Like so many leaders in fashion today, Maison the Faux has been shifting their approach to an ever-evolving industry where nobody knows the real answers. The Amsterdam-based brand had well-established itself as a champion of avant-garde style in the Netherlands, before ultimately deciding to take a break in 2019 from the exhausting fashion week cycles and nonstop demand for new collections.
Co-founders Joris Suk and Tessa DeBoer refocused their energy towards fashion as a “performance discipline rather than a product discipline,” creating work that could live more as art installations than practical ready-to-wear. “After some time, the fashion itch came back,” the duo told PAPER, and they’ve since returned with a capsule bridal collection that signals a new, boutique approach for Maison the Faux.
The comeback drop features four looks and plays up different bridal clichés: the wedding dress, the lingerie, the reception look and, of course, the morning-after hangover fit. “Our maximalist, deconstructed signature is very much present,” Maison the Faux said, “and recurring design elements like 3D print, corsetry and lacing are all there.” They call it “I Love Me More” to pull apart the heteronormative institution of marriage and champion self-love, above all.
Netherlands photographer Sophia Mulder shot the accompanying campaign, featuring Maison the Faux’s blonde “ego-maniacal bride” in bright pink floral environments. “Where before we were trying to break rules, now we are making our own,” the designers said. “Fashion is unpredictable and constantly changing, and as a small company we've learned you need to listen to your gut and follow what feels right.”
Below, PAPER learns more about where Maison the Faux has been and where they’re going. Meanwhile, “I Love Me More” is available made-to-order online.
This is your first collection as Maison the Faux in quite some time. Why the break?
In 2019 we showed our last collection at Amsterdam Fashion Week after many, many shows in Amsterdam, NYC and LA, and, frankly, the system of showing at fashion weeks and creating collections left us feeling drained and unfulfilled artistically. We loved creating the collections, the concepts and putting the shows together, but the high pace and relatively low return that comes with being a niche brand was not something we wanted to keep up with any more.
So we made quite a drastic decision to step out of the grind of fashion weeks and we wanted to explore fashion more on our own terms. We are known for our theatrical shows and performances, and we've always been drawn to fashion, not so much because of the product, but more about the fantasy it serves.
What have you been working on while taking time away from fashion?
Next to creating our collections, we were working as costume designers and scenographers for various theater productions. That sparked the idea to take fashion out of the system of fashion weeks and explore fashion more as a performance discipline rather than a product discipline. It is no longer about what fashion is, but about what fashion can be as an art form. So now we practice fashion as performance instead of pure product design, with the purpose of experiencing fashion rather than consuming. Last year this resulted in a big performance installation called TIMELESSTIME at MU Hybrid Art House [in The Netherlands] that was on display at Dutch Design Week and garnered over 30,000 visitors. We're planning on creating more of these productions.
What sparked the desire to create this collection?
We have been making garments and looks since we stopped showing at fashion weeks, but this our first "real" collection. We needed some distance and space, and really have the time to reflect. After some time, the fashion itch came back quite naturally. We're the biggest fashion lovers you can find, but needed the distance to get excited about it again and also find the perspectives to approach it in new ways. Our plan is now to release concept capsule collections solely through our Boutique and have them either be stand-alone collections or connect them to our performance work. So the looks our performers will be wearing in our performance work will also be available through the Boutique.
Talk through the inspiration behind this capsule, in particular. Why wedding?
Since the beginning of Maison the Faux, we've always loved to play with fashion clichés. The bride is an absolute fashion cliché: the bride as the last look of a show, the ending, the finale look. It seemed like a fun way for us to begin again. We're beginning at the end. Next to that we love the kitsch and aesthetics that come with weddings, but at the same time the institution of marriage is quite traditional and heteronormative. We wanted to reclaim that. The collection is called "I Love Me More" and with that we wanted to create a collection and a story that refers to a certain independence. We would love to see people get married to themselves in this collection.
What Maison the Faux codes from the past are present here and in what ways do you feel you're introducing a new perspective from the brand?
Our maximalist, deconstructed signature is very much present, and recurring design elements like 3D print, corsetry and lacing are all there. We referenced ourselves quite a bit, but also elevated the make of the garments. It's only four looks. so that gave us the space and time to give them all the time and love they deserve. Also, there was no fashion week deadline. so we could decide our own timeline. Maison the Faux is all about collaboration and merges various art forms, so also in this collection we've collaborated with some of our favorite creators. To highlight two: Carol Civre created the frosting print you can find on some of the looks and Esmay Wagemans created the silicone frosting shoes.
You’re now approaching business with a boutique model and small capsule drops. Why do you think this is the right approach in today's fashion market?
Where before we were trying to break rules, now we are making our own. Fashion is unpredictable and constantly changing, and as a small company we've learned you need to listen to your gut and follow what feels right. When we started, participating in fashion weeks and following the showroom calendar was essential. The whole system has changed and we changed. Everything in the boutique is made-to-order and for us this feels like the right way to not overproduce, produce quality and stay sane.
Where before we were trying to break rules, now we are making our own.
Photography: Sophia Mulder
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