The new fashion designer, Jantine van Peski, studied at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute before attending the Fashion Department of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, where she graduated in 2011 from a master (MA) degree with ‘WIRES 10.0’. Jantine gained design experience at the fashion houses of Haider Ackermann and A.F. Vandevorst. Her work focuses on silhouette and craftsmanship, with great attention for materials and techniques used.
THE COLLECTION:WIRES 10.0 (2011)
For this couture collection, Jantine van Peski was strongly influenced by the textile sculptures from the 1970’s and specifically the macramé-technique.That was the starting point to construct pieces of clothing out of cord and yarn, straight from the body and using only one type of knot.The collection consists of 12 complex and labour intensive pieces, sometimes completely knotted and sometimes the macramé is integrated in the garments.The designer’s main focus is to find the daring symbiosis between the handcrafted pieces and the minimalistic, pure designs of the garments.The silhouettes are rich and refined, centered around the fragile yet firm constructions.
The knotted pieces are made of 100% silk yarns or blended with merino wool. Some pieces are made completely out of woollen yarns. For the fabrics Jantine used fine leathers, heavy wool and thin silks.
Tell me a little about yourself. Where are you from? What’s your educational background? What are your general professional and non-professional interests?
I am originally from the Netherlands and after a few years of study at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute I continued to study fashion at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgium. Fashion is for me the perfect way to bring everything together. I don’t see a big difference between professional and non-professional interests, work is a great and important part of my life and it is all connected to each other.
What’s your favorite part about conceptualizing a design?
The challenge of translating inspirational material to something new and personal. Deciding where to start from is easy, but the development of the silhouettes for me the most difficult part, which makes it very interesting. Questioning yourself what you want to achieve and where to break through, is essential in the perspective of your work and life in general.
Who are some of your favorite designers and what are some of your favorite clothing stores/blogs/websites/magazines/books?
I hardly have favorite designers, only Ann Demeulemeester is an exception. I am more inspired by musicians such as PJ Harvey, a great example to me in capturing all aspects of poetry, passion and language. Besides these important inspirations sources, it is a bit of everything, no favorites in particular.
Where do you get your inspiration and what are some of your fashion goals?
Most of my inspiration I find in music and art, I am just collecting everything where I feel connected too and which challenges me to change perspective. The goal I want to reach is to have my own brand, that focusses on craftmanship and construction, to create a distance between daily wear and the more sculptural works I want to create, but with the desire of wearing it at the same time.
What advice do you have for aspiring fashion designers?
To create your own bubble and to focus on what makes you different than other designers. Internet is a great library but can confuse you too, so finding a balance between being inspired without getting blinded, is an important thing to keep in mind.
Interview: Naya Zikou | Photographer: Mark Groeneveld
