(Part 6)
Demeulemeester agreed her show is her main communication tool, and she prefers to invest other available monies in the product itself, or developing businesses like her men`s wear collection. "I never, ever put attention on my label, or my name. When I meet someone in the street, I want to meet a person, not a label," she explained.
Celebrity dressing, meanwhile, is avoided mainly for reasons of integrity.
"I far more prefer celebrities to choose the clothes because they want to wear them, not because I`m giving it to them," said Demeulemeester.
What`s more, she argued that the person must feel good in the clothes she is wearing in order to appear attractive. "Clothing is very personal. You have your mind, you have your skin and then there is clothing," Demeulemeester said. "It`s something really deep."
Belgian designers also have never pursued the leather goods business, the engine of today`s luxury boom that at some major brands overshadows sales of ready-to-wear. It`s a profitable and high-growth category that has compelled many designers to link up with big conglomerates, Jil Sander`s initial hookup with Prada being one famous example.
While some Belgian designers have made considerable inroads into the shoe business, Demeulemeester, for one, characterized that as a consequence of need. "I never found shoes that pleased me," she said. "In handbags, there is more choice."