Spring-boarding new talents out of leading international fashion schools, clothing-brand H&M sponsors a yearly design award. This year, La Cambre graduate Eddy Anemian won top prize – 50 thousand euros and a catwalk show at Stockholm Fashion Week on January 28th. Among the other seven finalists – each winning five thousand euros – Royal Academy of Antwerp postgraduate Devon Halfnight Leflufy was a strong contender. With two of Belgium’s top fashion programmes represented, Belgitude delved into both celebrate collections.
 
French Brussels-based Eddy Anemian’s graduating collection from La Cambre was inspired by Tilda Swinton’s performance in the Italian movie – Io Sono L’Amore (I Am Love) – but also, French painter Ingres’ Grande Odalisque. Both elicit a sense of aristocratic beauty and elegance. Translating patterns found in both the movie and painting, Anemian created flowery camouflages for his dress-based collection, intended to counteract fragility and innocence. Cutting and rearranging old motifs, highly textured pieces gained an impressionistic quality. Built around the waist, each piece is balanced with minimal elements.
 
Capturing the hybrid iconography of Los Angeles sub cultures, Royal Academy of Antwerp postgraduate Devon Halfnight Leflufy was selected by Suzy Menkes and Dries van Noten as the most promising designer from the 2013 graduating class. Soon after his first defile, Leflufy’s True Believer collection was picked up by Opening Ceremony and is currently sold in their New York, Paris and Los Angeles flagship stores.

Tracksuits melt seamlessly into embroidered cashmere. The luxurious street-wear features prints and masks designed in collaboration with New York-based artists Brian Kokoska.
 
Python and hand-made quilts juxtapose natural silks, cotton and leather. Laser-cut patterns join hand-painted pastel and acid green jackets to emulate a teenage style. Leflufy also developed sunglasses with Belgian eye-wear brand Theo.
 
designaward.hm.com
 
Adrian Madlener
 
Adrian Madlener, a recent graduate of the Design Academy Eindhoven, is a designer turned journalist. Originally from Belgium, he grew up in New York where an early interest in architecture exposed him to a wide range of creative disciplines; everything from contemporary dance to fine art, and eventually design. During his studies in Eindhoven, Adrian discovered that his true calling lays within design theory, history, and criticism. Though writing is his best design tool, he still gains great satisfaction from sketching, modeling, and experimenting with material. The critic should create to critique. Recently back in the region, Adrian shares his perspective on  Belgium’s rapidly growing creative front.

www.adrianmadlener.com