SJAAK HULLEKES: BORN TO BE WILDE

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Editor-in-chief Joost van Gorsel caught up with Sjaak Hullekes at the night he premiered his collection ‘Oscar’ this summer. The young designer (born 1981) made the impressive Council Chamber at ‘The Grand’ hotel into his own neoclassical domain during the inspiring Prélude... Little did we know he would be honored by an international jury at the Mercedes-Benz Dutch Fashion Awards…

That was a nice presentation, I loved the nostalgic feeling but you already know I am a sucker for scented candles, Brideshead Revisited and that kind of stuff! It’s titled ‘Oscar’, after I suppose Oscar Wilde…

Yes and of course dandyism, to be aware how to portray yourself, being self-aware and reinforce that, and let’s not forget the intellect… the collection is sensitive to that.

What I really like is that you are establishing a brand, you are steadily and slowly positioning Sjaak Hullekes as a brand, you are building an experience, the world of Sjaak Hullekes…

Yes definitely, of course I look at other people’s work… but I am always aware that I need to focus, as a designer you need to have that focus… a show is not enough for me, the brand, the client’s experience, it all needs to be layered.

But so many creative people lack that focus here!

Yes, but just like you my focus is not on the Netherlands. There are maybe five stores in the Netherlands that ‘fit’ my brand and style. That’s already one important reason to go abroad, if you want to operate in this field you need to be international.

SJAAK HULLEKES WINS DUTCH FASHION AWARD 2009

Totally, although you can operate from the Netherlands and reach the world…

Yes, but to keep your brand in the Netherlands… it’s too small.

Specifically in the field you operate, the genre of your clothing is appreciated more abroad than here…

The feedback I get here is so much different than abroad. When I would listen to some of the feedback I get here, I would end up making suits haha.

You and your partner Sebastiaan Kramer established the Arnheim Fashion Group, where was his brand Sebastic tonight?

Sebastic heads more and more towards loungewear, underwear, the seasons for that are different from fashion… those seasons are three months off, so we decided to not present ourselves simultaneously anymore. Also ‘Sjaak Hullekes’ (the brand) needs our focus, especially because of the response it gets in Milan, Paris… We don’t have the means to put both labels forward in the same, strong manner, so first it’s Sjaak and then Sebastic will follow internationally.

Of course Sebastic is really niche oriented but that niche in itself is very interesting.

Yes and he gets lots of press doing so. I think his visual language is something menswear needs… something fresh.

All within the Arnheim Fashion Group!

Haha we weren’t allowed to use Group yet by the chamber of commerce, but Arnheim is indeed the platform on which we want to continue to operate. For now it’s the two labels, but maybe one day we will add another!

The loafers may raise a few eyebrows…

I think the ballerina shoe is sexy, it’s elegant; it shows off the feet…I wanted to add a new form of androgyny to the collection. Menswear can use some refinement… They change people’s perception, that’s the reason it’s there, it makes you think.

How do people respond to it?

Well that’s funny; it’s mostly in the Netherlands people respond to them in a negative way! Sebastian wears them for a year now and we get great responses, whether it’s in Milan or Japan! We are a bit Calvinistic here I suppose haha.

Who is the ‘Sjaak man’?

He is diverse, he is intelligent, sensitive, he has a predilection to the classic, he’s in search of relaxation, not that he is stressed but he enjoys refinement and quality…

Don’t we want that all?

I hope so!

On November 6th, Dutch Fashion designer Sjaak Hullekes won the Mercedes-Benz Dutch Fashion Award 2009. He received a financial reward of 25.000 euro to enable him to take further steps in the international fashion industry. The international jury chose Sjaak Hullekes out of five nominated designers during this third annual Award show.

WWW.ARNHEIMFASHION.COM

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BY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JOOST VAN GORSEL / PHOTOGRAPHY SJAAK HULLEKES & PETER STIGTER