Fashion | Wolf. by Sofie Claes FW 2012

Every once and a while you stumble upon a brand.. and BOOM, you fall in love with it on the spot. That happened to me when I first came upon Wolf. by Sofie Claes, one of Belgium’s latest designer talents. Having studied at Esmod Paris and at the Amsterdam Fashion Institute, she currently runs her own atelier in Antwerp. As it turned out my connection with the brand wasn’t so surprising, because Sofie and I share a love for Belgian and Japanese brands that have a similar aesthetic. I just love how she manages to create these incredibly powerful and yet simple silhouettes that have a somewhat futuristic feel, but can perfectly be worn present day.

In a nutshell her work can be described as minimalistic, geometric, timeless and excellent craftsmanship. The WOLF. woman is strong, creative, inspiring, down-to-earth and just a little bit mysterious, a vision that is perfectly reflected in the designs. The garments also make a great clash between fashion, function and comfort, as they are produced with the essence of each garment in mind.

The F/W collection is a sequel of S/S 2012 which was inspired by Suprematism* and continues the exploration of geometry in contemporary design. While in the last collection the square and the cross where used primarily, the main figure of A/W 2012 is the triangle. Different shapes and a mixture of dimensions are giving the designs strength in a delicate way. The silhouettes are constructed with fine compositions of geometric lines. Rocks are translated into digital prints and are giving a new structure to denim and silk. Black, Grey and White colors are mixed into fabrics like an old black & white picture with a lot of grain. Deep red wine and a rusty color make the image complete.

Just when I thought the SS 2012 collection was pure perfection, I get this thrown in my face. And I don’t mean it in a bad way, it just pains me the pieces are out of this poor student’s price range (so much wish list material)! The F/W collection is a mix of perfectly tailored pieces in the most exquisite fabrics and shows off Sofie’s great eye for detail. The sombre color palette of burgundy, ocre and black-white hues is perhaps predictable for f/w, but I wouldn’t have want to see it any other way. It only enhances the image of the strong and independent WOLF. woman I love and adore. In case you haven’t noticed, I joined Sofie’s wolf pack a long time ago. And now it’s your turn.

Wolf. by Sofie Claes is available online at l’établissement.com and at Konzept86 in Berlin.

For more WOLF. by Sofie Claes visit www.wolfbysofieclaes.com