For this couture collection marking his brand’s 10th anniversary year, Ronald van der Kemp had one inspiration. “It’s really about the art of sustainability — literally,” he said. “It’s very artsy, about realness and rawness.”
In Amsterdam, he had attended the opening of Nan Goldin’s exhibition “This Will Not End Well,” where she discussed two existential threats: climate crisis and AI.
“I was really touched by that exhibition,” said van der Kemp. “It became a guideline. The world is in such chaos, and there’s such a disconnect with reality sometimes in fashion.”
So he decided to craft a highly intuitive collection.
“It has a very punk feeling, versus a perfection feeling,” said van der Kemp. “It’s basically: Put down your phone, look at the person in front of you and feel empathy.”
His lineup for spring included traditional couture as well as more otherworldly pieces — all with his deft tailoring.
“The Dutch National Bank I found out cuts money that has been misprinted, so I got two bags of [that]. It was quite difficult to make it into something textile, but I used it as pockets on a golden jacket,” he said.
The show opener was a sculptural dress created with papier-mâché and gold-leaf finishing. It had an asymmetric bustier and geometric shapes protruded from the skirt.
Van der Kemp fashioned a colorful patchwork gown from assembled, repainted upcycled canvas paintings, which was to be framed after the show. A wafting pink dress was made from couture remnants and an upcycled silk mousseline ball skirt.
“It’s a bit chaotic — which I love to do anyway — but even more so,” said van der Kemp, of this collection. “Because I think that’s what the world is about now.”
He added: “What I hope is that people really see the fun and the passion that I have for fashion in this. In the end, I want to seduce with really cool pieces. I want people to wake up, smell the coffee and follow me.”
For more Paris couture reviews, click here.
Source: WWD