Interview with Esther Dorhout Mees
Dorhout Mees, bridging past and present
The Dorhout Mees brand was created in 2010 from an idea of Dutch stylist Esther Louise Dorhout Mees who, following her studies at Arnhem and the many years spent working for major fashion companies such as Tommy Hilfiger, decides to found her own fashion brand. This young Dutch woman showed her creations for the second time during the Paris fashion week – an extremely difficult stage given its being world fashion capital – and was noted for her particularly fresh and interesting vision. The Orphic collection bridges past and future, it lies between a history of fashion and costume and an almost science fiction version of fashion with its corsets, full maxi skirts having retro appeal, filmy and technical fabrics, waist tightening and hip outlining belts like those at the end of the XIX century, important shoulders and sleeves and, for a greater feminine touch, ruches.
We met the stylist in order to ask her directly about the perspective she has on fashion, what she thinks about the future and we had the opportunity to understand the collection straight from its creator.
What can you tell me about your s/s 2017 collection?
Well ‘Orphic’ litteraly means: (adj.) mysterious and entrancing; beyond ordinary understanding. For me this captures the meaning and feeling behind the theme..It is inspired by the phenomenon of striking of lightning. In nature, but also the fascination of what happens when lightning strikes a person, who survives.. The movement of light, heat and electricity in such a concentrated form through matter. Electricity can change metals into beautiful oil like oxidated surfaces, and lightning can create these scars on the body that look like frozen electricity into the skin. Painfully beautiful tableaus. That has been my inspiration for Orphic.
What are the inspirations for it?
The combination of something that is so beautiful to behold and at the same time so dangerous was so interesting to me, the fragility of a material or our own body in that way was for me such an interesting thought. that is why I choose this as my inspiration..
Tell me something about your career, how it started and what you think of the fashion system today.
Well, after my studies, in fashion and photography and film in La, and my study ArtEZ in fashion design I started working for different big brands to learn more on what it takes to run a company, since I realized early it wasn’t just about creating something beautiful. Then when I felt I had sufficient experience on that matter, and developed what I wanted to say myself, I started my own Label Dorhout Mees. I started showing at Amsterdam Fashion week, and did so 6 times. Then I really started to feel the pull towards Paris, which always had been my inspiration. So after that things happened really fast , then got this amazing spot on the official calendar, and just had my second international show on October the 2nd. It sometimes feels surreal and I am still so honored to be part of it. I am still having flashbacks thinking of it, however also already working on the next collection though..
Is it difficult to show as an independent brand in Paris?
Honestly yes. But nothing worth while is ‘easy’ nor should it be I think.. However in an industry that is so consumed by big commercial companies it is hard to survive as a small independent new designer. So you need to be creative in so many different ways to create a place for your work… Not only in the creative part of it. But I do enjoy those challenges and find ways all the time..
M.F.
