Hawaii Heaven and King Van Der Hoorst
Ok so I started planning this post a few days ago but now I’m seriously hyped. {LIKE} seriously. So you all know how I’ve been g-g-g-oodling on about Maarten Van Der Hoorst and how awesomely cool he is and how he’s kind of started the tropical trend and this majorly exciting Topshop colllaboration all that crap, well, I have finally had the time to explain all this g-g-g-foodling nonsense.
To fill all you ‘out-of-its’ in, below is an interveiw done for LFW:
Design background: Maarten graduated with a BA from the ArtEZ Institute of the Arts in Arnhem, Holland. During his studies he completed an internship with Chloé in Paris, which “taught me enough to make me want to do my own thing”. He then moved to London for his MA at Central Saint Martins. His AW11 collection channelled transvestism and escapism, marrying intricately embroidered, second-hand nylon petticoats with Hawaiian shirts, Capri trousers and Bermuda shorts, creating a John Waters-inspired wardrobe. Spring/summer 2012 is his first season with Fashion East at London Fashion Week.
Design signatures: “Lo-fi, blissed-out, D-I-Y glamour.”
Career highlight: “Fashion East SS12.”
How would you describe the Maarten van der Horst woman?“Anyone gutsy enough to wear pastel-coloured nylon frills on Hawaiian shirts.”
Trademark piece: “The ‘dragified’ Hawaiian shirt.”
Three autumn/winter 2012 inspirations: “Madonna performing Fever on SNL in 1993; horrible satin boxer shorts; love.”
What does 2012 hold for your brand? “The launch of my Topshop capsule collection, my new website and the new winter collection that I’m showing under the Fashion East umbrella. So many things planned, can’t wait!”
What is your favourite decade in fashion? “The seventies, absolutely!”
Where do you go in London to seek artistic inspiration? “My dreams!
Back to me:
So there’s one word to describe Maarten Van Der Hoorst’s work: perfectly tropical. Damn I just realised that’s two words…anyway: I love his masculine seperates, mixed with his Italian by-way-of-Hawaii prints- that really ‘do the talking for his pieces’. Susie was definatley right in choosing him to work with as her ‘upcoming desinger’ for the Peroni collaboration and I particularly loved the way they approached desinging and creating their shirt. The nylon petticoats around the arms in the beautiful mint colour give the shirt shape and some texture and sort of, I dunno, I would say weight, but more depth or something intense like that, ah VOLUME, that’s the word. They wanted to push the silhouette to more Italian style and I think in the end the shirt seemed pretty de-flattering, with bits sticking out flamboyantly at the edges like a blossoming flower, but to me it was totally fresh and sheek, and exotically crazy- it expresses Maarten’s personal sense of humour and decedance and his understanding of Italian style. He wants his clothes to be something that his friends will like and wear and feel good in. I’d definatley wear Maarten’s shirts (with my sunnies *I’m obsessed with sunnies*); + with the Olympics and sports trends circling in on us, I’ll opt for some Hawaiian cycling shorts (mmm)- I just hope there’s his trademark nylon fluffiness involved in the Topshop Capsule collection!
Below are some Photos from Susie of the Topshop Capsule Collection
Anyway, the Holland-ish designer’s work has caught the eye many major fashion players in the industry- it is widely known that Simone Rocha (designer DUH), Susie Bubble (style blogger DUH), Alexander fury (editor), Anna Trevelyan (stylist DUH), Madeleine Østlie (stylist) and fashion designer + fulltime mum {WHOOP WHOOP} Serafina Sama love his collections…And aren’t afraid to show it: Dazed and Digital just released an exclusive shoot that pretty much launches the release (into the fashion power house: Topshop) of his capsule collection! We can be sure he’s widened his audience and is heading for the high-street- to celebrate Maarten styled his closest friends, stylists, editors and fellow designers/colleuges in a special story for one of our (or rather my) favorite magazines…
Considering that, it’s no wonder Topshop have picked, Sir Van-, NO Lord Van-, NO King Van Der Hoorst for their capsule collection and I just can’t wait! I hope you don’t have to ask why…WELL DUH! It’s gonna be Maarten’s super-duperly tailored amazing pieces up for grabs at more than reasonable prices, THATS RIGHT! (Geez I sound like an add, i may as well add: “so get your Maarten Van Der Hoorst Today, at only 3.99!” {Haaa I’m so funyy.}
It was funny walking through Westfeild (shopping centre) the other day. Miranda Pricesley (in The Devil Wears Prada) is actually half right: you get some big deisgner show and then a trend or a style or a pattern leaks into the department stores and then trickles down into all the others…This becomes even more apparent when you can nearly look at a picture of the catwalk show and name the designer + collection immediatley: in Oasis we saw a total rip off of Maarten Van Der Hoorst S/S 12- it was nearly exactly the same print: EXACTLY, they even had it on nails (I was too tempted to buy!) It is also true that high street stores (Zara, Oasis, Topshop, Next e.t.c) rip each other off with designs: I saw basically the exact same cotton black bodycon with gold studs in both Mango, Topshop and Oasis (probably inspired by the gold/Egyptian Unique S/S 12 show.) People say fashion is a fickle buisness and you can’t wear clothes without thinking about what people think of you- I’m not sure whether to agree or not…None-The Less, whatevor Trevor.
Goodbye.
who's that girl? 