HEARTBREAKERS

"I'm not dead!"
The title of pop singer P!nk's fourth studio album may very well apply to yours truly. A lot has transpired these last months and life needed tending to. Going through old posts, it's obvious that I'm no longer the brazen-browed university rookie I was at the start of this enterprise. I'm not about to go on a rant about the passage of time. "O tempora o mores I'm totally old now look at the kids these days technology has ruined the teenager Schmandroid Schmollipop!". None of that nostalgic crap from me, mind. At 23, I'm still pretty damn unaware, but perhaps a bit more maturely so. Which is probably why I've chosen to surround myself with copious amounts of modern art for this latest personal style story!
"But is it art, Eddie?"

Wool tunic shirt - Stephan Schneider

Boots - Dr. Martens c/o Cloggs

'Heartbreakers' t-shirt - Lockwood

Cap - A Cut Above

Mesh t-shirt / velvet jumper / blazer - H&M

Jeans - Levi's
Foil-print bomber - & Other Stories (photographer's own)

Photographer: Janne Degryse
www.jannedegryse.com

ANTWERP FASHION GOT ME LIKE

I just realised that I had shown a peek of my Dries Van Noten clutch on instagram a while back, but then never actually showed you the full package. Its mossy glossy leather has got me like:

Chloë knows the worth of a good clutch. So here it is, lying atop one of its cousins:

Now we're on the subject of Antwerp and fashion: I went to see Diane Pernet's A Shaded View on Fashion Film Festival last week and it was a total treat. Hours of short films by the most talented visionaries; I've been in dire need of inspiration of late so it was just what the doctor ordered! 

The cherry on top was attending (thanks to KNOTORYUS) the very first Fashion Talks conference. Guest speakers like Walter Van Beirendonck, Tim Blanks and Imran Amed talked about the importance of pairing business sense with fashion creativity, the changes in runway culture, the significance of conglomerate fashion takeovers, developing markets and much more. It's safe to say Antwerp was where the fashion buzz was at, last week. And thus, I live once again!

 (Check out the KNOTORYUS Twitter account for some great quotes of that day)

My hero, Tim Blanks, was so self-deprecating and whimsical. LOVE THAT MAN.

PACK YOUR BAG AND CARRY ON (AND DO A BIT OF MODELLING WHILE YOU'RE AT IT)

As you may have gleaned from the elated instagrams and tweets I posted last week(end), I had the honour of modelling in EASTPAK's Fall-Winter 2014 'Pack Your Bag And Carry On' campaign. Over the course of two days I got to work with some of Belgium's finest creatives as well as international heavy hitters like New York photographer Charlie Engman (so talented, I can't even) and the divine Jean-Paul Paula (whose style and presence I've loved for years). Spain's very own Pelayo Diaz of Kate Loves Me (I once made a wonky collage of his outfits for school, so it's surreal to even be in the same campaign today), Swedish muse Ebba Zingmark and the Zwillingsnaht twins from Germany completed this fabulous cast. I was so proud to represent Belgium and my blog amongst this kind of positive creative energy. I live!

The actual campaign images won't be released until late next year (FW '14, y'all!), but today I'll share some behind the scenes shots to give you an idea of what it was like on set!

First things first: A SELFIE (l.t.r. Deborah, Charlotte, me and Gina!)

You see, I'm not a professional model (giant collective gasp of bewilderment) so I didn't really know what I was stepping into. I just fashioned my model behaviour after what I've gathered from hours spent as a teen watching backstage reports on Fashion TV. I only trickled a handful of berries and oatmeal flakes into my mouth when people where looking (and scarved down Twixes when alone), gave my best Blue Steel smoulder when Charlie asked for it and tried my best not to grin like an idiot when the lovely Gina powdered my face with Chanel make-up (because OMG can someone powder my face every second of every day it is so relaxing). 

Eastpak had asked us to bring along our own clothes for the shoot, which involved me dragging around my entire closet in a giant suitcase and twisting several ankles (some of which my own). But to bring the final touches, they had called in the help of stylist Deborah who is a founder of art direction studio Uber & Kosher (their work is on another level, it'd be a mortal sin if you haven't checked it out yet). She even edited on-set photos in mere minutes, take a look at these:

Fabulous.

It was such a dream come true meeting Jean-Paul Paula. His street style images have become so iconic, so it was wonderful to find out that the person behind the online images is super kind and funny.

Tim! Looking so gleeful after I dropped him off on set in my sweet-ass ride:

Here Pelayo is seen wearing my scarf and Charlotte is just being all sorts of casual.

I just had a blast, to be honest. Much love for the entire cast and crew and big thanks to Eastpak for making me a part of it all!

(Images courtesy of Marian Venceslá, the campaign's Tumblr and my iPhone)