One of the things I really like about Camiel Fortgens is how he takes this no-nonsense approach to creating clothing. It's all terribly personal and based almost entirely on Fortgens' desire to make clothing he'd like to wear.
There's some compromise in there — Fortgens attempted to abandon the raw, frayed hems that once were his signature but kept them due to retailer and fan demand — but the Dutch designer basically sticks to what he likes.
Well, it could be weirder, as Fortgens recently told me but at the core of the Camiel Fortgens brand is a persistent strain of almost rebellious normality.
Rather than pay lip service to current trends or fashion movements, for instance, Fortgens continues to repurpose a core set of silhouettes season after season, occasionally accenting his staple silhouettes with a smattering of newness.
There's Fortgens' fabulously disproportionate cropped mac jackets, boxy T-shirts cut from thick jersey, sloping hoodies, elastic-waisted easy pants, and pochette-like crossbody bags, all distinguished by fabric alone.
For Spring/Summer 2023, those same styles return in lighter weight fabrications alongside some new standouts.
From the experimental Research line, Fortgens' personal favorite, there's a zippered cardigan with shirt sleeves and a T-shirt that's been lengthened and sliced at both sleeve and collar, affecting the appearance of a T-shirt dress mid-decomposition.
This speaks to why I find Camiel Fortgens' work so satisfying. Like some of my other favorite young European labels, Fortgens works within the realm of familiar clothing.
Except, instead of merely making more normal-ass shirts and slacks, Fortgens toys with proportion, silhouette, and composition in ways that undercut the normalcy that so often inspires him.
All of Fortgens' work is imminently wearable but never boring. Approachable and adventurous. That's all you can ask for.
