AF Vandevorst

A.F. Vandevorst

An Vandevorst and Filip Arickx meet in 1987 on their first day of school at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. Ten years later, they set up their company Blixa, and present their first collection as A.F. VANDEVORST in Paris. The current A.F. VANDEVORST line is a complete women’s ready-to-wear line comprising of shoes bags and accessories as well as a pre-collection, called BLACKBOARD, and a complimentary collection called: A.FRIEND by A.F. VANDEVORST. The ready-to-wear collection is developed and produced in Europe with a focus on Belgian manufacturers, while shoes, and accessories are manufactured in Italy.   Press is managed by RMO COMMS in Paris, Pred PR in Tokyo, Nouveau-PR in New York, and Agentur K in Munich. All other aspects of the company – including sales, production, distribution, and finances – are controlled from their Antwerp base by a small, but efficient team of ten employees. A.F. VANDEVORST shows twice a year during the Paris fashion week and in addition presents all new collections equally in its’ own showrooms in Antwerp, Paris, New York and London. The collection is sold at the majority of prestigious shops, and department stores in Paris, New York, London, Tokyo, and Moscow.   A.F. VANDEVORST has always taken on outside projects: there has been the creation of a unique collection for Ruffo Research Italy (2000-2001), as well as for Allegri in Italy (2005). A.F. VANDEVORST has also taken on the project of creating the costumes for the Susan Sontag play “Alice in Bed,” as well as outfits for the Dutch Opera House in Amsterdam. In 2005, An and Filip were asked by MoMu, the renowned Antwerp Fashion Museum, to curate “Katharina Prospekt,” an exhibition based upon the couples’ impressions of Russia. Currently, An and Filip are focusing on reaching out to the global community by establishing AKTION, a travelling Guerilla store, and AKTION DIREKT, a new online shop. With the success of AKTION the designers were invited to create a guest installation at Dover Street Market in London in which a space was created to house the Autumn/Winter 2010 – 2011 collection invoking the spirit of the A.F. VANDEVORST world; as well as a second installation created for Dutch Design Week. Upon completion of the installations A.F. VANDEVORST was then led to win the Belgian ELLE awards for a collaboration with L’AVENTURE in which An and Filip designed a capsule collection for the lingerie brand. A.F. VANDEVORST is a company in full expansion with a keen eye for the future: further developments include A.Friend, a line designed with the same creativity and energy as the main line but with a more affordable price and the opening of their AKTIONEN shops. The company however remains focused on the evolution of the current women’s collection. www.afvandevorst.be

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A.F. Vandevorst Autumn Winter 2013 PFW

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A.F VANDEVORST SPRING SUMMER 2013 PARIS FASHION WEEK

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Florence Welch Wears Spring/Summer 2012 Matthew Williamson Blazer and Trousers and an A.F. Vandevorst Waistcoat to the BBC Radio 1 Studios London Feb’12

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THE SMALLEST TRAVELLING STORE IN THE WORLD IN NY

As an extension of their travelling guerilla store concept, AKTION, which began in Antwerp in 2009 and has since moved to Knokke and Ghent, Belgium, A.F. Vandevorst has subsequently created a completely new and unique idea, The Smallest Travelling Store In The World (TSTSITW).
The purpose behind the AKTION project is not only to present the A.F. Vandevorst image which since it’s debut collection for the Autumn/Winter 1998 season has alluded to a fascination by the starkness of hospital furnishings, the respect commanded by uniforms, the chivalrous attitude and an ever-present equestrian aesthetic but also to reinforce the connection and inspiration that A.F. Vandevorst draws from the art world; further strengthening the complimentary dynamic that art and fashion share.
TSTSITW, a distilled version of AKTION, is meant to be a “shop-in-the-shop” installation bringing together visual elements alongside ideas that illustrate the concept behind the A.F. Vandevorst brand; thus being able to export the A.F. Vandevorst image on a smaller scale.
The installation allows the observer and customer alike to wander into the world of A.F. Vandevorst; the same as if entering into one of the AKTION traveling stores in Belgium. The space begins with a center: a hospital bed. Connected to the bed is a screen with a mirror, a rack of A.F. Vandevorst garments from the current seasons’ collection, a closet, antique dentists’ lamp, cabinet, as well as a television; all mirroring the image of a patients’ room at a hospital, which reinforces the brands’ interest that circles hospitals, hospital uniforms, and medical symbols.
This new travelling installation proves to be a common ground where both fashion and art interact, creating an experience for both viewer and customer while allowing A.F. Vandevorst to continue to show their designs in a unique and special atmosphere which invokes the spirit of the brand.
After debuting the concept in September 2010 at Dover Street Market in London, the installation has since been set-up in the Netherlands to exhibit at the Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven in October 2010, followed by Jones in the Netherlands in conjunction with Arnhem Mode Biennale in June 2011 and Selfridges in London in October 2011. The installation now moves transatlantic to make its’ U.S. debut in New York City at Patron of the New on February 6, two days before New York Fashion Week begins and will be open to the public until February 23 when it breaks down to travel onto the next leg of its’ U.S. tour.

A.F. Vandevorst installation at Selfridges

A.F.Vandevorst bring ‘The smallest travelling store in the world’ to Selfridges London

A.F. Vandevorst is presenting a totally new and unique idea - The A.F. Vandevorst travelling store. The store is meant to be a “shop-in--shop” installation, which brings together visual elements alongside ideas that illustrate the concept behind the A.F. Vandevorst brand. The installation begins with a centre: a hospital bed. Connected to the bed is a screen with a mirror, a rack of A.F. Vandevorst garments, a closet, antique dentists’ lamp, cabinet, as well as a television; all mirroring the image of a patients’ room at a hospital, which reinforces the brands’ interest that circles hospitals, hospital uniforms, and medical symbols. “Delicious” chocolate boxes, the cure to any ailment, complete the installation, alongside the irreplaceable Sansevieria plant; commonplace to a patients’ room. This new travelling installation proves to be a common ground where both fashion, and art interact, creating an experience for both viewer, and customer, while allowing A.F. Vandevorst to continue to show their designs in a unique and special atmosphere.