Walter Van Beirendonck
Walter van Beirendonck is the wild one of the Antwerp Six. He has a young and explosive creativity, does not comply with conventions and is not only loyal to his visions, but continually develops new ones. Fascinated by toys, computers and new media, Walter presents colourful and very hot collections. He is one of the first designers who has explored and used the internet and CD-Roms.
The Beginning
Walters' fashion career started in 1980, the year of his graduation. It was the time of Cinderella’s Ballroom in Antwerp, the punk period in England and the rise of the designers: Armani, Versace and Gaultier. Two years later, in 1982, he presented his first collection inspired by insects. Picture The Belgian fashion world heralded a new genius. At the “Gouden Spoel” contests, he received the award of the press and the award of the Belgian manufacturers.
W<
“A wild child, born of the blue jeans generation, the W< brand is powered by a vision that kicks out faded urban cowboy nostalgia to create clothes that capture the new life spirit of today’s global youth.”
In 1993 he established the W< label, in cooperation with the German company Mustang. W< stands for “Wild And Lethal Trash”. The name says it all. W< is a new and refreshing brand. Walter's creations do not require the ideal body and embody a positive up-front message. For W< Van Beirendonck designs street wear in fierce colours, manufactured with the most modern materials derived from sports- and outdoor clothes. Picture
Puk Puk, a little alien with antenna-like ears accompanies Van Beirendonck. The mascot, illustrating the creative mind of the designer, comes from Dork, a planet of rubber volcanoes and florid flowers out in deep space. He lives over the rainbow with a crowd of intergalactic friends. Every day he beams down to Earth, spreading the W< message: Get connected! Kiss the future.
Breakthrough- Cologne, August 1994
When the W< 1994 spring/summer collection was presented during the men’s fashion week in Cologne, it was a sensational international success. Grunge and suicide were out and W< was in.
The W.&L.T. slogan: Kiss the Future!
The W.&L.T. attitude: Be positive. Be awake. Be funny. Be brave.
The W.&L.T. desires: Love, passion, rhythm, action, hope, wishes, light and adventures.
The W.&L.T. ideology: Sanctified contrasts: love and aggression, sex and romance, day and night, angel and devil.
An important reason for the spectacular press reverberations concerning W< is Van Beirendonck’s extraordinary new way of presenting the fashion shows. During the 1999 winter-autumn show in Paris for example, the models were completely wrapped in latex, with only a few air holes. The models worked the catwalk to the rhythm of techno vibes, dressed in fluorescent orange safety suits, glittering cat suits and sweatshirts in neon colours with intriguing accessories to match, such as cockscomb - shaped headdresses. Taking 60's unisex a stage further, it was almost impossible to determine the sex of the models.
Kiss the future!
With this cry Bono, the lead singer of U2 roused the crowd during the concerts on the Popmart tour in 1997. The slogan was inspired by knickers designed by Walter Van Beirendonck which bore the slogan “Kiss the future!” on the front. Bono, who asked Van Beirendonck to design the outfits for U2’s tour is not the only person who is wildly enthusiastic about his creations. The presentation of the W< show is a regular highlight of the Paris fashion week.
A Turning Point
At the end of the nineties Mustang went through serious financial troubles, the company wanted to earn back its investments. Because Van Beirendonck felt that his freedom was curtailed, he decided to put an end to the cooperation. The W< collection is still on track, but there are no more fashion shows.
The fashion year (2001) with the theme "mode landed gelanded" ,came at an excellent moment for Van Beirendonck. It was a period of chaos, but Van Beirendonck accepted the leadership of the project immediately. He wanted to think about the essence of fashion again.
Actually, fashion is a too narrow definition for the work of Van Beirendonck who, in spite of his international success, still lives and works in Antwerp. It is more a lifestyle, a mentality that radiates from his activities for which he draws on diverse sources. Fashion lies at the heart of his work, though fine art, photography, video, science fiction and cartoons are all elements that appear in his work.