What about a refine clearance sale today? You’re impressed, but you don’t remind past collections of those designer brands. Take it easy shopaholic! You can have a quick eye on the look books of brands listed in color (above), writing the name in the menu “Pour rechercher…” (in the right side bar on this blog). Great coloured picture, isn’t it? I know you’d loved it!

Un samedi-braderie très pointue, ça vous dit? Ok il y a beaucoup de marques, c’est un peu confus, vous n’avez plus les collections en tête. No stress, pour visualisez les look books des marques surlignées d’une couleur dans la liste:  écrivez le nom qui vous intéresse dans le menu “Pour rechercher…” (dans la barre de navigation du blog, à droite de l’écran). Y sont pas zolis mes coloriages?

Veronique Branquinho F2009 RTW

I know I’m a bit late on this since it was announced in late May that Veronique Branquinho would be closing down her shop and forced to liquidate due to the current recession.  I’d written about  Branquinho’s work in a previous post and noted that she was always under the radar when it came to the fashion world.

However, Branquinho was meticulous in her attention to detail and was a pro when it came to her use of fabrics.   She was one of the designers that I said I’d buy a piece from their line once I “made it”, because I knew that it would last forever in its stylish form.

Plus, her shoes were always on point:

Now, it’s one less designer I’ll be looking  for in the stream of Fashion Week photos and reading the runway report on Style.com.  Not that I ever got the feeling that she was the highlight of their reviews, anyway.   As for what’s next for Ms. Branquinho, she  will likely focus her time as the artistic director of Belgian leather-goods brand Delvaux.

So as we bid adieu to another talented designer who had the goods, but couldn’t stay afloat during these economic times, I leave with this video from of her Paris 2008 Fall runway show.

東京オペラシティーのアートギャラリーで、「6+　アントワープ・ファッション展」が開催されている。この展覧会のタイトルにある「6」という数字と「＋（プラス）」という記号は、アントワープ・ファッションを語る上で欠かせない。

実は、「6」という数字は、アン・ドゥムールメースター、ドリース・ヴァン・ノーテンなど、アントワープ王立芸術アカデミーのファッション科を卒業し、後に世界的な注目を浴びる6人の著名ファッションデザイナーたちのことを指しているのだ。この6人が1980年代にファッション界に登場した際、一人ひとりの名前の発音が難しかったため、一まとめに「アントワープの6人」と呼ばれたのだった。

また、「6」という数字に続く「＋」の意味は、その6人のほかに、こちらも現在世界的に有名なデザイナー、マルタン・マルジェラと次世代のデザイナーたち、そして写真家、スタイリスト、グラフィックデザイナー、メイクアップアーティストなど、アントワープ・ファッションに貢献しているクリエーターたちのことを指している。

今月28日まで開催の今回の展示会では、「アントワープの6人」とメゾン・マルタン・マルジェラ、ラフ・シモンズ、ヴェロニク・ブランキーノら「＋」に含まれている次世代デザイナーたちの作品を見ることができる。また、前述の6人以外にも多くの優秀なデザイナーを輩出し続けるアントワープ王立芸術アカデミーファッション科で行われる、修了ショーで昨年披露された展示品などもある。（パクチー）

６＋アントワープファッション展（オペラシティー）
http://www.operacity.jp/ag/exh105/index.html

Fashion Pressのアントワープ６に関する記事
http://school.fashion-press.net/antwerp-six.htm

ベルギー・フランダース政府観光局のアントワープファッションショップリスト
http://www.visitflanders.jp/what_to_do/flanders_fashion/design.html

Veronique Branquinho shuts down after 11 years. don’t you mess with us again!

O futuro parece ser negro para o mercado internacional de moda, pelo menos se julgarmos pelas notícias desta semana: a estilista belga, Veronique Branquinho e o estilista francês, Christian Lacroix, decretaram falência de suas empresas.

Lacroix, entretanto, confirmou a presença de sua marca na Semana de Alta Costura, em julho, e disse que apesar dos pesares, a grife continuará a produzir sua linha prêt-à-porter e couture. Resta saber por quanto tempo…

Branquinho, ao contrário, manterá as lojas de sua marca abertas apenas para liquidar as últimas peças do estoque e daqui pra frente concentrará seus esforços criativos como designer a nova diretora artística da Delvaux, e continuará lecionando na Universidade de Artes Aplicadas, em Viena.

Men.style.com reports:

” Veronique Branquinho, whose namesake house will close. Belgian-born Branquinho, known for her restricted palette and intricate constructions, showed in Paris. She was recently appointed creative director of the French leather goods company Delvaux.’

*****UPDATE: the excerpt above was taken from Men.style.com, They claim that Delvaux is French leather company, when in fact, it is not. (Thanks to The devil must hav ea delvaux bag for the correction).

-MP

Fashion Mayor Crisis

What is going on? Just yesterday I reported the Lacroix situation, in which the house had filed for voluntary bankruptcy, now one day after, Belgian designer Veronique Branquinho has been forced to close her label because of the recession. Branquinho’s business, like Christian Lacroix which entered bankruptcy proceedings this week, relied heavily on wholesalers – who have seen their buying power greatly cut this year.

Branquinho has begun a court-appointed liquidation period for the next three months – and will continue to trade from the label’s only standalone store, on Nationalestraat in Antwerp, to clear residual stock. Veronique became world wide famous as part of the new wave of Belgian talent in the late Nineties just like Raf Simons, Olivier Theyskens and A.F. Vandevorst. The designer will now focus on her role as the new artistic director of Belgian leather goods brand Delvaux and will continue as a professor at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. Let’s hope the situation changes soon and no one else follows them.

This Summer has been anticipated more than the past ones. So many park days are already planned: BBQs, water fights, picnic nights. And the roadtrip, man. This year I’m going to do my fave drive from Denver to the Grand Canyon. Just me, the open road, maybe the Veronique Leather Aviators, good friends, good tunes, and smooth sailing. Arizona in July. Resplendant.

Veronique Branquinho’s S/S 09 collection is a mastering of the luxurious, nature inspired, paperbag dress. This Belgian designer created a few beautiful summer looks with draping hooded fabric, that reminded me a bit of Bedouin wear… a look I’ve been more interested in since I just returned from the desert. But what I’m really fascinated with, are the pieces printed with nature murals.

The bottom row are my two favorites, which are available at farfetch.com. I love the detail of the front zipper and the canvas loop belt!

Hey there! After yesterday’s crush of shows, I assure you that I’m well rested and ready to see what’s going on today!

Ann Demeulemeester

Ann Demeulemeester seemed to be a little bit devilish this season. With a dark, moody collection of sloppily yet intricately and beautifully draped pieces, she provided a lovely follow up to last season’s fan-garnering outing. The headpieces, which look to be feathers, poke out of the head in a way that evokes devil horns. Maybe evil does do some good. Demuelemeester is certainly a fan of a niche, but hers is proven and exponentionally rising. Besides, her derelict cool is enough to inspire plenty of converts.

Junya Watanabe

Apparently Gareth Pugh has some competition. Junya Watanabe seemed to be on the same wavelength with the semi-disturbed goth girl they were designing for. Watanabe definitely wins with makeup. The ghostly faces of the models are so graphic that they look like photoshopped faces cut out of magazines. Most of the clothes are avant garde takes on the quilted puffer jacket. This means something: you definitely won’t be cold next winter. But you can definitely still look cool. Working in gold chains and pairing the jackets over leggings, Watanabe assured that this turn for the sensible didn’t ruin his out-there sensibilty.

Haider Ackermann

This season, Haider Ackermann did slouchy knits, perfect leather jackets, and enviable boots/pants with zippers running up them. It was all gorgeous, naturally, but it doesn’t provoke a lot of thought. Sure, Ackermann’s got chops, but it’s starting to feel like the same thing every season.

Tao

Holy frills! Apparently Tao never learned the art of restraint. Sure, he’s hardly known for his quiet glamour, but there’s always a right way to do excess. It’s a shame because, while there were plenty of viable ideas, it seems to have been executed all wrong.

Loewe

Branching out from the quiet presentation format of the past few seasons, Loewe creative director Stuart Vevers seemed to be branching out with his designs as well. Working elements like leather, feathers (the handbags !!!) and fur into the mix, Vevers seemed to want to give Loewe the push it’s been lacking to be taken completely serious thus far. It was a solid outing, with some looks which I think will be among my favorites of the season. All in all, nice work!

Comme des Garçons

With gauzy tulle and harlequin face hearts, Rei Kawakubo proved that she’s a fan of a look a little more girly and romantic than the sharp and masculine 80’s looks found on the runways this season. Frippery aside, Kawakubo did manage to fit in a little bit of masculine tailoring through army jackets and cropped peacoats. It was lovely to see her going a little softer this time around; it seemed to remove the avant garde pretense will keeping the incredible talent intact.

Jean-Paul Gaultier

At JPG, it was all in the details. Gaultier applied cut-outs, studs, and fringes to increase the visual impact. It was in it’s own little world, just like pretty much every other JPG show, but I suppose that’s not really a downfall.

Veronique Branquinho

Veronique Branquinho had a more ethereal feel to it this time around. Maybe it was just the sparse makeup or the light color pallet, but you couldn’t help but think she was attempting something a little bit–heavenly. Ultimately, it made for some great looks, but I thought somewhere along the way Branquinho lost sight of who she is as a designer.

Vivienne Westwood

There’s no doubt that Vivienne Westwood is good at what she does, but is what she does good? At times, her work evokes a raiding of a fabric bazaar, with the fruits of the excursion thrown together without regard of…anything, really. I’m sure the collection is replete with references–that’s one of Westwood’s strong points–but they lose meaning when done too literally. I’m growingly skeptical of her work.

So what’d you think of today’s shows? Personally, I really loved Loewe and Ann Demeulemeester. Comme des Garcons was nice too. Alright, tomorrow we’ll look at Karl Lagerfeld, Emanuel Ungaro, Dries van Noten, Givenchy, and more!

so i thought, why not start off with something that has been resounding recently. having just bought veronique branquinho’s edition of A MAGAZINE as an extension of an aesthetic becoming increasingly closer to me.

John Richmond

Jean-Paul Gaultier

Lanvin

Miharayasuhiro

Missoni

Ralf Simons

Trussardi 1911

Yohji Yamamoto

Yves Saint Laurent 

Related post / Autre article: Look books Men’s collection Fall-Winter 2009/2010 (A to J)

Spring 2009

As far as fashion designers go, we have the so-called “It” designers that come and go every few years.  Some of them remain and continue to have a faithful following, while others may fall by the wayside and lose their financial backing.  There are some that come in quietly and remain resilient throughout, although their work continues to be strong as ever.

Veronique Branquinho, a Royal Academy of Fine Arts graduate, began her label in 1997.   Her initial focus was on womenswear, but in 2003, she branched out to menswear, shoes and sunglasses.   A name you don’t hear too often in American fashion, she has excellently made and tailored clothing and her footwear, which you can easily find on Yoox is always (in my opinion) forward and “different”.   Ms. Branquinho’s  Spring 2009 line was even something of a delight with sky blues and mustard yellows on the color palette and models wearing oversized tailored jackets skirts and dresses effortlessly.

While I’m sure she will never have a huge name or be one of the “It” designers of choice to the celebs and socialites, her body of work and can keep her afloat.   She sure does have the talent to back it up.

More pictures after the jump….

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-MP

Veronique Branquinho S/S 09

-MP

Above, top left-right: David David, Veronique Branquinho, House of Holland, Peter Pilotto

Eye-catching Eye candy- The upcoming release of Linda Farrow is once again a fantastic collaboration of minds and talents. The list of Lucky Designers to join the Farrow Design party are some of today’s biggest talent in fashion, such as, Jeremy Scott, Tim Hamilton and Peter Pilotto (just to name a few). WOW.

The 8 piece collection will hit stores come spring, you’ll have a chance to grab the lustful eyewear that includes something for every fashion lover out there.

Above, top left: Sophia Kokosalaki, Tim Hamilton, Linda Farrow Luxe, Damir Doma.

www.lindafarrowvintage.com

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-MP

Das mögen wir doch gerne: Ein bisschen Mode, limitiert, bezahlbar und praktisch. Die Antwerpener Designerin Véronique Branquinho hat einen Schirm entworfen, und zwar im Auftrag des Royal Flemish Philharmonic und des Flanders Fashion Institute.

Das Design ist inspiriert von ihrer Winter-Kollektion: ein Tweed-Motiv in braunen Herbst-Farben.
Kostet 50 Euro, weitere Infos gibt es hier.

Fotos: Flanders Fashion Institute