Barts diary

 

It’s been a time of goodbyes… Somehow, sometimes, things don’t turn out to be what you wanted them to be. Everything really does seem to end at some point. That thought is worrying at times, but it comforts me too…

 

Interning at Véronique Branquinho is great. It’s the only place I more or less feel at ease… probably because I don’t have time to think about everything else that’s going on in my life. We’re in the process of securing appointments with our existing clients. It freaks me out to contact people like Coco Chan at Harvey Nichols, or Maria Luisa in Paris… They’re all such influential places in the wonderful world of fashion, and it is hard for me to demystify them and approach these people as human beings instead of role models… But I’m trying my best, and I feel I am learning a lot. I’m getting good feedback as well, so I’m hoping something more might come out of this.

 

 

Last week, we wrote the invitations for our show, which will be taking place on October 5th. I’m going to Paris for the day that Wednesday. I’m hoping to stay on for the showroom though I’m not sure they’ll pay for my journey and hotel there… We’ll see. I also drew out the seating plan, which was a cool – but very technical – task. It’ll be nice to put faces to all the names!

 

Other than that, I went to London for London Fashion Week, where I was a runner in the British Fashion Council tent. I only did it to see some shows, which I managed to do. It all started with Julien MacDonald’s show. I was not very impressed; I don’t really see the novelty of a denim miniskirt worn over a black feathery babydoll… Too trashy for me, but it made me understand why MacDonald chose to return to London to show; I really cannot see this stuff work in Paris…

 

Other shows were Amanda Wakeley and Jenny Packham, both showing extremely commercial collections, but in fabrics that are probably hideously expensive. As my friend Kristy Colòn aptly remarked: “It seems like TopShop puked all over this place.” The only exciting moment of the whole LFW experience was Jens Laugesen’s collection. It showed asexual – not androgynous (!) – models in tuxedo-inspired outfits, and draped and multi-layered dresses that are reminiscent of Nicolas Ghesquière’s aquarium dresses he did for Balenciaga (see them on Kylie in her video for Body Language, you know, the one where she’s purring like a cat amidst all these hot boys in swimming trunks, appropriately set at a swimming pool… ain’t fashion easy???). Laugesen stuck to minimalism – YAY!!! – only using black, off-white and baby-pink. Wonderfully moving and very strong!

 

 Jens Laugesen ss 05

 

Strangely enough, even though conceptually Laugesen’s collection was the most interesting I saw, it was the one that had the lowest attendance. No Trinny in sight – not that she would understand, but that’s another story… It made me think of how much high end fashion coming from London is influenced by what is happening on the high street, where it used to be the other way around. I may be seeing this the wrong way though, but I honestly believe London is not where fashion happens. It is still Paris in my opinion where true creativity flourishes. It also made me think of other fashion capitals, like New York, where fashion is also more conservative and middle of the road. I’m still trying to make sense of it all, so do help me out here.

 

  A.F. Vandevorst ss 04

 

Finally, today, I went to the Katharina Prospekt exhibition at the MoMu, the Flanders Fashion Institute’s fashion museum. It’s curated by Belgian design duo A.F. Vandevorst, who were asked to represent their view of past and contemporary Russia. Overall, the exhibition is very strong. It is a good mix of an objective study of Russian society and its implications in fashion and a subjective overview of A.F. Vandevorst’s personal universe as reflected. It’s hard to put into words, but it felt like being in their studio, and seeing them conceive a collection. I thoroughly enjoyed the projection room where they showed videos of pretty much all their runway shows, from the very beginning up until now. I was truly moved by the Belgian-ness of it all. The melancholy at times was unbearable, as was the glamour of it all, especially in the fur room where dozens of full fur coats were shown. After a night out at Le Mirano, this was the perfect close to my week, completely melancholy.

 

 Kathania Prospekt

www.ffi.com

 

I am unhappily happy…

 

On that note, I’m going to bed. Talk to you soon.

 

Bart***