Pt.7 Vetements
On May 22nd, LVMH will announce the winner of their 2015 Young Fashion Designer Prize from a pool of 8 finalists – Arthur Arbesser, Coperni, Craig Green, Faustine Steinmetz, Jacquemus, Marques’Almeida, Off-White, and Vetements. Started in 2013, the prize was launched to champion standout talent and foster their labels. Winning means getting a seal of approval from a jury of fashion’s foremost designers and industry professionals like Nicolas Ghesquiere, Marc Jacobs, Karl Lagerfeld, and LVMH’s own Delphine Arnault. Aside from being recognized by the industry, the winner receives a 300,000 euro grant and a year’s worth of expert support from the foundation. Of course, success in the industry for these designers isn’t reliant on winning, but it certainly sets the stage.
Presenting Models.com’s exclusive week-long spotlight on each of the designers in anticipation of their final presentation at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris and the announcement of the winner on May 22nd.
The LVMH 8
Photography: Steven Yatsko for Models.com
Stylist: William Graper @ The Wall Group
Art Direction: Stephan Moskovic
Hair: Takayoshi Tsukisawa
Makeup: Kim Weber
Production: Jazmin Alvarez
Photo assistant: Jason Acton
Manicurist: Natalie Pavloski @ LMC Worldwide
Portrait courtesy of the designer
Text by Steven Yatsko
Model:
Aamito Lagum / DNA Models
In the short time since Vetements launched, the buzzy, French label has proven they’re privy to nonchalance. The progeny of Demna Gvasalia and a pooling of anonymous designers, Vetements translates simply to “clothing” and the name speaks to their matter-of-fact strategy. “Our aim is to dress people, we are clothes makers rather than fashion designers,” says Denma, adding “The biggest compliment is to see people wearing our pieces–by accident on a street.” The designs take liberties with tried wares rehashing them into street-worthy staples. The results are a mix-and mash non-uniform for the erraticism of everyday dressing. For Spring 2015 he says, “We tried to explore a lot of jerseys and sweatshirt elements and give them a new meaning.” One-shouldered overall sweats, lopsided skirts and extra-oversized suits all have an ad lib mentality, “It was a mix between streetwear, modern elegance, easy to wear and the cool.”
An alum of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Gvasalia had stints at both Vuitton and Margiela. To that effect he says, “Margiela influenced an aesthetic and understanding of what we like or dislike about clothes, how we work with clothes. Vuitton influences the perfectionism, taking time to work out garments, to question them.” But he stresses that Vetements had always been in the cards. As for how the backdrop of Paris, their Paris, informs the brand, “It’s a different kind of Paris, a real one, a rough one. No glittery, sophisticated, pretty cafes, but rather the suburbs of paris, the metro, the street.” All this leads to an M.O. that defies boilerplate decorum and perhaps taps into a city that’s been in want of a refresh.
If success continues knocking Denma ensures that most importantly, “we want to always keep and cherish is the joy of what we do.” And if Vetements takes home the prize money? “Oh there would be so much to cover, but mostly the team and the structure,” he says.
