A.F. Vandevorst to show at Milan Fashion Week this season

By

Dominique Muret

Published
Sep 10, 2018

Contrary to indications made by the brand in June, A.F. Vandevorst will not be organising a runway presentation during Paris Fashion Week in September, having chosen instead to show in Milan. The label founded and led by An Vandevorst and Filip Arickx celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and has plans for a number of initiatives for the Lombard capital's Fashion Week, which will take place from September 18 to 24. 

At the top of the list is the brand's runway presentation, marked down on the official Milan show calendar for Saturday, September 22, when the label will present a new collection which once again takes inspiration from the house's archives, updating and reinventing pieces with new fabrics and prints. 

A year ago, A.F. Vandevorst radically changed its strategy, moving away from the fashion industry's traditional rhythms to concentrate on its footwear line, while also continuing to release new apparel through capsule collections and collaborations, such as the 10 t-shirts recently launched with Swedish-born LA-based stylist, costume designer and fashion activist B. Åkerlund.

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The Flemish couple behind the brand, who met at Antwerp's Academy of Fine Arts in 1987, also have plans for the White Milano trade fair, which is taking place from September 21 to 24. Their brand will participate in the fair with a stand and a special installation – a kind of hospital room which will serve as a pop-up store where certain pieces from the label's latest collection will be sold.  

A third event will see the A.F. Vandevorst designers host a book signing to promote "Ende Neu", a 600-page photo-illustrated tome tracing the 20-year history of the brand, recently published by Hannibal Publishing.  

Indeed, Belgium is something of a guest of honour at this season's White show, thanks to the project "The Belgian Focus" organised in collaboration with Flanders DC (Flanders District of Creativity), a platform that supports young Belgian creative talent. Seven brands have been selected to represent the country for the occasion: Ophelia Lingerie, Morobé, Marylène Madou, Lies Mertens, Mooiloop, Studio Collect and Helder Antwerp.