wim bruynooghe
Wim Bruynooghe was born on 21 February 1988 in Bruges, Belgium. He grew up in De Haan, a coastal village in Belgium and graduated from the Municipal Academy of Fine Arts in Bruges in 2007, where he received his initial artistic training. The urge to create a world of his own made Wim decide to study at the Fashion Department of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, where he got his Master’s degree in 2013. Wim worked on his Master collection ‘LENA’. The main theme of his collection is the study of the relationship between the artist and his muse, as well as the quest for harmony between both.
LENA
Collection 2013 Photo’s by Lee Wei Swee
INSPIRATIONS Throughout history, the relationship between the artist and his muse has proven to be a complex bond with very dierent outcomes. However, it is Wim’s belief that a compromise between both has always existed.
This belief is the driving force behind the Master collection ‘LENA’. While capturing the artist’s desire for immortalization, he also offers a way for the muse to emancipate. He does this by involving strong female role models who were artists in their own right.
Another great source of inspiration is the coastal city of Ostend, which Wim grew fond of while taking part in the Master class ‘Sea The Line’. As he was working on the project, he found the city’s sights entering his graphic work.
RUBBER MATERIAL Inspired by the works of the Cracking Art Group, Wim conceived the idea of working with polyurethane for his Master collection ‘LENA’. Wim uses the material to create several pieces of couture-inspired clothing, molding it himself and “capturing” his drawings. The use of the material can easily be seen as a metaphor for the artist’s urge to immortalize his muse in his work. Next to that, it also provided a way for Wim to illustrate his research and display some of his graphic work.
F.N. BAG The ‘F.N. bag’ is a handbag Wim designed as part of his Master collection. He was inspired by the Pentagon shape of Fort Napoleon, using the ground plan of the fort as the foundation for the bag’s design.
Photo by Charles Negre.
A look into the sketchbook with Wim’s typical line-drawings and collages.
DESIGNS
APOLOGIES LENA Wim uses his drawings and assemblages while designing in order to create a world of his own in which he can ďŹ t all of his inspirations and where possibilities are boundless.
To make this world even more accesible for others he created ‘Apologies LENA’. This iconographic short film was made using preexisting film footage, which Wim edited in a way similar to his graphic work. By doing so, Wim was able to put his way of working in a different light, while also capturing the melancholic yet hopeful nature of his collection.
LENA written and directed by Laur Dillen Storms
After the creation of the iconographic film ‘Apologies LENA’, Wim felt the strong desire to cross into the medium of film. This resulted in the making of ‘LENA’, a short film by Laur Dillen Storms.
‘LENA’ tells the story of a young girl who is brought to a mysterious institute. Left in the care of the distant Hermione, Lena is schooled to become the muse of a mysterious client simply known as “the aesthete”. Throughout the initiation, both women are haunted by visions of the exotic yet wistful India, their client’s former muse.
‘The film, which stars Belgian model/actress Delfine Bafort and transgender pioneer Corinne van Tongerloo, serves as a presentation of Wim’s Master collection, capturing its poetic nature.
TECHNICAL DRAWINGS & FABRICS
Overall with wide trousers in wool and a straight corset in pleated crèpe silk.
Dress with a straight corset in cut-out tricot.
Straight corset in tricot. Wide trousers in tricot.
Eveningdress in wool with cut-out rubber top.
Dress in rubber with cut-out tricot top.
Seeveless leotard in mohair with cut-out top and a wide turtleneck.
Leotard in cut-out tricot with raglan closing, worn with a straight corset on top.
Corset in cut-out mohair. Wrapped skirt in mohair.
Backless eveningdress in cut-out tricot with bow, worn with rubber corset underneath.
Dress in cut-out mohair with corset attached in the front.
VIEWHEAD Wim took part in the Master class ‘Sea The Line’, a project curated by Erna Verlinden, that covers the concepts of‘horizon’ and ‘horizontality’. He worked in the harbour area of Ostend for seven days, with the creation of the ‘VIEWHEAD’as a result. Looking through a child’s eyes can be the most honest and transparant way to look at the world. Wim created the ‘VIEWHEAD’ while keeping the shape of ventilation pipes as they can be found on ships in mind, trying to make them fit the human body.
A look into the sketchbook while Wim was in Ostend.
COCOHEAD “It’s very difficult to keep the line between the past and the present. You know what I mean? Awfully difficult...” (Edith ‘Little Edie’ Beale)
Wim’s third Bachelor collection ‘COCOHEAD’ was inspired by the 1975 Mayles’ documentary ‘Grey Gardens’ and Coco Chanel, as well as American heritage clothing.
Wim designed the collection by translating his collages. This resulted in the creation of luxurious yet sportive men’s garments.
A look into the sketchbook with Wim’s drawings and collages for his collection “COCOHEAD”.
ETHNICAL COSTUME In 2010, Wim was assigned to recreate an ethnical costume. He chose to recreate the Boubou elephant mask, which is worn by Bamileke people dancers in Cameroon. The childlike proportions of the mask greatly inspired the enormous shapes of Wim’s 3rd Bachelor collection ‘Cocohead’.
On next the next pages a painted illustration by Wim.
CULTIVATING THE GARDEN “That is well said... but we must cultivate our own garden.” (Voltaire, ‘Candide’)”
Touched by the excerpt above, taken from Voltaire’s satirical novel ‘Candide, ou l’Optimisme’, Wim envisioned his 2nd Bachelor collection as sort of a Bildungsroman.
While designing, he reevaluated his childhood, which resulted in childlike patterns and quilted fabrics. The collection’s shoot eventually was, quite literally, Wim’s way of cultivating his very own garden.
Photo of Wim his very own garden where he grew up and his grand parents.
PRESS DS magazine De Standaard
CittA magazine GVA, ShowO #4, DM magazine De Morgen
wim bruynooghe