A.F. Vandevorst spring—summer 1999.For A.F. Vandevorst a garment that has been worn, has more

A.F. Vandevorst spring—summer 1999.

For A.F. Vandevorst a garment that has been worn, has more ‘spirit’, more ‘soul’. An opinion they assimilated in their Spring-Summer 1999 collection by proposing clothes that look as if they have been slept in. The show took place in an old dormitory, and the clothes were presented by models sleeping in iron hospital beds. Lauded by the international press and fashion world, the duo received the Venus de la Mode award for most promising designer.

Hirofumi Kurino: Having seen a fashion show too many, I sometimes feel exhausted. It all seems a big waste to me then. I presume others must have the same feeling but still, they always seem ready for another show. I am fed up with this craze, this talk about fashion, the irresponsibility of journalists just chasing news. This ‘fashion for fashion’s sake’ is quite meaningless.

But there are moments of magic. Many people will agree with me when I mention the three A.F. Vandevorst shows, in 1998 and 1999. Knowing these were their first presentations, we were more than amazed; I felt healed, saved, rescued.