Veronique Branquinho (Q3619)
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Veronique Branquinho is a fashion house from FMD.
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Veronique Branquinho |
Veronique Branquinho is a fashion house from FMD. |
Statements
With this collection,Veronique Branquinhooffered many lingering points. Some people may linger on the amplified suit pants, for instance; others on the sparkle tops. For some, the white tights may be what lingers most. But to linger in broader terms does the most justice to this designer, who noted how this season began by reflecting on her “old love of tailoring as [shaped] by the luggage of time.” That last part could be the stuff of great novels, if not great clothes. It was clear, in any case, that pursuing new wasn’t as important to Branquinho as resisting classic. Beyond the shorts; overalls, boxy coats that revealed themselves to be capes; and a floor-sweeping shirtdress, her Prince of Wales belted coveralls enhanced with smocked sleeves and worn over a ruffle collar blouse felt unlike anything she had done before. How’s that for an update on working class.The situation turned jazzy “tongue and cheek” in Branquinho’s words when Swarovski-crystal-patterned illusion tops evoking the costumes worn by figure skaters or cabaret dancers were used to offset such notionally masculine suiting. Branquinho clarified that these looks represented decisions that were more significant than styling. “I really wanted this to be a constructed collection,” said the Antwerp-based designer. “It’s the art of the métier.” And the two-button jackets, while classic, definitely measured up. Her one concession to styling: jackets that peeled back and hugged the hips like skirts. We will watch and wait to see whether this becomes the new “shoulder cape.”Regarding the white tights shown with velvet slippers and crystal dance sandals, they matter little in the long run. Yet whether the idea emerged at the beginning of the creation process or the end reveals how integral they were to the image Branquinho wanted to project: tweaking the historical aspect to something faintly fetish. She confirmed they were an early decision. “It started from a little picture that I found of an old schoolboy with white tights," she said. A follow-up question addressed the final look with its fluidly tailored trousers and glittery stars positioned over each breast. A brilliant retort to Free the Nipple? “No, I’m not really into Instagram; I’m old-school,” she laughed. All the better.
6 March 2017
Veronique Branquinho has always done things her own way, going against the grain with an attitude of quiet resolve. Having been at the creative forefront in the pivotal ’90s, she doesn’t need to prove herself to be desperately avant-garde in today’s hyper-crowded and often hysterical fashion landscape. “I’d like to embrace a more ‘slow fashion’ approach,” she said, discussing a Pre-Fall collection that is testament to her belief in a more homemade feel.“I was thinking of the time when people used to make their clothes at home, which were cherished not only for their beauty or sense of protection, but also for their sentimental value,” she continued, explaining the collection’s focus on handwork and craft references. A human’s touch was evidenced on embroideries and embellishments setting off simple, comfortable shapes, and traditional patterns and motifs were given an edgy spin by way of a sharp color palette of orange, emerald green, fuchsia, enamel blue. Volumes had a compact, almost severe fluidity, “reminiscent of the stiff elegance of Romanian or Portuguese popular dancers’ costumes,” said Branquinho, who also had Mexico, modernist ceramics, and artisanal pottery in mind while working on her floral and geometrical motifs. Fringes and tassels gave movement to loose, tiered wool dresses and ample ruched pinafores, often densely knife-pleated. Outerwear was notably absent, replaced by intarsia-knitted or crocheted wool ponchos and tunics thrown over elongated pants. The look had a cool, artisanal feel; as the designer smartly summarized, it was a new breed of “futuristic folk.”
12 January 2017
When it happened, all who were there to witness admitted that it had really only been a matter of time. There had been a growing tension between two of fashion’s leading factions: Athleisure continues to cut wide swaths through the ready-to-wear market; meanwhile, the artful frump and funky nostalgia of arts and crafts still holds sway. And then midway through Veronique Branquinho’s Spring show, a single hoodie managed to bridge the gap. That it was a hoodie officially receiving it's due—that streetwear item maligned and beloved in equal measure, from high school teenagers to the high fashion set— was not lost on the audience. Because there it was: a sort of oatmeal-color hoodie, a few frills on the front and on the back, and floral needlepoint embroidery, the kind that you might typically find on a tea cozy, or on the cushion of a church pew. Sure,Guccimay have spaniel appliqués and clever turns of phrase, but these were tea roses. Branquinho officially took the hoodie to full Bedford Avenue Granny territory. You can’t get more zeitgeist-y than that. (Well, maybe if Rihanna was wearing it.)“Faded floral wallpaper on forgotten 18th-century walls,” was what Branquinho had in mind, and there was a dusty romance to the black cotton lace and floral-print pleated skirts, and delicate cut-out dresses. Dévoré blouses looked as if they’d been revived from Victorian bed linens. Meanwhile, variations of Watteau pleats dropped from the occasional shoulder created a blooming silhouette. But among these it was the handcrafted techniques that spoke the loudest: Tapestry, cross-stitch embroidery, and needlepoint appeared on everything, from sweaters to bomber jackets. But beyond the shades of Miss Havisham, asymmetrical rounded hemlines revealed trompe l’oeil ankle boots that appeared as a cream-color lacy ruffled sock and shiny Mary Jane, but were in fact all leather. They were a little prim, a little sexy, and right on target.
3 October 2016
Veronique Branquinho belongs to that famous wave of hyper-talented, quietly subversive Belgian designers that defined the ’90s look. There are recurring elements in her work that make it recognizable at first sight. A slender, willowy silhouette is often paired with masculine, almost severe tailoring; romantic trailing skirts swathed in capes and hoods conceal and subtly reveal.In her Resort collection, Branquinho indulged her penchant for duality. “I like the contrast between modernity and vintage,” she said. “Austrian lace is lovely if opposed to denim, making it more soft and feminine. I love an eclectic spirit, mixing experimentation with historical references, clean lines with more elaborate ethnic motifs and volumes. The djellaba has a very modern shape, made of simple squares, rectangles, and triangles. It could be considered almost as the template for the contemporary sweater.” The designer worked her charm throughout a lineup where references spanned from 19th-century men’s shirting to Watteau pleated pieces reminiscent of costume or stage dresses, to preciously embroidered linen shifts fit for an elegant old-fashioned trousseau. They were translated into modern looks that had an easy, feminine flair, but the purity of the lines, the simple silhouettes, and the light volumes could not conceal the exquisite detailing. Three-dimensional origami ribbons graced the trimmings of pleated tunics; round wooden pearls were dangling from tassels on poet blouses; and lines fromAlice in Wonderlandmade for ornate embroideries on white linen shirt dresses. Why Alice? The designer’s answer came as no surprise: “I find her so intriguing,” she said. “She’s so stubborn and free, so determined to go her own way.”
18 June 2016
A few things became very clear duringVeronique Branquinho’s Fall 2016 show this afternoon. One is that animal print is undergoing a serious renaissance, the likes of which we haven’t seen since theDynastyera (as inJoan Collins, not Qing). The second is that sportswear codes—specifically, fashion’s love of the sweatshirt—aren’t going anywhere. And why not? Street style alone this season has proved that the ubiquitous Vetements hoodie is now considered everything from business casual to cocktail attire. And so, for the cosmopolitan femme with an eye for comfort: Branquinho’s floor-length sequined frock also boasts a front pocket and hood!Branquinho cited inspiration from the Flemish masters, and there was certainly a touch of Van Eyck in the way that models’ faces were illuminated by their Elizabethan ruffs and powdered skin, or the long, fluid silhouettes and softly undulating hoods (most invitingly rendered in pointelle knit tucked under a creamy blazer). Sheer shirred layers of lace bounced along, pinaforelike, atop narrower opaque pieces; a clear menswear influence emerged, most keenly felt in some wide-cut, low-slung trousers and well-tailored topcoats. There were feminine velvet bows, pleated skirts inset with sheer polka dots, and any number of excellent leather knee-height boots with approachably high stacked heels. Branquinho didn’t introduce anything particularly earth-shaking here, but the collection she showed was strong, and most important, it felt like her.
7 March 2016
In his bookThe Fantastic, theorist Tzvetan Todorov wrote that the key to understanding the uncanny was to recognize its instability—that which is uncanny cannot be firmly ascribed to the supernatural or written off as imaginary, hence its power to haunt. As in: Is the creaking manor in a gothic novel spooky because its intrepid heroine is mad, or because the house is actually occupied by ghosts? It’s the not knowing that intrigues.Which brings me to the cat prints in Veronique Branquinho’s latest collection. The designer is not much known for graphic prints, to say nothing of ones featuring cats. Sure, these were black cats—Siamese ones, at that—but still. You’d be tempted to write off these admittedly good-looking pieces as a weird sidebar in Branquinho’s career, were it not for the fact that there was something indeed very uncanny about them—specifically, the way that she had embedded them into an Escher-ish check that made you look twice, lest your mind was playing tricks on you. Are those . . .cats? That moment of ellipsis was, again, an uncanny one. Branquinho’s gothic game is strong. Like, Brontë-esque.And the balance of this collection was well suited to modern-day Jane Eyres. You could easily imagine these clothes going for a late-night ramble through a drafty old estate, what with the velvet-trimmed blanket ponchos and nightgown-shaped cotton dresses detailed with pin-tucked pleats and lace. These were looks that seemed awakened by a strange noise. That said, Branquinho stayed right on the wavering line between fantasy and reality—the surreal elements here, like Mannerist sleeves, were balanced out by matter-of-fact pieces such as plush oversize sweaters, natty check tailoring, and scarf-tied blouses and shirtdresses in silk. Branquinho’s feet-on-the-ground approach was underscored, appropriately enough, by her nicely rounded range of shoes—the sturdy boots and brogues she favors looked especially timely this season. They weren’t “fantastic” in the Todorov sense, just fantastic in the sense that they were great.
5 January 2016
AtVeronique Branquinho’s Spring 2016 show today at the Hôtel d’Évreux, models wore long, flowing pleated dresses in muted tones of cream, black, and rainbow pastels (for a Victorian-meets–Burning Man effect), gauzy blindfolds, and occasionally trailed macramé fringe, which extended from the neckline down to the ankle. It would not have been a stretch to imagine them with candlesticks in hand, too, a series of nightgown-clad Lady Macbeths coursing through the halls of the castle with some mind-warping affairs underway.There was a fair bit of deconstruction at hand, if not actual Shakespearean madness: well-tailored jackets and vests with the stitching picked out; tasseled, sheer layers with visible corsetry underneath; an array of utterly bewildering transparently backed trousers, exposing long, white Elizabethan-style undershorts worn underneath. Sheer tulle blouses possessed vaguely modesty-protecting ruffles on the breast, while suit trousers occasionally boasted a thick, white elastic waistband printed with the designer’s name á la ’80sCalvin Klein. A medieval-looking print of flora and fauna was pleated on some frocks to expose the bounty when the dress was in movement, but most successful were the shoes: chunkily heeled brogues and smoking slippers with gently sloping toes in black and shagreen, red lizard, and creamy white patent.
5 October 2015
The other day, the owner of one of the fashion industry's marquee showrooms was talking about a sales strategy that seems to be working for smaller brands. "They do one thing," she was saying, "and they do it incredibly well. Retailers know what to look for from that designer. Customers rely on the brand, and they're loyal. Still," she added, "it's hard for designers not to get caught up in that pressure to tick all the boxes." This season, Veronique Branquinho took a stand against that pressure. Her new collection was comprised of 15 floor-sweeping dresses, among which two featured black-and-white "impossible landscape" prints and two others had an overlay of black tulle on white fabric, which created a grayscale effect.The rest of Branquinho's dresses were all white or all black. You could order them either way. It was refreshing to see such a strong, singular proposition. More than that, it was convincing: You exited the designer's presentation with the vague suspicion that it would be foolish, circa early 2016, to wear anything other than a long djellaba of perforated cotton/poly poplin, or a dungaree dress with a skirt of crisp zigzag pleats.To make a collection like this one work demands a ton of discipline; it also entails a devotion to detail. Branquinho's details sung—there was a stunning amount of handwork in these clothes, from the smocking on her sleeveless polo dresses, to the embroidered crisscross belt loops on her shirtdresses, to the lace insets of the words "Hope," "Love," and "Faith" on a pair of T-shirt dresses. The collection was controlled in its palettes and its silhouettes, but it wasn't boring, and it certainly wasn't downbeat. Branquinho's vision was romantic—sublime, even. Where does a girl sign up for her coven?
9 June 2015
A poetic sensibility has long permeated Veronique Branquinho's designs, so to see actual poems arranged across her Fair Isle and checkerboard jacquard sweaters felt less like she was riding the trend wave than expressing what comes naturally to her. "On a windy night when the moon is bright and my eyes can wander through worlds of light," read one of them (it's Emily Brontë, if you're curious).Branquinho explained backstage that for her, design is really just a form of translation in which she must address the same challenge season after season: How do you contemporize tradition? Today her answer came in many compelling forms, the strongest being the use of papery black leather (especially when worn top to toe) and shaggy checked tweeds spliced with perforated tech fabric. While the juxtaposition sounds contrived—bookish doesn't easily mesh with moto—the effect was intriguing and required precise tailoring to achieve.When the tweed reappeared on full-length bow-neck dresses in pallid pastel hues, the coupling seemed less aligned. But then Branquinho has also never much minded a sprinkling of tension. It was telling, however, that when the models made their final walk, their order had changed so that the final look featured ample leather pants, an oversize tweed-trimmed scarf, and an incredibly sexy bra, its fragile lace counterbalanced by fetishist black bands. Branquinho said she has no plans to do lingerie, but any woman in the room would have been enthusiastic about the possibility.
10 March 2015
Mark Rothko's color-field paintings formed the starting point for Veronique Branquinho's Pre-Fall collection, and the reference was easy enough to read once you knew to look for it. There was a ton of color-blocking, in mid-calf pleated skirts and fuzzy sweaters—and in paneled jersey shifts redolent of the way Rothko's nearly black canvases hang in the gray, octagonal space of the Rothko Chapel in Houston. The color-blocking and geometric paneling were the most immediately striking themes, but the real excellence of this generally excellent outing was to be found in the designer's quieter effects: the just-so application of pleat details and frills; the soft cinch of a belt on a draped dress or a cape-like coat; the elegant circular hardware. There was also a low-key nerviness to looks such as a lean corduroy suit in white, as well as the paneled culottes that came off a bit like slit-to-there A-line skirts. Really, there was just a lot to admire here—or, to put it another way, a lot to wear.
8 January 2015
Véronique Branquinho described the message of her Spring collection as "the beauty of unfinished things." In fashion terms, "unfinished" is a similar notion to "effortless"—to do them right actually requires significant sleight of hand. Except the Belgian designer went on to say, "I had to learn to let go, and so a lot of things are half-finished." If this sounds like a perfectionist's worst-case scenario, it yielded a consistent collection for Branquinho, who worked between a push-and-pull of generous paper-bag shapes and pretty pleated ruffles. Near the beginning, she anchored several looks with a white tank top, reducing femininity to the most basic underpinning, and then introducing transparent, filmy overlays or plackets from scraps culled from the shimmery pleated skirts that gave the collection its ethereal edge. Within a denim grouping, Branquinho's stance on sexy turned binary: a bandage bra of ribbons in one look, a molded-shoulder sleeveless jacket over a bare chest immediately following. But this also helped set up her segue to black, whereby suiting and lacquered silk skirts tilted the textural balance toward opaque.All the while, a series of Kate Bush songs selected by Branquinho escalated from tender to assertive, and the "rough romanticism" she alluded to backstage was repeatedly reinforced by frilled armbands and large rope belts fastened by carabiners. For more contrast, pale pin-dot leggings offset mirrored stacked heels. Despite her admission of a learning curve, the sum of the collection's parts felt like familiar Branquinho territory: delicate yet determined. Nothing, ultimately, was left unresolved.
29 September 2014
Sometimes the idea animating a collection is so good it has a master-of-the-obvious quality. How is it possible that no one before Veronique Branquinho ever thought to translate classic fabrics such as denim and wool check into sketch prints made from ballpoint pens? Branquinho said she used about a hundred Bics while creating the prints for this collection; she also explained that the idea for the ballpoint prints was born of her frustration at not being able to use the winter-weight fabrics she loves. A ballpoint-print version of a natty check, used in one of Branquinho's signature mannish suits, was one way past that dilemma. Another was the scribbly denim print that the designer whipped up into A-line maxi skirts with gold buttons and safari pockets.Pacethat maxi skirt, there was a bit of a seventies thing going on, elaborated in the ballpoint-print maxi dresses, which Branquinho said paid homage to Leonard. All this Bic-ness could have gotten a bit tiresome, but Branquinho exercised her usual restraint, and anyway, there was also a fair amount of non-Bic stuff to see here, too. About half the collection riffed on sunset colors—pink, orange, prune—and there were also pieces that picked up a loose uniform theme, like the embossed basket-weave jacket in gold. The latter items will get a warm reception from customers, especially the bright pink and orange blouses trimmed in black vinyl. And that was another idea that came off master-of-the-obvious: Maybe you never realized you wanted a bright pink ruffle-collar blouse trimmed in black vinyl, but,duh,of course you do.
10 June 2014
Much the same way that Magritte painted a pipe only to reject its pipe-ness, Veronique Branquinho depicted Scottish themes in a defiantly un-Scottish way (she played a similar slant last season with a non-Mod theme). By opening the show with Black Watch tartan, closing it with Harris tweed, and interspersing those with some Fair Isle, she paid her respect to the land of haggis and haar. Yet all that shimmer and shine functioned as a foil, distancing the collection from the convenient associations.In silhouette terms, Branquinho didn't push any boundaries, and to hear one editor nearby whisper "I have that same long trench from her early days" made it seem like a deliberate decision. For a while, the Belgian designer possessed the cult-forming, directional sense that Phoebe Philo leverages today. And she hasn't lost her touch; witness the mohair short-sleeve sweaters (in chalk stripe and tartan) she paired with filmy blue, Lurex plissé skirts. Likewise the sexy perfecto gilet, also in the blue-green Black Watch. Whereas the textural trompe l'oeil of paillettes mimicking Fair Isle and cable Aran knits was Branquinho at her most creative, the tailored gray flannel menswear was the designer at her most polished. All those fluoro accents—red interior piping, orange sleeves, and a band of cable knitting up the back of fishnet tights—served as small decorative disruptions that gave the collection a youthful spark. Or maybe it wasn't youthful—that would be too simplistic for Branquinho. It will be fun to wear, either way.
2 March 2014
Expect the unexpected. That saying suited the new Veronique Branquinho collection to a T: The designer's emphasis this season was on creating surprising contrasts in her clothes, but she went about it in a way that made those mash-ups seem natural, and even inevitable.Seamlessis the correct word, for instance, to describe some of Branquinho's standout looks here, in which she deployed an Italian technique for reweaving fabrics together to make one new textile. The boldest execution was found in her short shift dresses, horizontally striped in panels of varying color and texture, but she also used the method well in her cozy mohair coats and checked wool trousers. Elsewhere, the mash-ups were more conceptual, with a natty wool trench recut as a cape, and crispy poplin shirting festooned with, as the designer put it, "historical sleeves." The sleeve construction was really impressive, but—as is characteristic for Branquinho—the effect was sotto voce. This was a collection that rewarded close attention.
6 January 2014
Just don't call this collection mod. Veronique Branquinho had scores of people to hug backstage—friends seemed relieved that she once again opted for a runway show (the Belgian designer returned to the catwalk last September after a three-year hiatus) —but she also took a moment to shoot down the idea that the collection was a nod to the sixties.In one sense, that was obvious; no explanation necessary. Filmy, sheer, and iridescent lamé fabrics were more otherworldly than other-timely. There was an equally strong impression made by the elongated shape Branquinho applied to her bomber, blazer, and motorcycle jackets. Even the ribbon ends from a placket drifted untethered from the shirt as if they had outgrown their natural boundary. And while Branquinho alone cannot steer people toward this new shape, she made a strong case for its freshness.The less persuasive elements were comparatively less significant: Diagonal lines that bisected the torso and outsized frilly cuffs (sometimes removed from shirtsleeves and worn like oversized bracelets) did not jibe naturally with the collection. The wood plank staging also seemed unusual in light of so much shimmer. Branquinho revealed that she loves natural materials, and the way that crystals may be brilliant but originate in a dark place—just like her kohl-eyed models. This notion of duality makes for a good sound bite, but goes deeper than necessary. On the other hand, Branquinho didn't need to do much explaining in regard to a final series of white poplin shirts, all echoing the earlier looks. Here, with seemingly less effort, she nailed the timelessness she tried to convey elsewhere.
29 September 2013
Veronique Branquinho presented her first Resort collection for her recently revived brand here in New York this week. Re-establishing her identity on the runway after a several-year absence has been a tricky process; it hasn't been entirely clear what she wants to say.Her new lineup has begun to address that issue. Its foundation was the smart, no-nonsense tailoring she made her name with. A simple bordeaux pantsuit looked smart with a blue and white banker-stripe shirt in cotton voile. She also had a great pair of coats, something that many Resort collections have been strangely lacking. The first was a parka with a generous cape back, and the second, a special trench with kimono sleeves. Complementing the tailoring were unconstructed silk shifts. They had a simple ease about them, but what made the dresses winning was the 17th-century still life by Dutch artist Rachel Ruysch that Branquinho reproduced on them, borrowing the painting's bold hues—marigold, turquoise, and that bordeaux again—for graphic color-blocked designs.
11 June 2013
There were so many intriguing tickles in Veronique Branquinho's collection today: armfuls of wooden bracelets that evoked Man Ray's iconic portrait of the fabulous Nancy Cunard; a soundtrack that embraced Ian Curtis intoning "Ceremony" and Marilyn Monroe crooning "One Silver Dollar"; clothes that married a Dietrich-precise Deco languor with the primal fuzz of the animal kingdom; an obi/chastity belt. Sit back and picture what that kind of mix should add up to. Eclectic, yes, and yet what actually came out on the catwalk had an almost clinical restraint. It did, however, support Branquinho's insistence that there was no big theme. "I wanted to evoke sophistication," she said.She was loving the length of an elongated pencil skirt. Not retro—a modern way to do a long-skirted look, Branquinho felt. And that was clearly a challenge she set herself elsewhere, because she scooped up a whole lot of relatively old-fashioned notions and fired them out onto the catwalk. Herringbone, plaid, animal prints, cowboy hats and studs, a safari jacket that could have been plucked from Katharine Hepburn's closet…the show desperately needed an edit. And the clothes? With the camel that opened the show, Branquinho took us back to the elegantly monochrome moment in her designer past when her acolytes swooned. It's a joy to think that she had Nancy Cunard on her mind while she was designing this collection. Maybe it would help if she tied the conviction of her earlier self to the who-cares quality of that particular muse.
25 February 2013
The last time Veronique Branquinho trod the boards was three years ago. Today was, she said, "a fresh start, more adult, more elegant." She almost nailed it. There was something casually patrician/grown-up about a floor-length, black and white striped polo dress in piqué, or a sleeveless shirtdress, also floor-length, in forest green, or a big-sleeved white blouse over a long, black skirt, unbuttoned for effect. Those looks made it obvious that Branquinho had moved on up to a more womanly level of sophistication. Elongation will do that.And the story she toldwasa long one, in floor sweepers whose classical inflection—as in oracle of Delphi—was enhanced by pleating or metallic beading or a coppery laminate, which Branquinho confessed to being a little nervous about. It's so easy for that effect to nudge on cheap, especially when it clings. But here, her gowns had a shimmering fluidity.The he/she dialogue that was always Branquinho's design signature was evident in the collection's jacket, a variant of a jean style given a sophisticated twist with some pleated volume. The designer punctuated the dress parade with those slouchy pants her fans once loved her for. Some of them were ultra-wide and buttoned down the side, so they scarcely interrupted the floor-sweeping flow that was ultimately the real point of the collection.
24 September 2012
Guests were greeted by small white-leather envelopes perched atop dust bags marked "Delvaux." Veronique Branquinho, the Belgian designer, has recently been named the luxury-goods house's artistic director. Presumably that means her own nearly 12-year-old label will benefit from an influx of cash—which would surely come in handy in a climate like this one. Tellingly, she had traded in her former show venue, a gloomy third-arrondissement garage, for a well-lit new space.Location aside, this was a fairly typical Fall for Branquinho, mixing masculine and feminine elements and weaving a lot of knitwear in with the tailoring and drapery. (Among the sweaters, a chunky hand-knit cream-colored knee-length cardigan stood out.) While others have shown an awful lot of black on their runways in the past few weeks, she worked predominantly in shades of white and ivory, an optimistic choice that may make this collection a beacon for buyers.At the top of their list? An ivory smoking jacket with satin lapels worn with a long, narrow charmeuse skirt (hemmed with Mongolian lamb) that looked like a winner in the runway-to-reality stakes.
6 March 2009
Chalk it up to her late time slot or the inconvenient location, but Veronique Branquinho has fallen off the radar for a lot of big editors and retailers. The fact that she's no longer the new kid on the block probably plays into it, too: The cool hunters have chewed up and spit out a couple of generations of "next big things" since she first hit the scene in 1998.But those who've stuck around noticed a positive development this evening. Last season, a heavy, awkward silhouette sometimes got the best of her; here, she lightened things up considerably, starting with the landscape prints—mountain, desert, ocean—that decorated easy shifts. The suits with which she made her name were back to their simple-chic proportions, too. Instead of tricking out the shoulders, she spliced strips of futuristic-looking iridescent material into the jackets and trousers. But the dominant look here was a loose, oversize vest, worn as a jacket over shorts, that negotiated the delicate balance between pulled-together and edgy. It just might draw some eyes back her way.
29 September 2008
An ocean backdrop, the sound of breaking waves, a summer collection…ah, yes, but Veronique Branquinho is from Antwerp, so the sea she was thinking of was probably a chilly Nordic body of water, rather than some balmy tropical spot. And there, in a nutshell, was the existential crux of her collection. She mentioned a road trip in her show notes, and a tee sported the message "The highway is for gamblers." But the Talking Heads song on the soundtrack was "Road to Nowhere," so the gambler clearly lost.There is surely no better designer than Branquinho to dress him when he's down. A dark, glazed linen suit for those darkest hours before the dawn, a tequila sunrise-colored tux jacket for those moments of false elation, a pinstripe all-in-one for that giddy plunge into oblivion—you could create a character arc in the minutes her show took to unspool. And, should you be more inclined to simply reflect on the items the designer was offering for the upcoming season, you might notice the ingenuity of sweaters that disappeared into their own little pocket, the incongruity of shorts over leggings—or the ankle-lacing shoes.
25 June 2008
After a dress-heavy tenth-anniversary Spring show, Veronique Branquinho narrowed her sights on tailoring. She placed the emphasis for Fall on a strong, built-up shoulder, in which you could see references to her fellow Belgian Martin Margiela, if you were looking. What made her jackets and coats her own were their touchable fabrics—gray flannel, astrakhan-imprinted rabbit fur, and plaid mohair—not to mention her penchant for layering their matching straight and A-line skirts over skinny faux-leather leggings. Branquinho likes to play the buttoned-up against the edgy.That came across in a number of sleeveless, V-neck, drop-waist nylon dresses. Worn over slim turtlenecks, they had something of the school uniform about them, save for the artful patchworks of fabrics built into their accordion-pleated skirts. Jersey shifts color-blocked in heather gray and black, and lace frocks in copper or emerald green rounded out an understated collection. Branquinho didn't add much to this season's fashion conversation, but the smart, self-possessed girls who number among her fans will find things to like.
25 February 2008
"I wanted to make it much cleaner, with a lot of attention on construction," said Véronique Branquinho backstage. "A lot of details were erased." Paradoxically, the tactic only served to up the design quotient in her latest collection. Its effects were particularly alluring in an evening group of gray flannel tuxedos (they also came in beige), where even the cummerbund was flannel. In such a context, one did tend to notice the cut of the jackets, as well as the new volume in the trousers. Items like a gray flannel biker jacket and an evening shirt made from the same fabric were an oddly seductive variant on the mutant vibe that is a Branquinho signature. Elsewhere, she warped a cape and a duffel coat into one piece. A trench and a Tyrolean loden coat were also combined. As for a driving coat in a blanket check of brown and black, it wasn't exactly a hybrid, but it sure looked good. These repurposed outerwear classics were the most interesting pieces in the collection, largely because they looked completely thought through. Overall, it was this considered quality that made the collection so much more appealing than Branquinho's last few presentations, where "authenticity" spelled ennui.
19 January 2008
Veronique Branquinho is celebrating a decade in business. To mark the occasion, images of her clothes in magazines over the years flashed at the back of the runway and a group of girls in argyle capes from her Fall collection marched out to distribute copies ofA Magazine, a fashion publication the designer recently guest-curated.For Spring, as has been her wont lately, Branquinho treaded ever so lightly among today's trends, making them subtly her own. We've seen lots of long on the runways, and she cut her bright cotton Victorian skirts, tie-dye dresses, and pleated and tiered evening numbers down to the floor. The season's improbably everywhere pant, the dhoti, was in the mix. And the colors were strong: yellow, green, and royal blue. In the midst of all this were several jackets—the best being a lanky black blazer—that demonstrate why she'll still be around in 2017.One nagging thought: The anniversary might've offered a chance to explore the sharp yet feminine tailoring that, in the late nineties, won Branquinho legions of fans as fastidious and understated as she is. Witness the fabulous black pantsuit she took her bow in, trailing a silk scarf behind her: It was grown-up and cool, and some in the audience left craving a bit more of the same.
1 October 2007
The crowd was packed sardine-tight, fine for a club gig by Monky Pussy, but unfortunately the band was performing at old friend Véronique Branquinho's show in the Bourse, so the discomfort factor wasn't quite so tolerable. It did, however, unwittingly supply some of the rawness that Branquinho claimed she was after. Her resolutely drab collection had the thrown-together casualness of a Sunday morning visit to the corner store—you know it's unlikely you'll see anyone you recognize, so you chuck a jacket over your pajamas and slip on a pair of flip-flops (which reveals that, at some point in the evening's festivities, someone painted your toenails silver). That loosey-goosey morning-after-the-night-before vibe attached itself to the baggy silhouette, to trousers whose hems trailed on the floor, to stretched-out knits and T-shirts that looked like old band souvenirs. Branquinho said she wanted to mix real clothes with touches of the exotic, like the Mongolian closings on a shirt, or the kimono sleeves on a trench, but these details were too minor to infuse her shabby chic with much vim.
29 June 2007
The wide-leg trouser is giving the sexy, skinny pant—dominant for the last couple of seasons—a serious run for its money. Veronique Branquinho, the Belgian designer with a knack for chicly understated tailoring, made them her focal point for Fall."I was interested in new volumes," she said backstage. "Wider, A-line shapes for dresses, coats, and trousers." She dismissed the idea that she was referencing the seventies, but hints of the Me Decade could be seen not only in the elongated silhouette created by ponchos but also in the muted, but not somber, color palette and in the socks worn with chunky high-heeled sandals. Still, Branquinho was right that there was nothing retro about this collection.This is one of Paris' quieter shows, and due to inconvenient, out-of-the-way locations and an overcrowded schedule, it doesn't always get the attention it deserves. But loyalists have been wise to stick with her. The cocoon made from interlocking diamonds of wool, cashmere, and other knits; the forest-green cape with the foreshortened, peaked shoulders; and the sophisticated way she cut and matched plaids all showed a renewed confidence. This was one of her strongest shows in years.
27 February 2007
Véronique Branquinho chose the library of the Automobile Club of France as the venue for her show, and that granddaddy of a location set the stage for the designer's spin on the wardrobe of a gentleman of a certain age. Presumably there was meant to be some irony involved in the endeavor, but with Tommy James and The Shondells on the sound track, Branquinho captured the style of a particular species of aging groover with an all-too-literal accuracy. A brown corduroy blouson with a smartly flared pair of herringbone slacks needed only a single-malt scotch and logs on the fire to complete the picture of the "modern" man at rest."Honi soit qui mal y pense" was Branquinho's theme. Don't laugh. It's the motto of the oldest knighthood in the world, Britain's Most Noble Order of the Garter, and it means "Shamed be he who thinks evil of it." Maybe the designer was anticipating criticism. Prince Charles is the numero uno Knight of the Garter, and he might be the right customer for these clothes—except that in reality he'd never opt a pair of Branquinho's zipped-ankle trousers or her pinstriped jacket with a knitted lapel.As it happened, this last item showed that the designer has the ability to mutate the classics so that they resonate in the here and now. On the other hand, it was hard to know what to make of a bottle-green velour sweatshirt with Lurex-striped cuffs. Such an item might have descended from Planet Abba, and it was hard not to think shameful thoughts about it.
25 January 2007
A certain Northern reserve is characteristic of Veronique Branquinho's work, so it was a (mostly pleasant) surprise to find her jazzing things up for spring. Judy Garland's rendition of "Over the Rainbow" (as well as tracks by Elvis and the Bee Gees) were on the eclectic soundtrack; the models entered the Palais de la Porte Dorée space through sparkling beaded curtains; and there were tiered, beaded, and fringed jersey Charleston dresses on the runway. Tempered with Branquinho's customary restraint, these pieces worked. She also sent out Empire styles, and a standout ivory shift with a lyric fall at the back.The decorative elements were balanced with the classics-with-a-twist Branquinho's customers crave. This season, she injected a sporty edge, meaning that a trench or a pin-striped Spencer jacket might be paired with a metallic, strapless A-line, or an oxford might top a pair of jogging pants. If the seventies-referencing knicker-length jumpsuits could have been edited out, the slouchy "me era" boots were a cool way to ground this dressier-than-usual outing.
3 October 2006
European menswear designers are dreaming American dreams for spring 2007. Antwerp's Véronique Branquinho settled on Miami as the port of call for her tightly edited, 17-look collection. The reference was literal in a pink tank with a flamingos-at-sunset scene, and the shiny black leather blouson had a hint of the highway patrol about it. Overall, though, Branquinho was less interested in evoking a specific locale than a general atmosphere of heat and sensuality. She did this with clothes that were looser, fresher, and more colorful than her previous collections. Witness creamy peach and yellow knitwear, a sky-blue suit, cotton coveralls in aqua, and a Western shirt in eau de nil.Stir in some lilac and pink, and you were encroaching on Sonny Crockett territory, but Branquinho was makingMiami Nice.A cream silk suit—single button, low closing, with a slight slub—had a confident sexiness that felt new for the designer. Likewise the subtly decorative eveningwear. And a golfing sweater in emerald-green houndstooth added a nice touch of irony.
6 July 2006
With her subdued, dark show, Veronique Branquinho joined a growing group of designers using the tuxedo as a fall leitmotif. Trust the Belgian designer not to play it straight, though. At the beginning, a model came out in tails and men's trousers, a delicate silver chain strung across the lapels serving as the look's one womanly touch. By the end, she had a model wearing a slim, knee-length black skirt, the back of which resembled the bottom of that earlier tail coat. And in between, there were plenty more of these intriguing if sometimes overly fussy conceits: an elongated striped vest over matching pants that looked more like an apron dress from behind; neckties made from shining chain mail; and satin girdles topping button-down shirts and peeking out above boyish pants.The play between masculine and feminine is hardly unfamiliar territory for Branquinho. For her men's show in January, she presented his and her versions of trench coats, furs, and Aran knits. So it was surprising that the fit was sometimes off, as it was on a standup-collar cropped jacket and a pair of elaborate pants with part of a vest seemingly attached at the waistband like a sort of makeshift cummerbund. Where she looked more assured was with her fine knits and a pair of silk velvet dresses, one in emerald, the other champagne, the back zippers of which were shown provocatively unzipped. They weren't complicated, and that's what made them so sexy.
28 February 2006
"I'm a diehard romantic," said Véronique Branquinho as she reflected on the logic behind her latest presentation. "I wanted the feeling of partners in crime, Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin, Bob Dylan and Joan Baez…" So couples stood motionless, posed against a blank wall as if for a mug shot, wearing "his and hers" versions of the same item: a trench, a parka, a three-piece suit, Arran knits, a peacoat, all things Branquinho described as "my favorite pieces ever."There was some ingenuity to the project—for example, in the way pinstriped trousers transmogrified into a skirt, or a tuxedo shirt dyed blue was extended into a shirtdress. They were the most obvious ripostes to any notion of unisex (an idea that appeals to Branquinho not a jot). That said, the designer was also happy on occasion to let the variables of gender-sizing communicate the ideal of the masculine and the feminine—witness the three-piece suit in white corduroy, or a white peajacket over a black rollneck.This last ensemble looked like the sort of pleasingly narcissistic outfit Lou Reed and Nico might have shared at Warhol's Factory in the mid-sixties, a time and place Branquinho continues to be irresistibly drawn to.
30 January 2006
One of the last looks in Veronique Branquinho's spring show exemplified the kind of effortless, understated chic for which the label has always stood—a dark charcoal dress that fell almost trapeze-like from the bust to the knees, with deep pleats down one side of the body. Trenchcoats and sheaths with built-in capes looked similarly cool, especially when paired with bicep-grazing black leather gloves: It was easy to imagine the hipper members of the audience thinking to themselves, "Good idea."There weren't a lot of those to go around, though. Sweatshirt-gray jerseys and fine-gauge sweaters worn with pencil skirts were pretty enough, but hardly earthshaking, and there were too many jumpsuits with elasticized waists. The smartly tailored tuxedo pants and smoking jackets that closed the show were winners, but not so the mint-color strapless leotards and leggings Branquinho showed with the majority of the collection. They looked like what they were: styling gimmicks whipped up to distract from a dearth of strong concepts.
4 October 2005
Véronique Branquinho had a young Bob Dylan in mind when she was designing her latest men's collection. The walls of her showroom were lined with photos of a Dylan look-a-like, and the racks were hung with clothes whose narrow silhouette and amphetamine-sharp detailing recalled Bob at his mid-'60s spiffiest.But Branquinho was also looking to play with some contradictions. So her business-y striped shirt came in silk, not cotton, and was just too bright to be conservative. Similarly, closer observation revealed that the pinstriped trousers it was worn with were actually jeans. Therewasa proper pinstriped suit, but it was paired with a shirt in a tropical hibiscus print too dark to be truly summery (some incongruous military detailing pushed the sense of dislocation further).Some of Branquinho's contrasts were subtle (like a trench coat that closed with buttonsanda zipper), but some weren't—sweats with a blazer, for instance, or a machine-washable evening suit. The overall effect was of a nonchalant dressiness.
11 July 2005
It's official: Veronique Branquinho has gone over to the dark side, showing an entirely black collection for fall. Not that she had far to go; this is a designer who's always had a taste for the gothic.Although the first outfit's brass-buttoned jacket suggested a military theme to follow, the collection ultimately focused on basics—blazers and sweaters, knee-length skirts, and beautifully cut pants, most in sturdy wools and leather. Branquinho's forays into menswear (she launched her first men's collection in January 2003) have clearly influenced her thinking; other clues to what this collection was about could be found in the music (Depeche Mode and Kate Bush) and several hip toppers with an eighties feel—like a windbreakery number on Caitriona Balfe and a leather jerkin-meets-motorcycle-jacket on Katia Kokoreva.
1 March 2005
A stage set with two dozen young women seated inEmmanuellepeacock chairs and a soundtrack sampled from Barry White: Oh, baby, we're back in the seventies. But Veronique Branquinho's focus is hardly on soft-focus erotica; instead, she's thinking about the smart girl at the party, who exudes smoldering self-possession from the corner of the room.This season, the Branquinho girl is projecting her reserved good taste from behind a curtain of long, pretty, blow-dried hair. She has a knack—maddening to her more showy competitors—for choosing understated pieces that are just right. She'll pick out a light tweed jacket and put it with a soft, romantic skirt and boots, or look fantastic just by wearing a slinky, striped knit and slender pants—and winding a long silk scarf round her neck. She's also one of the first to realize that a long skirt is a great way to go at this particular moment. Day or night, Branquinho has many ideas along those lines—from wrap jersey dresses to full-length halter gowns—guaranteed to turn heads without ever shrieking for attention.
5 October 2004
With a simple dimming of the lights and the switching on of a projector, Veronique Branquinho transformed a downbeat Paris dance hall into a midnight woodland—stark trees silhouetted on the walls, will-o'-the-wisp mist rolling ankle-deep across the floor. Into that magical setting, she sent a new take on her reserved but strangely forceful vision of young, self-respecting womanhood. From the moment her first long-silhouetted girl began stepping her way through the mist in a wax-coated jacket, ankle-length jersey skirt, and high glossy boots, it was clear the audience was in for an experience out of the ordinary. "I wanted it to be strong but elegant—and intimate," she said.With covered-up primness a growing trend this season, Branquinho is firmly on the territory she began staking out with her first Victorian-influenced collection in 1997. Yet as high-necked and unrevealing as her clothes may be—from the turtleneck tweed blousons to the silk print long-sleeve shirt-dresses—there is nothing in the least bit dowdy about them. Instead, her look has the quiet sexual power of the girl who knows she needn't flicker so much as an eyelash to turn heads.The hallmarks of Branquinho's clothes are part seventies Ali MacGraw, part Brontë heroine, and entirely Antwerp individualist: lanky lines, a slightly puff-sleeved shoulder line, wrap dresses, and accessories like long knitted scarves. For winter, she's also added sparkle to the look, in brown or cobalt sequinned skirts and vests. Balanced beautifully between romanticism and realism, this was a collection that sent the audience out chattering with admiration.
3 March 2004
Veronique Branquinho resists categorization. Though a citizen of Antwerp, she’s never been a Belgian Goth—but neither does she quite belong to the sunny, frilly side of fashion. Her focus, instead, is on making clothes that will allow young women to enjoy their femininity without somehow compromising their dignity. Her summer centers around just a few sound, unfreakish ideas: plain satin shift dresses and lace-trimmed slips, fine decorative camisoles and pleated wrap skirts.Branquinho’s sensitive details include wing-shaped beaded motifs on the front of T-shirts, sheer trimmings at the base of scooped-out backs, and lace bandeau bras as underpinnings. She methodically offers those pieces, without fanfare or conceptual presentation, in black, cream, or vibrant vermilion. The mixed black-and-white striped print, or the occasional trenchcoat and ombré-dyed dress shading from brown to red varied her message. It didn’t qualify as one of the blockbusters of Paris fashion week, but when it comes down to summer wearability, Branquinho’s contribution on the subjects of lingerie and dresses looks appealingly practical.
8 October 2003
Veronique Branquinho designs clothes with her fellow women in mind, appealing to a feminine sense of what’s pretty and what works. The result is a refreshing lack of flashy, over-the-top sexiness, a chic, bookish, often delicious decorum holding sway instead. This season was no exception, as Branquinho delivered on all her signature looks: leggings worn with knee-high boots, V-neck cocktail slips, tweedy knee-length skirts, woven crisscross straps and a mostly muted palette.She opened the show with a grouping of smartest-girl-at-the-party black dresses, slim pants and inventive overcoats—one with long, loose, knee-skimming sleeves and another that incorporated a structured capelet that hit at the elbow. Things soon lightened up with subtly twinkling rose-petal dresses, which, Branquinho said later, were inspired by her recent fascination with ice-dancing competitions. They then loosened up via chunky toggle-closure cardigans and knee-length pleated kilts that recalled theLove Story–era Ali MacGraw. Highly covetable windowpane-plaid shirtdresses had an equally ’70s collegiate feel; they conjured visions of a longhaired grad student throwing on one of her boyfriend’s well-worn button-downs and cinching it with a folksy leather belt before heading off to her advanced existentialism seminar.What distinguished this collection from Branquinho past, however, was the higher level of elegance. There was a new sparkle—in the black dresses embroidered with silver thread, in the shimmering Lurex ballerina sweaters and in the thin jersey tops painted with gleaming platinum flames. It was as if the intellectual Belgian had taken a well-deserved break from her studies to hit the disco—or, at least, the skating rink.
6 March 2003
Veronique Branquinho's work is a form of passive resistance to the onslaught of questionable trends. Others see young women dressing ultrasexy for spring? Really? Branquinho, a young woman herself, simply blanks that out as she continues to explore the idea of quiet strength.That doesn't make her a total separatist, though. Her cool form of romanticism has taken fashion's current yen for soft and silky, and run it through fluid, vaguely '40s shapes like bodice-hugging dresses and asymmetrical skirts. There's a delicacy as well to the crisscross straps in her tops or a camisole covered with silver coins.She loves to layer—putting a dress over cuffed trousers with leggings—which could be seen as a trifle stifling when bare skin is all around. But then again, summer in Antwerp is a different animal. And where Belgians lead, others have been known to follow.
3 October 2002
Veronique Branquinho has a remarkable talent for treading lightly through the season's important trends while never showing a single piece that could be called "trendy." Take lamé or collage and contrast fabrics or trompe l'oeil dresses. Or then again, take knit-art, velvet, satin, military, men's wear influences, and all those indescribable nuances of pale, dusted-to-nothing tones of pink, misty grays, oyster and fawn. Branquinho has it all, and still emerges looking like no one but herself.The gold lamé came muted and antiqued—and excused of all vulgarity—in a long sleeved peasant dress with a square bib of brocade. The knits included jacquard turtlenecks, patterned like Victorian wallpaper and fluted dresses with full, striped skirts. Branquinho showed khaki bombers sometimes with her signature gathered yoke, and new versions of the coats with the tiny puff in the shoulder line she originated in the late '90s.Branquinho's approach encompasses both a non-wimpy sense of poetry and real wearability. She cuts a flattering mannish pant, a fabulous tailored velvet jacket and has the kind of stacked narrow-heeled boots that will make absolutely everything in a woman's wardrobe work for fall. She's also got the skill to experiment on classic and even frumpy ideas, tipping them into avant-garde territory. Her versions of Chanel tweed suits, cut narrow and with the edges left frayed, are certain to wield star influence next season.
11 March 2002
Veronique Branquinho was at her best for Spring, creating the kind of precisely conceived clothes that defy flash-in-the-pan trends to achieve classic status.This is a designer who can make basics—prim, proper blazers paired with masculine white shirts and sharply creased trousers—look exceptional, thanks to her fastidious sense of proportion and color. Even that much reviled '80s staple, the acid-washed jean, looked dignified here, paired with a sharp jacket and glittery white pumps. A street-smart, no-nonsense parka was given an intriguing twist thanks to a tunnel belt and drawstring hem, while Branquinho's unassuming skirts and dresses, with their gentle pleats and asymmetric panels, were often belted nonchalantly with a wide men's tie.Branquinho is one of those rare talents who can make the quietest statements speak volumes.
8 October 2001
In fashion, the most powerful statement is sometimes understatement. Veronique Branquinho is one of those rare talents who can transform seemingly ordinary looks into absolutely poetic ensembles.Branquinho's subtle touch made contrasting turtleneck-and-tunic combinations seem positively dreamy; perfectly proportioned tuxedos dazzled with brightly colored lapels and linings. Even the all-black segment of the show—distressed jackets, patchwork velvet dresses and knit jumpers—was serene and uplifting rather than angst-ridden. But the designer really hit her stride when she breathed new life into the most conventional wardrobe staples. With an unerring sense of color, Branquinho paired a camel pea coat with a coppery-brown turtleneck and a perfect pair of navy pants; casual overcoats came with tunnel belts that created a slight gather in the back; the tiniest drizzle of glitter on a V-neck sweater or on the cuff of a simple top spoke volumes.Rather than scampering for attention-grabbing gimmicks every season, Branquinho is quietly and consistently turning out impeccable and sensible clothes, positioning herself as one of the most self-assured designers of her generation.
12 March 2001