Antoine Peters – who is known for his ‘A sweater for the world!’ project, which is a sweater he designed with the goal of bringing the world together – presented his collection for the third time at the Amsterdam International Fashion Week.
It proved to be a presentation full of surprises, humor, color and ‘showstopper momentss’ from start to finish. The show at the Westergas location burst from its hinges because of the massive attendance, including actresses such as Hanna Verboom and Hadewych Minis, and couture designers Jan Taminiau and Frans Molenaar. For the first time in history the official fashion week venue could not be closed.
The collection, with the title ‘Fat people are harder to kidnap’, was translated in a surprisingly humorous way by means of an intelligent play of extremes in materials, prints, silhouettes and concept.
The show started with a playful translation of the straitjacket, which was a complex construction of sleeves the length of 5 meters that could be separated and worn as a skirt or sweater.
The faces of all the models seemed to be sunken in and the mouths were shut by silver and red duct tape, which was placed on in the shape of a smile. The collection became more colorful because of the addition of luxury denim and because of the print of the collection. The collection title was in the shape of a ‘ransom note’ with cut-out letters using the logos of fashion houses, media corporations, and fast-food chains.
Antoine says: “The collection actually started from the humorous title that I once wrote down, and that combined with the simple yet complex challenge to amalgamate a small T-shirt with a 10XL T-shirt, with a renewing silhouette and elegance being the result.”
Thick and thin, and large and small proportions have been brought together within the outfits in several ingenious ways. Highlights included elegant sweaters with nice, overly long sleeves, an evening dress that is based on only a sleeve shape, a mega-sweater which is knitted from the bands of jogging from dozens of other sweaters, and an unwrapped little black dress. The show concluded with two bride’s dresses based on enormous jeans, which proved to be particularly elegant.
Antoine states: “I love to play with extremes and proportions in materials, prints, silhouettes and concept. By mixing or even merging these extremes I try to create something new and fresh. For this collection, it resulted in the ancient question of ‘thick versus thin’. My whole presentation pleads for being fat, but with a slightly ironical tone beneath the surface. In fact I do not even answer this question – the whole point was a small fashion party!”
Antoine Peters is known for his A SWEATER FOR THE WORLD! project; a 2-person sweater with the goal to photograph as many ‘different kinds of people’ as possible wearing it. These big series of pictures with a weird fun collection of people show ONE world with different kind of styles, ages, points of view,
values, religions and imaginations.
Peters’ concepts are generally based on undermining and commenting on those things that work against the bringing together of people. This serious statement is brought forth in a light manner, with the arising of a new perspective being the result. He takes classics such as the t-shirt, jeans, and sweaters and injects them with a huge dose of elegance by means of pattern techniques, draping and mixing materials.
Antoine Peters studied at the Art Academy in Arnhem (NL) as well the master course Fashion Institute Arnhem (NL). Peters has working experience at Viktor & Rolf and the Dutch Avantgarde magazine.
Antoine also initiates and participates in projects like the concept direction, design and realization of dance(costumes) in collaboration with Positive Sensations. He has dressed actress Hadewych Minis for Nadine the movie in collaboration with DFF, created the KILLING FASHION installation/collection for the Dutch Fashion Biennale and is a guest teacher at the Arnhem Academy of Art and Design.
Antoine was a finalist at the last editions of Apolda design award, the international Mittelmoda award 2005 and 2006 and the FM couture award 2005 and 2006. Antoine hopes – by developing his projects, label and collaborations – to find soul mates to conquer his own little spot within fashion-wonder-land!
