impressed but maybe it's because i went too late. The Dries stock sale is pretty good too, big, lots of cheap stuff, but also very popular with locals... he also sells his stock of (beautiful) fabrics by the metre there so you get all the Flemish housewives queueing on the first day at 7am to get his fabrics so they can sew their own skirt at home

And no, none of them take credit cards - useful to know!

I've been to Fish&Chips, yeah, its cool... let me know next time you're there!

 

[skeeterbe]

Yes Skeeterbe... Dirk Bikkembergs is as mainstream as he is boring.
One thing that came in my mind right now is that when I came to Belgium I only visited Bruxelles but there were nothing worth looking at as far as fashion is concerned...
I knew that Antwerp was the place to hit to see something but I was disappointed not to have seen some beautiful shop in Bruxelles.
I was even tempted to catch the train to Antwerp and go for a 100%-shopping-day but I just staied there a couple of days and I didn't manage to go there...

ok, sorry for the OT

Brussels has some good fashion shops where u can buy Belgian design - STIJL is the best one, in the Dansaertstraat, but there are others.

 

[droogist]

The stock sales are normally twice a year, most of the Antwerp based designers have them for 2 or 3 days, usually including a saturday. Occasionally they have them for special reasons (the best *ever* was when Raf decided to quit a couple of years ago and left it all behind... and i mean 'leave behind' literally: in a huge stock sale in his workshop... clothes, posters, boxes, anything... that was just, like, out of this world, i couldn't carry it all! Ok sorry gonna stop making u all jealous )

My husband did the same thing when Dirk Schönberger liquidated last year (they were selling off every last scrap of the company)...I didn't go with him, but he disappeared for the entire day and when he got home he had the car packed to the roof with Schönberger leavings. He even took the clothing racks.

 

[skeeterbe]

My husband did the same thing when Dirk Schönberger liquidated last year (they were selling off every last scrap of the company)...I didn't go with him, but he disappeared for the entire day and when he got home he had the car packed to the roof with Schönberger leavings. He even took the clothing racks.

Too bad I missed that one! And a pity I didn't have a car to take to that Raf stock sale . I didn't know Schönberger liquidated?? He never was my top favourite but i liked some of his stuff.. sad to learn that

 

[droogist]

^ Don't worry, he has a new backer...actually it's Ann Demeulemeester's financial manager. He'll be back in business soon.

 

[droogist]

In order to atone for the off-topicness of my recent posts, here are some pics from older Dries Van Noten womenswear collections: S/S 97, A/W 97, S/S 98, A/W 98 (all from www.contemporaryfashion.net)

 

[droogist]

And pics from one of my all-timefavorite Dries shows: A/W 1999

 

[skeeterbe]

thanks for pointing out that website, droogist! the other day i was looking for pics of some of the older raf and dries shows but couldn't find any. smashing.B)