Dirk Bikkembergs, well known for being a part of the dubbed ‘Antwerp 6’ after an English reporter struggled to pronounce their names during their stint in London, completed his studies before serving for the Royal Belgium Army. Several years had past and Dirk was eager to resume his career in fashion that he had been longing for. His debut collection, under Dirk Bikkembergs-Homme Co, was produced in the year 1985. He produced collections inspired by his peers and drawing large inspiration from traditional western ideals.
Here we have an example of his first stand-out product, a pair of leather boots made without eyelets to feed the laces through. Alternatively, a hole was drilled through the heel of the boot to enable the strings to be wrapped around the leather and fasten the boot to the foot. Constructed in a thick brown leather, this pair sees a black sole, laces and a midsole which constrain the upper.
The notion of rethinking the most instinctive design elements is what had qualified him as a worthy member of the Antwerp Six and is what led to successful presentations on the Paris Fashion Week stage in the early 2000’s.
