Interview With Bernhard Willhelm

[Zazie]

I don't know which pieces you're looking at, but the ones I saw, even a cloth pouch, were sewn out of several geometrically cut pieces, not just a fanny-pack with a logo. Ditto for the baggy sleeves sweaters. I didn't buy them. I just don't spend that kind of money, but the prices were comparable to the other "hip" stuff, Evisu, Clements Ribeiro, Emma Cook, etc. He's done a lot of hoods, but so has everyone now. It strikes me as unfair to describe his work as just T-shirts and sweaters because they're more.

We can disagree about aesthetics, can't we? You insist that there's some kind of standard, I don't agree, because to me, Paris Hilton is hideous but she has legions of fans. Likes and dislikes are not subjective? Now that's a joke. There is also no need for insults - I can accept that BW is not to your taste without questioning your eyesight. I seriously hate celebrity designers [J. Lo or Gwen Stefani] and what they stand for as a matter of principle, cashing in on their names while a lot of genuine designers languish, but I don't run to their threads to unleash some pit bulls on their fans, though the temptation is great. I can understand if it's some big-name talentless twit striking it obscenely rich, but a fringe guy taking some risks? BW has always been taking risks anyway. It works with some of the people some of the time, but not always, so what? He'll know when his fans turn away, and will adjust, who knows? Vive la difference.

 

[Zazie]

I probably can't judge his menswear properly, but his womenswear prints are incredibly cute. I would buy the pieces if the price is acceptable. I also suspect he is trying to move away from the "cute". He simply isn't my favourite, ultimately. My good friend, a stauch fan, still buys his stuff though, sighing and picking through them for ages and ages till I shriek.

 

[Zazie]

My good friend is also a blond German with a Claudia Schiffer resemblance, the BW stuff look incredible on her.

 

[Zazie]

The latest menswear - my guess is also that he has a recent morbid fascination with the macho all-American beefcake and interpretes it with his own twisted humour. Could explain why it is particularly irritating!

 

[Scott]

Who's unleashing pit bulls at you,Zazie? It's a debate so therefore there will indefinitely be differences of opinion. But no one has insulted you.

And btw,I don't know who your were directing that at but I've always been a great defender of BW-from his humour to his aesthetics and down the clothes themselves-when everybody was telling me otherwise how horrendous it actually was. Only now have I come to terms with the fact that the man I rendered as one of my personal heroes is just not doing great work anymore.

And I'm not typecasting it all as just merely t's and hoods. Just that this is what his emphasis is about these days. I remember in Young Belgian Fashion Design,he once claimed he would never abandon the tailoring he did so well and that he made things to appeal to both people--those searching for something such as that aforementioned one's searching for the easier more accessible pieces. Seems he's sort of contradicted himself. I don't see that melange of the two anymore.

 

[Scott]

These are some of BW's earliest collections...the one's which I feel is where he excelled at! I know some of these are on CFA but I like the ones in his book better.

A/W 99-

 

[Scott]

^that's the one,btw,that was inspired by the Black Forest.

S/S 00-

 

[Scott]

from the same collection,these adorable skirts

 

[Zazie]

Scott, it's probably faust who recommended a trip to the oculist, someone who treats eye diseases. Who else was it that singled out BW for exploiting Africa on another thread? I find it unfair that with so many designers presenting prettified SS African themes raking in the sales, BW, who presented a more realistic, unflattering rendition, alone gets the rap. Anyway, presenting African-inspired themed clothes isn't exploitation, one needs to do some reading up on De Beers and other global MNCs.

BW doesn't have legions of fans, I speak up because the bashing wasn't fair.

I see so many copycats of these earlier lovely BWs everywhere, I'm sure he too sees fit to move on. It'll be tragic if he's still churning out the same stuff. The new collection isn't in a direction to everyone's liking, but I can still respect him for attempting something different and taking risk, unlike the vast majority out there. He is still no construction laggard, if you examine the technique giving shape to his newer bouffant clothes.

 

[Zazie]

Thanks for posting the pictures! It's great how these pieces still look so cool today. Now that's what I call a fashion investment, clothes you can practically wear forever.

 

[Scott]

Precisely why I still am enamoured by these collections. They still got so much relevance today....he was really wise beyond his years so to speak at this juncture because if one looks at today's talents,his childish & whimisical imagination made for much influence. Well,he and Jurgi Persoons,that is.

 

[faust]

Scott, it's probably faust who recommended a trip to the oculist, someone who treats eye diseases. Who else was it that singled out BW for exploiting Africa on another thread? I find it unfair that with so many designers presenting prettified SS African themes raking in the sales, BW, who presented a more realistic, unflattering rendition, alone gets the rap. Anyway, presenting African-inspired themed clothes isn't exploitation, one needs to do some reading up on De Beers and other global MNCs.

BW doesn't have legions of fans, I speak up because the bashing wasn't fair.

I see so many copycats of these earlier lovely BWs everywhere, I'm sure he too sees fit to move on. It'll be tragic if he's still churning out the same stuff. The new collection isn't in a direction to everyone's liking, but I can still respect him for attempting something different and taking risk, unlike the vast majority out there. He is still no construction laggard, if you examine the technique giving shape to his newer bouffant clothes.

I was speaking in general about the oculist, it's not my problem that you took it personally. Too often people hide ugliness with "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." And I guess you did not read my other post carefully either. I said that it is exploitive and vulgar of BW to present on the runway the pathetic cast-offs or rip-offs of what Africans wear, because they perceive it to be cool in the West. I didn't say it's exploitive to show African motifs. I trust that my knowledge of what's going on in Africa is fairly descent, so maybe you should think or at least read my posts carefully before you jump to conclusions (see your "one should read up on DeBeers" comment) - especially since you claim that you are not judgemental.

 

[Scott]

Are you talking about that menswear collection,Faust?

Bernhard seems like he's always fascinated with Africa. Remember that hysterical "dung beetle" collection? Of course,the calibre was nowhere near the sort of stuff he showed in that particular collection.

 

[faust]

Are you talking about that menswear collection,Faust?

Bernhard seems like he's always fascinated with Africa. Remember that hysterical "dung beetle" collection? Of course,the calibre was nowhere near the sort of stuff he showed in that particular collection.

Yes, Scott - the last few. Also, with his fascination with black models that travolta so championed and got defensive when I pointed out that displaying an African model on the runway in what child soldiers of a war torn Liberia (for example) wear to look like American rappers is not ironic but exploitive, because ultimately it has no effect on the situation in Africa, not even bringing any amount of attention to it, yet will enrich BW thanks to the Western/Japanese rich kids who will spend the amount of money on one hoodie equal to what an African child can live on for a year. That was my point. When I see BW do charity work, even a token one that Margiela does with his AIDS tshirt, then I will change my mind.

 

[Scott]

Actually,Faust...not to get defensive as I completely understand and agree wholeheartedly...but Bernhard(along with Lutz) is actually doing his part collaborating with a charity orginzation/label in Paris making pieces for derelict Peruvian school's. And in conjunction,the pieces are also being sold at Colette in which the proceeds go directly to the school's.

 

[travolta]

Yes, Scott - the last few. Also, with his fascination with black models that travolta so championed and got defensive when I pointed out that displaying an African model on the runway in what child soldiers of a war torn Liberia (for example) wear to look like American rappers is not ironic but exploitive, because ultimately it has no effect on the situation in Africa, not even bringing any amount of attention to it, yet will enrich BW thanks to the Western/Japanese rich kids who will spend the amount of money on one hoodie equal to what an African child can live on for a year. That was my point. When I see BW do charity work, even a token one that Margiela does with his AIDS tshirt, then I will change my mind.

beating a dead horse here...

i didn't know child soldiers of worn torn liberia wore exactly when BW had presented. i can see where you are coming from then. but i still think if it were say all asian models in that collection, and BW does feature all different ethnicites, NOT just for that collection, you'd say he was trying to cash in on overpriced hipster wear from the far east.

my argument then and now is: i know kids from the midwest from different ethinic and class background who are channeling a similar aesthetic as BW's, and they aren't trying to be ironic. maybe BW is influenced by them??
you seem pretty knowledgable and worldy -- have you ever been to minneapolis, duluth, or small towns around minnesota? kids don't dress so much like hipsters, because they have nothing to reference other than what they create themselves. THAT is a thing of beauty.
it IS possible for kids who dress 'out of the norm' to do it because it stems from someplace OTHER than where you think it's coming from. someplace less negative.

 

[faust]

beating a dead horse here...

i didn't know child soldiers of worn torn liberia wore exactly when BW had presented. i can see where you are coming from then. but i still think if it were say all asian models in that collection, and BW does feature all different ethnicites, NOT just for that collection, you'd say he was trying to cash in on overpriced hipster wear from the far east.

my argument then and now is: i know kids from the midwest from different ethinic and class background who are channeling a similar aesthetic as BW's, and they aren't trying to be ironic. maybe BW is influenced by them??
you seem pretty knowledgable and worldy -- have you ever been to minneapolis, duluth, or small towns around minnesota? kids don't dress so much like hipsters, because they have nothing to reference other than what they create themselves. THAT is a thing of beauty.
it IS possible for kids who dress 'out of the norm' to do it because it stems from someplace OTHER than where you think it's coming from. someplace less negative.

I've never been to Midwest (except Chicago, which doesn't really count I guess), and haven't read on it much, so for me it's hard to say. I'll take your word for it. I don't know what BW is influenced by, and I don't want to beat a dead horse here either. We can agree to disagree, I am not asking you to change your point of view.

Scott, it is commandable of BW to do charity work for Peru (hopefully the money is really sent to those schools and gets there at least in small part).

 

[travolta]

agreed, faust