Ann Demeulemeester
| Ann Demeulemeester | |
|---|---|
| Born |
December 29, 1959 Kortrijk, Belgium |
| Alma mater | Royal Academy of Fine Arts |
| Occupation | fashion designer |
| Organization | 32 BVBA fashion house |
| Known for | member of the Antwerp Six |
| Spouse(s) | Patrick Robyn |
| Children | Victor Robyn |
| Awards | 1982 Golden Spindle Award, Belgium |
Ann Demeulemeester (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌɑn dəˈmøːləˌmeːstər]; born 1959, Kortrijk, Belgium) is a fashion designer whose eponymous label Ann Demeulemeester is mainly showcased at the annual Paris Fashion Week. She is one of the Antwerp Six in the fashion industry.
Ann Demeulemeester was born in Waregem, a town in the Flemish province of Belgium in 1959, and later lived in the city of Bruges. Her father, a chicory professor, and her mother both currently live in Waregem. Initially, Demeulemeester showed no interest in fashion. She attended art school for three years, where she discovered her fascination with people and portraiture, which led her to begin thinking about clothing attire. From this, Ann went on to study fashion design at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp from 1978 to 1981. In 1986, Demeulemeester, along with her fellow students from the Antwerp Royal Academy, went to London to showcase their collections. As a result of this, she is often referred to as a member of the 'Antwerp Six', the radical and distinctive Belgian designers of the 1980s. This group of avant-garde designers are known for their deconstructivist styles of creating untraditional clothing lines. Other notables from the group include Dries van Noten and Walter Van Beirendonck.
After graduating from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in 1981, Demeulemeester found success almost immediately. A year after her graduation, she won the Gouden Spoel, an annually awarded prize to the year's most promising fashion designer. Ann began working as a freelance designer for a few years, and then proceeded to release her own line in 1985 with husband Patrick Robyn. Her first collection was shown in a Parisian art gallery with a makeshift runway and somber models in 1992. In 1996, she debuted her own menswear line.
In 1994, her silhouette became more elongated and streamlined. With a close attention to detail and use of cutting-edge techniques and materials, Ann Demeulemeester consistently produces pieces that are distinctive and instantly recognizable. She began by drawing influence from gothic, punk, and Japanese styles while still remaining true to her own ideas. Though Demeulemeester works with a very specific aesthetic, she continuously strives to push conventions and produce fresh looks for each season. Her pieces, which at times have been described as "funereal", have subtle hints of emotion and emphasis on sexuality.
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