Barts – diary
26-10-2005
And I go on to say my goodbyes
Sorry it has taken so long to write something down; things have been rather crazy lately here in Antwerp.
I ended up getting hired at Véronique Branquinho. So I finally have a steady income. YAY!! The job itself is nothing fancy though just a lot of paperwork. I’ve noticed how most jobs in fashion are not as glamorous as they may seem to outsiders. They’re usually just bloody hard work. BUT, it has to be said the perks are nice and I get to spend time with creative people. I am surprised at how quickly I managed to immerse myself in the avant-garde. I had always set out to do so, but I thought it would take me at least a couple more years. So getting this job at Véronique really was a leap for me. Kind of proud of myself! 😉
Picture taken from: www.style.com
Ever since I started in fashion, quite often I was approached who were more interested in what I do, what I wear and… in my pretty face (which in a way is a compliment, but it gets boring after a while) than in me as a person. They just didn’t seem to engage with me unconditionally, so I got hurt a couple of times. And all this culminated recently I have two driving forces in my life: fashion and love. Fashion is how I express myself; love is what I express. Both have taught me an important lesson.
It’s all about staying true to yourself and not being afraid to love. You’ll get fucking hurt, but it’s all worth it. I’ve learnt that I am able to love unconditionally and that I can genuinely care for someone and know how to show it. So I guess I’m not that bad really. I deserve the best there is, and from now on, I will not settle for anything less.
So on that note, I decided to go to Paris for Véroniques show longer than one day. I arrived the day before the show and headed straight for the showroom where the fittings were going on. When I got there, Amanda Moore was trying on her outfits or was it Marina Perez, I can never tell the two apart. Whoever she was, she was having fun strutting her stuff in emerald green glossy pumps on Soft Cells Sex Dwarf. Hilarious!! I as dressing for the day, which was great, because I got to feel the collection and it felt good… especially the spandex leggings and jumpsuits. Everyone was nervous, but no bitchiness. My colleagues are all dolls truly, and we all work hard. And the effort paid off!
On the day of the show, I was dressing the models for the catalogue shots. Everyone – especially Eva, Véronique’s assistant – kept insisting I put the clothes back on the correct spot, which drove me nuts, but it was all good in the end. Over 1000 people showed up… it was truly crazy. So those faxes I sent out the past months got the message across just fine. The show started with a loud rumble of thunder… Marianne Faithful… jersey sack dresses… spandex… black pumps… green pumps… grey denim… tuxedo jackets… girls who are boys… post-modern ambiguity but everything is not lost.
20 minutes and it was all over the impressions I got are priceless. Stop pushing me. I’m doing my work or Let her pass, she’s a fashion editor! Sure, aren’t we all?
And that was not the end. After the show, we immediately hit the showroom, as everything had to be prepared as selling started the day after. The energy was really good as everyone was on a buzz after a good show! At 9pm, all of us that is 17 people were in Les Gamins du Marais, a great bistro in Le Marais in Paris. Véronique was slightly tipsy, but she was hilarious! I bumped into her the next day on the rue Vieille du Temple in her snakeskin pumps, grey narrow jeans and black tuxedo jacket. We chatted for a little while until she had to dash off to the showroom. I went for a little stroll to let everything sink in.
I was supposed to stay for another night with my friend Jan, who was in Paris for the showroom of a jewellery designer from L.A. I forget his name. But due to strikes in Belgium I was forced to leave early, so I didn’t get to see him. It was disappointing because when we both were in London, his spiritualism and his well-rounded views on life, love and fashion were what that kept me sane. He currently works as a consultant in NYC and I think I’ll go there soon to pay him a visit. (So Jan, keep your eyes on your email! And I promise I’ll have some ideas when I see you. You know I’m not running away from you!)
After Paris, I started fulltime at Véronique. And what a week that was!! Worked hard on the preparation of our sample sale (which will be taking place on November 3, 4 and 5 a little piece of advertising, hehe!). Last Friday, unfortunately, my grandmother died. I was with her when she went, which was a powerful experience; cleansing for everyone, including her. But beyond her death, it’s at times like these you get to know who your real friends are.
Luckily, I had to go to London the following Monday for a guest lecture I had to give at my college. It was on Belgian fashion and how its success can be understood in a broader socio-cultural perspective. It was a success; I got some really good feedback. And it was great to see everyone again. I never thought I’d say it, but there’s definitely things I miss about London. My friends for one. But I cannot return there. There’s little left of the life I had there; so if I’m going to start over, I’ll do it somewhere else.
I don’t think I’ll be staying in London for a very long time though a year or two max. I love my life here, but I wonder how much I’ll be able to grow if I stay. Even while working at Branquinho, I’m still looking for something else. Yesterday, I had an interview with Bruno Pieters to become head of production. I want that job so badly! But it would mean staying in Belgium.
There’s also the offer of Viktor&Rolf to come intern with them in Amsterdam. It sounds great, and it is, but it also seems complicated… I’d have to move again, and work part-time on the side to finance the whole experience. I’d do it, but preferably, I’d do something that enables me to earn money. However, it is a great offer, so I’m still considering.
It’s exciting when I start thinking about it all. All of a sudden, I feel free again things can go anywhere, and I’m open to them going anywhere, as long as I’m going somewhere. Okay, it’s been a rough week, but some people helped me through in ways that I will never forget. Not even just this week, but for as long as they’ve known me. So thanks to all of you, you know who you are. As long as you all know how to love, we’ll all be fine.
Talk to you soon!
Bart***
