Belgium and Holland have always been close neighbours, but who would have thought this relationship would be the inspiration to a prize-winning fashion collection? Last week, during Lichting 2009 at Amsterdam International Fashion Week, designer Ann Boogaerts won the G-Star Raw Talent Award. She showed pieces from her graduate collection, along with eleven other ‘best of’ graduates of six different art academies in the Netherlands; all competing for 10.000 euros and a trip to New York Fashion Week.
Although a lot of graduates showed very convincing pieces, only few of them stood out for judges Wendy Dagworthy, initiator of London Fashion Week, fashion bloggers Garance Doré and Susanna Lau and Lucas Ossendrijver, head designer at Lanvin Homme. Initially, all eyes were on the other graduate from Arnhem, Ratno Ho. Her collection, showing ‘bad taste’ influences such as tribal art and 'My Little Pony shades' in perfectly crafted alignments, was a good follow-up on her co-graduate from Arnhem.
Boogaerts' collection, based on the elegant style of queen Fabiola of Belgium, shows the transformation in her way of dressing when she falls in love with a Dutch man; her outfit changes from more uptight dresses in colours of the Belgium flag to constructivist pieces in red, white and blue, revealing hints of her past in beautifully embroidered details. What can we say more? Long live the queen, fashion is alive!
