Christian Wijnants

Interview with Christian Wijnants

Born in 1977 in Brussels, Christian moved to Antwerp in 1996 to study fashion design at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts.After graduating in 2000 he is the laureate of the leading competition for young designers ''Festival de Hyeres'', where he wins the Grand Prix and start selling his collection to stores like Colette, Via Bus Stop and Henri Bendel. After working for Dries Van Noten in Antwerp and Angelo Tarlazzi in Paris, he launched his own brand 2003. Presenting his collection twice a year during Paris Fashion Week, he has been granted many prestigious awards as the Swiss Textiles Award (2005) and the Andam Prize (2006). He draws inspiration from surrealism, dada and African folk art and is especially praised for his knitwear research and for his feminine and poetic style. Since 2005 Christian is teacher at the Royal Academy in Antwerp.

- Can you tell us a little bit about yourself as a fashion designer and your brand.

C: I got fascinated by fashion when I was a teenager, I discovered the Antwerp designers and their work. I discovered the work of Martin Margiela, Dries van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester and it inspired me a lot. I knew very early that I would love to study fashion at the Royal Academy in Antwerp and I left Brussels when I was 17 to started fashion studies. After my studies I worked for Dries Van Noten and I won the festival of Hyeres which was the starting point of my own brand. Since then I have presented about 12 collections during the Paris fashionweek.

- Can you tell us a little bit about the new Spring/Summer 2009, what were your initial concepts?

C: The new collection is inspired by tribes of West Africa and their way of living, costumes and traditions.
I did a lot of research on it. Here the seasonal concept ''Human and Nature Becoming One...'' A fascination with the beauty of the Surma and Mursi Tribes in East Africa. Using their bodies as canvases, adorning themselves with materials from their surroundings: plants and flowers as accessories, natural ingredients like berry pigments and powdered stone for make-up. Painting, decorating and embellishment of the body using elements of Mother Nature. Recycling clothes, sweet girls wearing romantic dresses combined with big masculine jackets. Skirts worn with overalls. Women draped in fabrics around the body. Layering and combining different styles and colors. Versatile dresses, that can accentuate waist or back  or be worn as a tunique. Looks translated into flower bouquets of material and prints. Large fresh color palettes: burgundy, night blue, orange, pink as a red line through the whole collection.

Mixing prints with very strong basic colors, seen as canvasses inspired by African landscapes, forests and the jungle. Garments in compositions of photographs: a fluent combination of intense pieces flowing into tranquility. Different kind of techniques, the flock  print, tie and dye used in the knitwear and trompe l'oeil effects in the tailored pieces. Influenced by visual arts translated in a lace design. Silk, jersey, linen and jeans used in a very structured way. Fluent silk dresses, pants and tops harmonically draped around the body. Jersey worn in a lucid way. Introducing a jeansline into the collection to emphasize the urban moment. Overalls, skinny jeans and jackets, they come in as sky, dark blue and bleached to create a cloud effect that corresponds to the nature theme. Inspired by African tribes, Christian Wijnants shows us a very feminine summer collection rooted in nature.

- Regarding your A/W 2008-09 collection, can you tell us a little bit about the detail.

C: The collection was inspired by the paintings of Belgian artist Piet Raemdonck. His use of colours and shades is very fresh and inventive. I worked also a lot on new shapes with knitwear especially on the sleeves construction.

- Do you have any favourite materials/fabrics and/or special techniques you enjoy using?

C: Yes, knitwear. I started to knit when I was 17. and I loved it as it is a very rich technique with many possibilities. It is exciting to create your own fabric and 3D volume starting just from a yarn. I teach knitwear since 3 years at the Royal Academy in Antwerp.

- In the beginning, what actually made you get into designing?

C: I love to dress people, the movement f the clothes, the fact that clothing can influence your personality or your behaviour. It is very interesting to observe the power of clothing and fashion.

- How would you describe your style?

C: Feminine, poetic, subtle, minimal...

- What are your opinions on the current Europe fashion scenes?

C: I think there is a new very interesting generation of new designers established in London. I admire the work of new designers Marios Schwab, Christopher Kane, Peter Pilotto, Charles Anastase...

- Where is your favourite place to have relax or what are you doing dayoff?

C: I love to visit my brother in Barcelona. I love sunny places as it is always raining here !!!

- What are your career plans, do you have any future goals?

C: The goal is always the same, trying to make people happier trough my designs... Also we are planning to organize again fashionshows during Paris fashion week.

- Do you have some words of wisdom for any young designers and our
readers?

S: Be true to yourself and believe in what you are doing.

Website : http://www.christianwijnants.be/

Written by Toshimi Takaishi