Dutch designer Ronald van der Kemp is returning to the market with a semicouture collection called RVDK. It’s a year-round wardrobe of timeless pieces and one-of-a-kind creations.
The collection is crafted from “precious leftovers.” Some of the skirts and jackets are made from swatches of vintage fabrics, and van der Kemp’s fur coats are patched together from different exotic finds.
The line offers three elements:
n A T-shirt collection of about 30 items: collage-printed in Italy or T-shirts with hand appliqués and small beadwork retailing from 200 euros, or $220, for a printed baby T-shirt to 700 euros, or $775, for a long T-dress.
n Limited-edition ready-to-wear, such as jersey crepe dresses and gowns or tailored denim pieces, made in Italy for 800 to 1,800 euros, or $885 to $1,990.
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n Semicouture ranging from one-of-a-kinds to small editions from 1,800 to 9,000 euros ($1,990 to $9,965), all made by small ateliers and artisans in the Netherlands.
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His plan is to reach out to a select group of smaller retailers as well as private clients via trunk shows or small presentations.
Free-spirited and sophisticated, his clothes can also be fashioned exclusively to private clients’ tastes.
“We can work, for example, with someone’s mother’s dress and re-create a new piece by using the fabric for hand-weaving or reshaping the dress to a new modern piece,” van der Kemp said. “We can hand-weave or hand-paint fabrics or drape a dress for a special occasion inspired by the client. Or we can source, for example, an antique lace to be used for a gown.”
Bart Gorter produced the hand-woven fabrics and jewelry, while the designer created hand-painted motifs and collage prints for limited-edition dresses and T-shirts, reminiscent of the opulent artistry of Christian Lacroix.
Van der Kemp is a close friend of fashion photographer power couple Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin; they all went to college together, and the husband-and-wife team has shot his look book in the past. The RVDK Wardrobe #1 collection will be presented at their Paris apartment by appointment March 8 to 13. The brand is reachable at info@ronaldvanderkemp.com.