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Was this your very first collaboration with another company?
On this scale, I think so. I had worked with other people before, like a shoemaker, and someone who worked with metal, small things like that with a business. But this was the first time on this scale, and it was really nice. I think what’s so cool about Labels & Things like that is that they really open your horizon about what’s possible. It’s genuinely inspiring as a designer to come and look at all the sample books.

I spent a whole day going through all those amazing books. So much fun. I understand that a lot of people find it very overwhelming, because you have this idea of “okay, let’s make a label,” and then you see all the options and it’s like, “ah.” Actually, when we had to make the label, that was the most overwhelming part, because when you’re going for one specific thing and there are so many different options. In school I made some enamel pieces with them, more jewelry and hardware. But later, when we made the brand label, that was really overwhelming. In the end we went for something very classic, but beautifully made. That was cool.

How did you get started in fashion? Was it something that began in your childhood?
Yes, when I was twelve. It actually came from music. I loved different emo bands and was really a little emo kid, and I think that’s how I got into dressing up and style in general. At some point I remember realizing this is what I want to do. My parents put me in touch with a woman in my village who could sew, and she gave me some sewing lessons. Once a week I’d go to her and she taught me to make a hoodie, make trousers. That’s how it started.

How was your experience at the academy?
It was very tough, but amazing. I learned so much about myself and discovered who I am during that period. I arrived when I was 19. I think that’s exactly the age when you really form your identity, and I think I grew as a designer and as a person hand in hand — the more I got to know myself, the more I got to know my [design] language. It was an incredible, truly life changing experience. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. With all the hardships, and with everything that maybe could have been different or is different at the academy now, I’m really grateful for this experience. It was truly inspiring and it also made me strong. And it proved to me that I can do anything.

What was your path after graduating, did you always know you wanted to start your own brand?
No. It wasn’t really about starting a brand, more that during my time at the academy I organically discovered my own practice, quite autonomous. Not autonomous in the sense of doing it alone, but I found my place as a director. I also discovered my interest in cinema and performance art, and my approach to fashion, which was already very specific at school. Then in the master’s I really allowed myself to do exactly what I wanted, very theatrical, very narrative with clothing, not very wearable. When we finished the collection I looked back at it and thought, “I don’t really think I can apply for a job at a fashion house with this.” And then I saw the kind of life my colleagues in Paris were living when they were just starting out in the industry, and I realized that wasn’t exactly what I had studied for or what I wanted to do. So I realized I wanted to develop my own practice in some way, this was also partly why I stayed in Antwerp.

How does your design process begin?
Always with images and films. I’m always collecting images, it’s a constant search for visual material, but not only visual, it can come in other forms too. But it eventually crystallizes into an image, and I do this very intuitively. Usually when I see something that catches my eye, I photograph it or save it in my folders. And every now and then I go back through this material I’ve collected, and I usually realize there’s a common thread running through everything, a feeling that holds it together. And then that develops into the concept of the collection. Meditation is also a big part of my creative process, I meditate a lot on these images, and a lot of connections come up through that. And then I can show you, I make these kinds of books that I call visual poems. It’s always something like two images next to each other, in a certain order, and that tells, in a certain way, the story or the intention behind the collection. This idea comes before we really start developing it, and then it grows into a collection.

Where do your images come from?
They come from everywhere. None of the images are photographs I took myself. I mainly work with found photography, images that resonate with me because they are connected to cultural heritage, human history, and traditions from different communities. I’m fascinated by the way customs, rituals, and visual languages are passed down through generations, constantly evolving while carrying traces of the past.

Do you make these books for every collection? Is it one book, or several?
Usually it’s one, as a starting point, and then of course we eventually make the collection book. They start scattered on a board, and then eventually come together in this little booklet. It’s nice to have.

Is every book different? Do you see a common thread?
Of course you see a common thread, some images repeat. Actually I don’t think anything really comes back from previous collections in this one, but in the previous three books I made, there were images that kept coming back again and again, because in some way they’re still inspiring and still an important part of my search.

How do you think your background has shaped the way you create?
Definitely. I grew up in a place where many different religions come together and live side by side, so my cultural landscape is very diverse. The fact that all of this coexisted in some way really left something in me. I also grew up with a lot of objects from the East in my house, because my father traveled a lot, and I think this also became an important addition and fascination with objects, objects that carry meaning in a certain way.

Which emotions drive your creativity the most?
A longing for beauty, I think. I think it’s always about beauty and pain, how they go hand in hand and how they’re an inevitable part of the human condition.

What part of yourself shows up most clearly in your work?

I think the part of me that shows the most is how detail-driven I am. I’m an extremely detailed person, and that definitely comes through in my work. I believe those small touches transform a garment and make it truly special.

Do you also see that in your personal life?
It’s mostly a work thing, but of course I’m also quite organized in my personal life.
If you would ask my friends, they would probably say they recognize that same precision. They sometimes know me better than I know myself. And I think it makes sense, if you are meticulous at work, you tend to be structured in life too. I definitely am. At the same time, I’m trying to be a bit freer.

How has living in Stockholm influenced your creative rhythm or sensitivity?
A lot. I’ve learned so much working at Acne Studios, and naturally I’m influenced by the aesthetic there, especially the denim culture. 
In this collection, I was directly influenced by the city. Many pieces and characters are based on the people around me in Stockholm. The minimalism you find here also resonates with my own aesthetic, so it blended naturally into the collection.

Do you still use the same creative rhythm at Acne Studios, or is it very different from making your own collection?

I worked at Acne while developing my own collection, so they overlapped. They are different contexts, but both are part of me as a designer. My collection is very personal, while at Acne I work with as part of a team, though the way I approach design feels the same.

Is your way of working the same, or does it differ a lot?
I’ve learned so much at Acne, especially from working with different designers. It helped me grow. For example, I get inspiration from vintage garments, which we also explore at Acne. Ultimately, everything influences everything. I try to stay open to new methods that push me further.

In your first collection you used Photoshop and distortion. Did technology shape this collection as well?

Yes, but differently. The previous collection was very software-based. For this one, I didn’t want the software to limit me, so I approached it in a more analogue way; more sketching, more hands-on experimenting. Still, the final looks ended up having a digital feeling, which was intentional. Photoshop is one tool to redefine garments, this time, I wanted to explore more directions.

Does your creative process always start from a different angle?
This collection is still a continuation of the previous one, not analogue, but designed more analogically. I’m open to change. Fashion is about constant change anyway.

How did your experience at Hyères this year differ from last year’s win? Did you feel the pressure of presenting something new?

Of course it was stressful, but it also gave me extra motivation. Hyères is an incredible platform and I wanted to show my best work at this moment in time. I’m happy with what I presented. Sure, there are things I would improve, but that’s always the case.

Did materials like leather, elastic and metal influence your design decisions?

Those elements already exist in garments, that’s why I use them. A buckle belongs on a belt; I wanted to reinterpret that. That’s why I collaborated with Vania and Labels&Things, to create my own versions. For me, these details need to be special, because they shape the movement of the garment. If a piece needs elastic, I want to rethink what that elastic could be. Same with the denim patch on jeans, it’s familiar, but that’s exactly why it needs to be distinctive.

What role does denim play in shaping the narrative of your collection?
Denim is probably my favorite material, it surrounds both collections. I’m a denim guy. It’s what I wear, what I see, a key part of my life.

For a collection based on casual wear, denim is essential. It’s familiar, universal. And because it’s so familiar, it creates room for disruption. A small shift can restructure everything.

Do you always start your collections from a fabric?
Not really. It usually starts from an archetype, a character. For example, I wanted a biker look, so I tried to study that way of dressing. Or an American denim dude. That’s the starting point.

Do you always have people in your head while designing, or does it just flow?

The previous collection was more of a fantasy about certain characters. The latest one is more grounded in real people. Some pieces are directly influenced by people in my life. It made the collection more personal.

What did you learn while working with Labels&Things?
It was my first time developing something like this. I learned a lot about materials, trims, and hardware. With the buckle, for example, the challenge was figuring out how the bridge should fall. I didn’t construct it myself, but I learned a lot about buckle construction and how to rebuild one in a completely new way.

If you could summarize the collaboration in one word or emotion, what would it be?
Innovative and inspiring.

If the future were a fabric, what would it feel like?

Indigo-dyed denim, soft, worn-in, torn and mended, showing the passage of time.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

A creator.

Your collection was born from a dialogue between mountains and cities. Where do you personally feel most at home, in the stillness of nature or the energy of the city?

That’s an interesting question. Honestly, both. I live mostly in the city and I really enjoy that lifestyle, but when I go back to my parents’ hometown in the mountains, it’s incredibly grounding. Even a weekend there gives me so much energy. So yes, the city feels like home, but returning to the mountains is essential for me. At the moment I’m still based in Brussels, though I’m looking for a new atelier, so things are quite open.

Do you want to stay where you are now, or are you considering moving?

I’d like to move, probably to Paris or Milan, depending on job opportunities. At the same time, I’m still working on several projects in Brussels, so I’ll always go back and forth between Paris and Brussels.

You often talk about balance: between utility and elegance, structure and comfort. How does that idea of balance show up in your daily life?

Functionality is essential for me. Every garment I have created purposefully placed pocket, sometimes a creative one, sometimes multiple. I work like that because functionality is very important also in my personal way to dress, I know exactly where I keep each object. That system gives me comfort and structure.
 Life as a designer is intense: long days, late nights. So moments for myself are crucial: running in the park, reading, simply being outside. Even the daily walk to school used to be a moment to breathe. When I no longer had that routine, I realized how important those ten minutes of fresh air actually were.

What connection do you see between Gamper’s exploration of variation within a fixed object and your own approach, generating multiple outdoor-inspired garments from a single pattern piece?

I spent a long time studying not only his work, but also his way of thinking. His project “100 Chairs in 100 Days” particularly inspired me – the idea of hybridation, of combining two typologies to create something new.
 That became the starting point for this collection. I asked myself: “what happens when different kinds of typology meet?”. The first reflexion was: “could a down jacket meet a trench?”. And so, to go further I asking myself: “how the technical winter sport garment can meet (or encounters) a classic contemporary menswear wardrobe?”. That question guided me toward the parka, anorak, down jacket, and so on – all translated through one shared component.

Why did you choose Gamper as an inspiration?
I’ve been fascinated by furniture design for years. When I was younger, I discovered the Bauhaus movement, which had a big impact on me. Since then I’ve kept exploring designers furniture, architect, interior design, object… all kind, and Gamper was someone whose work I saved long ago. For this collection, it simply felt like the right moment to transcribe his universe more deeply.

I can imagine that clothing first felt functional to you. What was the moment you realised fashion could be poetic as well?

It happened when I was young. I was very shy. One day I went shopping with my father and chose something that felt bold for me. The next day at school, people came up to me, talked to me, complimented me. It was the first time I noticed how clothing can open conversations, how it can change how people approach you and the real impact of the clothes on the society. That moment showed me the emotional power of clothes, and it stayed with me.

How did you then actually enter the fashion world as a designer?
It took time. I only started fashion and design studies around 23. Before that, I studied business management in France, but after graduating I knew immediately: this is not my path. I worked for a while at Smets Store, a luxury boutique in Luxembourg. Being surrounded by fashion confirmed that this was where I wanted to be — but not as a salesperson. I wanted to create. So I moved to Brussels to study fashion design, and I’ve been here ever since. It was absolutely the right decision.

At that point, did you already dream of starting your own brand, or working for a house?

I had no idea. My only motivation was to learn how to make a garment. My grandmother was a seamstress and taught me the basics before I moved to Brussels. That really sparked everything. Whether I will start my own brand or join a house, I’ll see where life takes me. The important thing is to create.

The title ‘Outdoor Encounters’ suggests discovery. What did you discover about yourself through this project?

It was my first time working outside the structure of school. I had to create my own work environment, rely on myself. That was challenging. It was also the first time I worked with people from different fields and different countries at the same times. I had to learn to communicate clearly, to trust others, to delegate. That was a major learning experience.

Winning Le 19M Métiers d’Art Prize comes with significant support. How do you see it impacting your creative process or professional journey?

First, I really hope to work again with Atelier de Verneuil. The team was incredibly kind, talented, and inspiring. I even spent two days in the atelier to help create one of the bags myself, an amazing experience.
 I might focus more on accessories for a while, though that could change. What matters most is discovering new métiers d’art, new techniques, new people. The budget goes fast in such ateliers, but I want to explore as much as I can.

With your collections, do you always search for new fabrics, techniques, or innovations?

Always. Early in the process I think about materials, fabric manipulations, construction details, colours… Sometimes a design completely changes because I discover a new technique or textile. That evolution is part of my process.

Isn’t that difficult, considering how fast the fashion industry moves?

It can be. Especially when I work alone. This year one of my friends work with me (S/o to him), which made it easier to think from different angles. But innovation takes time, and time is limited. Still, research moments are where I learn the most, even if I can’t explore everything at once.

We worked together on the cap, metal endings, the shoe bag and smaller details that reflect your world of utility and refinement. What made you choose these specific elements?

The trench strap became a key element of the collection — almost a red thread. It appears everywhere, so I wanted the metal hardware to feel personal and unique. We didn’t have time to finish the buckle, but we developed the metal endings, which gave the strap a new identity. Designing the cap with you felt natural too. I knew you had the technical expertise, and I wanted to learn. I couldn’t produce a high-quality cap on my own, so collaborating made perfect sense.

How do collaborations like ours push a designer’s boundaries?
Because they expose you to new knowledge. You and Vania introduced techniques from the factory that I had never seen before. Without the collaboration, I wouldn’t have discovered them.
Working with others forces you to think differently, to learn more, to welcome advice. It expands your world.

If our collaboration were a material or texture, what would it be?

Metal, without hesitation. We spent so much time developing the metal pieces. They really represent our collaboration.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Right now, I dream of being a fashion designer — and maybe I already am one. But in this world you have to fight every day, keep learning, keep creating. Maybe one day I’ll design furniture like Gamper or something different from Fashion. But a part of me will always belong to fashion.

Your work plays a lot with contrast: soft vs. structured, fragile vs. solid. Do you think that balance also shows up in who you are?
I love that you notice that!
Doing a collection is very just an excuse to try as many things as possible and study the thing that tickles me at that moment. I love free draping as much as I like tailoring. I love balloon art as much as I like patterning. Those contrasts are simply the summary of those experimentations, and the different outcomes just happen to live simultaneously in the same body of work.

You often turn everyday things into something magical. Are you someone who’s always observing?
Definitely, it’s amazing how complex and inventive all of the stuff surrounding is. Even the most overlooked tiny cheap object is the result of centuries of fails and attempts. We live among the work of unknown geniuses and it’s beautiful to think how much we’ve perfected the early tools like baskets and shaped stones.
There’s something quite overwhelming at times, a similar feeling to when you don’t know what to pick at the buffet, but at the same time everything feels like a playground if you are a curious soul.

When you start a new piece, do you follow an idea in your head or just let your hands and materials lead the way?
It always start with a strong and challenging idea. It usually takes a bit of time to get THE idea that would lead the whole research. The rest of the collection is usually a play around the same motive. I start with a rough idea of what I want to achieve, and the rest of the process is solution finding and execution. That obviously comes with a big amount of free draping and accidents, but they happen within limits that are already established

How was your experience at the Hyères festival? Can you tell us a bit about the atmosphere, the other artists, and what made this moment special for you?
It’s a crazy adventure, really fun and intense. You spent 10 days with fellow fashion designers and you have all those different appointments and crazy schedule in this idyllic South of France town. I don’t think there is a single similar experience anywhere in the world, like a lighthearted fashion bootcamp.

What does it mean to you to have won the Hyères festival, and how do you see this victory influencing your future plans or career?
It’s definitely the biggest step in my career as well as the highest compliment one can receive as a young fashion designer freshly graduated. I’m not a brand, all I do is tiny scale and still the collection convinced this impressive jury, only Hyères can offer such a platform. I see this prize as a push, a validation to be more ambitious. I also gives me the opportunity to present another collection, which is the best in terms of learning experience.

The pieces we made together (he buttons, buckles, labels) they’re small but full of character. What do details like that mean to you in your process?
Details are everything ! They are what grounds an idea into the reality of clothes. Great ideas are just theoretical, what makes good design is when that idea is thoughtfully and creatively executed.
I wanted to bring the balloon concept into the smallest objects you can find in clothing (Buttons, belt buckles etc). Sometimes an idea can start with a small detail. The way the balloon holder buttons worked lead me to a certain typology of garments and finally lead to an entire piece in the collection.

When you think back to our collaboration, what’s the first image or feeling that comes to mind?
The back and forth with the team. Getting new ideas is a one thing but then being able to share it and explain how you want the pieces to be is very different. I had an amazing time working on these projects together and learned a lot about team work. The moment I got the pieces in my hands, I was beyond excited, and amazed on how all took form.

What makes a collaboration exciting for you? Is it the exchange of ideas, the shared obsession over details, or something else entirely?
I think collaborations are successful when we both have the opportunity to learn from each other. It’s amazing when both parts have respect for the other’s craft and by joining forces we push a common project way further. The collaboration we did together really added a layer of desirability to the collection, that I would have not being able to do by myself.

If you had to describe our collab as a texture or materials, what would it be?
Ready-mades and Facsimiles! From very early on I was amazed by the variety of techniques that Labels and Things can propose. I thought it would be funny to translate all those balloons into metal or felt, trying to create a visual pun by « simply » changing the weight of these objects.

Your work feels joyful and a bit mischievous at times. How do you keep that sense of fun alive when creating?
Humour is a tricky discipline. There’s an edge that one has to find, it’s like putting something where it should not belong, and the imbalance creates something that is either grotesque or beautiful, like a tangent surprise that feels good. That’s definitely what I try to reach. I don’t feel shame in doing frivolous things. There’s times in the process of a collection that lead to hysterical laughter and that’s usually a very good sign.

You’ve got roots in both Switzerland and Chile. Do you feel those two worlds mixing in your ways of seeing or designing?
Of course ! A lot of my references naturally come from those two different landscapes. Switzerland has a long tradition of functionality in design, think of the Helvetica font type. It’s been used everywhere in the world, almost being the default font for branding, but the actual design of the letters is very intricate and creative. This is something I respect deeply in Swiss culture, the humility to let your work speak more than yourself. Chilean culture comes from a blend of European and Indigenous influences. It has been deeply impacted by series of political shake-ups, while always remaining respectful to its traditions. That lead artists to create deeply grounded work with a whimsy and magical tones, reminiscent of mythological stories.

If one of your garments could talk to the person wearing it, what do you think it would say?
A private joke, for the sake of privacy, I can’t share it with you unfortunately :/

What do you want to be when you grow up?
A magician !!