The past weekend saw the 33rd edition of the world-renowned Hyères International Festival of Fashion and Photography take place - an unmissable appointment for fashion folk far and wide. Developing and promoting young talent in the cultural fields has always been at the heart of the festival and is an ode to the vision and legacy of festival director Jean- Pierre Blanc who has presided over the competition for more than three decades.
The fashion jury, this year headed by designer Haider Ackermann, and including Tilda Swinton, Farida Khelfa, Delfina Delettrez Fendi, and Lou Doillon, awarded the Première Vision Grand Prize to Rushemy Botter and Lisi Herrebrugh of BOTTER. The Antwerp-based couple presented an inspiring menswear collection paying homage to their mutual Caribbean heritage and touching upon the themes of a dynamic culture and gender fluidity, accompanied by a pinch of playful humour.
The collection was an homage to the distinct style of the Caribbeans with vibrant colour, details, and images symbolic of the evolving, paradisal shores. Coloured fishing nets were converted to belts; accessories included water pistols and blow-up toys - often brought for a day of fun at the beach. Together, the combination of sharp tailoring and casual sportswear resulted in an equally elegant and energetic aesthetic - as did the explosion of deconstructed finishes, splashes of bold pattern and intelligent mixed materials.
As part of the well-deserved prize, Botter and Herrebrugh will be awarded 15,000 euros, a collaboration with Chanel’s Métiers d’Art, and receive a grant of 10,000 euros from Petit Bateau plus additional royalties from the creation of items sold by the brand. Also, Mercedes-Benz will invite BOTTER to present its collection during Berlin Fashion Week’s Spring 2019 collections this July, for the International Designer Exchange Program.
The Chloé Prize was granted to Canadian designer Marie- Eve Lecavalier whose collection stemmed from a luxury rendition of Frank Zappa’s psychedelic visions, reinterpreting 1970’s roots to the present. Her intricately woven leather pieces were particularly impressive in form of structural tops and dresses. Like many finalists, her materials embraced a sustainable approach, employing leftover leather rejected from production and recycled denim.
The Public Prize for Fashion went to Belgian designer Sarah Bruylant, who offered a crafty take on Christian Dior’s New Look. The iconic silhouette was revived through exaggerated bi-dimensional balloon-shaping and given a modern twist through tangy dashes of colour reminiscent of 19th-century French pointillism. Clothes to dream about! Lastly, Ester Manas who produced a series of feel-good, plus-size womenswear, was hand-picked by Galeries Lafayette to create a capsule collection.
The Swarovski Fashion Accessories Prize was awarded to Kate Fichard, Flora Fixy and Julia Dessirier who aimed to shift perceptions on disability through an original project which elevates hearing aids into fine jewelry pieces. Cécile Gray won the Public Prize for Accessories with golden steel, fine mesh accessories designed to compliment and elevate clothes.
For the Festival's Photography Category, the jury, headed by Bettina Rheims, awarded the Grand Prize to Irish-American photographer Eva O'Leary, due to her powerful, raw images of teenagers coming of age.
What distinguished this year’s festival was the overarching desire to create with purpose, in symbolic message and utility. Fashion can no longer be judged only on aesthetic qualities - it must represent greater meaning relevant to society and proactively engage with our own lives. This rising generation of creative talent is consciously sourcing sustainable and ethically produced materials to the point where THIS is the new normal. An alternative for anything less is unthinkable.