#BelgiansDoItBetter: Knitwear by Emely Van Impe
Here's an idea: instead of spending all those NY's moneys at high street shops, invest in a piece by a Belgian designer. Our pick? Emely Van Impe's scarves and sweaters, which will keep you warm and cosy while stripe-ing a perfect pose. We caught up with the Belgian designer who just released a video featuring artist Joffrey Anane, to find out more about her collection and its relationship to dance.
Text by Hendrik Wittock, video directed by Jens Karel Deweirdt. Video and images courtesy of Emely Van Impe.
Hi Emely, you present your new collection in a very original way. Do you always do this?
Apart from designing, I have always enjoyed putting together a shoot. I love styling and I like to create a visual identity around a collection. Even when I was still in design school, I was often working on the final presentation, even before the product was finished (laughs).
It seems like dancing is a recurring theme. Could you explain why?
I have always worked closely with Jade Derudder, a dear friend of mine and a talented dancer. On the first shoot we did together, she started to dance without my asking for it, and this resulted in very interesting and somewhat unnerving images. Since then I have always worked with dancers. This wasn't a conscious choice, but dancers know how to look graceful and keep their composure. They help bring my garments to life and make optimal use of the graphic elements that are so important to my collection.
Apart from the strong visual effect, do you think dance elevates your work in another way?
Oh yes! Dance and fashion is a match made in heaven, as far as I'm concerned. Dance makes it easier to get an emotion across. At the same time it also makes me rethink my garments. It provokes me. That is exactly what I want as a designer: to evoke emotion through my clothing. I want people to feel as powerful and sure of themselves while wearing my clothes as I feel while I look at those dancers.
Watch the full video with J Anane on Vimeo. For more information visit Emely Van Impe's website.
Want to see more of J Anane's work? Give him a follow on Instagram and get in line to see what Joke / nouveaupharaon is up to, or listen to the soundtrack on YouTube.
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