Flemish fashion designer Walter Van Beirendonck (1957-present) is one of the '6 of Antwerp', alongside Dries Van Noten, Marina Yee, Dirk Bikkembergs, Dirk Van Saene and Ann Demeulemeester. Graduates of the Antwerp Academy of Fine Arts between 1980 and 1982, they chose to show their collections together in London from then on, before dissociating themselves around 1989.
Mottled, playful, political, sometimes outraged, Walter Van Beirendonck's style differs from that of his more sober-looking colleagues. His collections question gender, society, and the canons of beauty while playing with the structure of classic clothing, which he deforms with fantasy and provocation.
But above all, Walter Van Beirendonck is a major figure in the history of men's fashion, whose wardrobe he renews, breaks the austere codes and brightens up the creative aridity.
This colourful silhouette is emblematic of the style developed by Walter Van Beirendonck since the 1980s. The straps of the jacket are reminiscent of the fetish world, while the real Moon boots developed with the Italian brand, makes a mockery of the silhouette, enhanced by a pair of wings in faux fur. The humour and surprise that the designer displays also lies in the colourful monster face on the back, only visible when the person turns around. The designer's commitment to peace and the protection of nature can also be seen on the sweatshirt, which is embroidered on the back with the inscription "Endengered species".
Walter Van Beirendonck
