By Filza Marri
Carine Gilson shares the first part of her Cruise collection: a conversation between laces for special occasions.
What is the process of the pieces from start to the end ? Process of a Carine Gilson piece?
Lace for me is my muse, and that is why I give names to all the laces that I choose: Sophia, Julia, and now Luis. We have them all in different patterns, I choose the patterns, I design the flowers, I like to experiment with embroidery. Luis is the new lace for the S/S collection, and for this collection I decided to use silk lace. This lace is just pure beauty. I choose the colors, usually I like to have some contrasts between the silk and the lace. The collections are usually driven from nature and emotions.
Where do you get the aspirations for the names of your laces?
Like every inspiration, it just happens. For example, I chose this piece because the flowers here had a very strong personality and it was cotton lace. It's not usual that I use a lot of cotton lace, but I liked this since it had a personality that spoke to me. This drawing is driven from the archives, so for instance this lace was designed in 1958.
My mother was a couturier, and when I was a little girl I grew into it. My mother liked the most beautiful fabrics, she would always touch the fabric and feel it, so I was born into it. I was meant to do it, and lace is the most beautiful fabric for me because from lace I take all my inspiration; all the flowers in the lace are my garden.
That is why I call it a garden of lace because all my life it is like I have gone on a journey with lace. When I design the pattern with the lace, the asymmetric patterns, the flowers; it is me. This is where I started my journey. As far as another type of clothing is concerned, in today's time you have so many pret-a-porter brands, for me, I only have two materials: silk and lace. What I create is wardrobe couture essential. It is something important to keep in your wardrobe, with all the other important pieces. Each piece is different. You can mix and merge; it is very masculine and feminine.
It is interesting that you said it is masculine and feminine. I would like to know your thoughts on how lace and silk could be masculine?
Masculine and feminine, yes. That is very me. I am masculine and feminine. Women need a very strong character; I think there is masculinity in femininity. If you wear an oversize blazer and a silk and lace within, it gives it character... ca cest super beau.
Every garment is crafted in your atelier by hand in Brussels, but in the era of speed sourcing why do you think it is important to preserve the artisanal work?
I am a slow couturier; it is important to preserve artisan work. It has been thirty-five years since I created collections and tried to preserve their authenticity. I give emotions to each piece; that is what is important. In today's world, you need to preserve authenticity on every level.
You talked about emotions. I have seen you working a lot with poetry. When you say women and their emotions are important to you, what do you want Carine Gilson’s woman to feel when she wears your brand?
You know, there was a woman who came to me yesterday and said, 'you are my favorite designer; you are with me all the time.' They feel emotions, this type of fabric is silk and lace. The most beautiful fabric is not plastic. I have women who collect these pieces; sometimes these women collect these pieces for years. I met this woman who cried when she met me for the first time. She told me she has been collecting my pieces for almost three decades; this is the emotion that I bring onto women.
I am in my small atelier for thirty-five years, making each piece by hand. It is impossible to be larger production for this type of garment since each piece is unique. You cannot have the same flower twice in the same design. You cannot produce 2,000 pieces of this kind. We hardly produce 600-800 pieces in one collection. So, it is a very limited production; we are small in a big world.
You said your mom was a couturier. You started more than three decades ago yourself. What do you think about femininity from that time to now? Has it changed for you?
Women are more feminine in this time and age. My mother was a couturier, but she hardly had any time for herself. Women have time for themselves in this time and age.
Like you, every woman is a Carine Gilson woman.