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Designers are very passionate people who embody the vision, talent, and mostly, self-expression to share their designs and tell their story. Then, there is Bjorn Van Den Berg, who takes and fashion and style to another level where the experience is personal, an inner journey and authentic. He is the author of his creativity and never looks back. Bjorn Van Den Berg is a Designer of Luxury. He taps into the fantasy of fashion while his creations resemble a cinematic aesthetic. Everything Van Den Berg designs are custom made and from a point of creative interpretation. Bjorn Van Den Berg is an immensely talented fashion and jewelry designer, where each collection tells an intricate story — almost like a novel that you can’t put down. We get to turn the pages to see what is next. Welcome to the world of Bjorn Van Den Berg and the launch of his fourth collection: “Fragile.”
Previously, I reported upon Bjorn and his third collection, “Aphrodite,” for The LA Fashion Magazine. “Aphrodite” represents the strength and inner beauty each woman has to offer, and it’s an extremely inspiring message for women to embrace themselves in all forms; without apology. It’s bold, strong and beautiful. Bjorn Van Den Berg innately knows what women want.
International Flair
When Bjorn was in Los Angeles a few months prior ( sourcing materials, taking meetings, and doing photo shoots), I was able to get a peek into how he views fashion and design, his incredible work ethic, and a hint of what “Fragile” would unveil. In person, Bjorn is bright, passionate, on point, and even a touch conservative ~ Bjorn is also tall, handsome and very polite. Again, he is Amsterdam based so the European fashion scene is a few steps ahead. Overall, Bjorn wants his work to have a sustainable quality without being trendy; yet he also is aware that a saturated and trendy fashion market can be challenging. He stays on course with his vision. On a personal level, I have deep admiration for Bjorn — he continually takes risks, has a supportive team, works until he fulfills his vision, and the result is always stunning. This process is a combination of creativity and precision. Bjorn envisions a story, creates specific characters in his mind, and brings a collection to life.
Vulnerability
For “Fragile”, Bjorn teamed up with top model Loiza Lamers who tells the story of the collection beautifully. The “Fragile” collection consists of countless details, silver in combination with soft color tones and a definite international vibe. The high-end luxurious details make this collection a great representation of Bjorn’s vision of fashion and design. Van den Berg feels that “Fragile” stands for everything that he is as a designer; in quality, love, and feel. It’s edgy and trendsetting, with a never-ending, always renewing inspiration. The colors are translated through countless hand-set crystals. For this collection, Bjorn was inspired by the vulnerability of nature. “We are all fragile and a bit vulnerable in our way. This does not have to be a weakness, on the contrary, it can be translated into something quite powerful,” says Bjorn. Over coffee, we even spoke about how sometimes it is necessary to go through intense vulnerability and even self-doubt in order to have a personal rebirth. It can strengthen character and creativity to embody a powerful self or a reflection of one’s work. The designer created a character for his new collection: a spider with its body made out of fine crystals, which brings this collection to life.
The Collection
Couture, limited editions, and a Pret-a-porter are the three major elements that serve as the base of ‘’Fragile.” In total, the collection consists of 25 pieces with a signature corset, a beautiful crown, and a body piece combined with a spectacular jacket set with an infinite number of crystals.
The limited collection is where you will find the collector’s items, such a gorgeous clutches, chokers, and belts, all covered in crystals, of course. These items are produced in limited numbers only, handmade by the designer himself in his studio in Amsterdam. With this particular collection, for the first time, in May 2018, Bjorn will launch a Prêt-a-porter collection which will be available and for sale through his soon to be launched online boutique.
Details
No one can cover the details quite like Bjorn. The body chain is one of the masterpieces of the “Fragile” collection with countless details and structures. It is a mixture of different elements that Van Den Berg was inspired by. The actual structure of the body chain, inspired by a maliënkolder, represents safety and protection. The jewels and crystal seated elements embody beauty translated from the inside to the outside. There are small, crawling spiders with hand seated crystals on the back that capture the story behind the collection. However, the overall effect gives “Fragile” an edge, and a modern twist that fuses the different influences of a new look: Soft, Hard, Feminine, and Edgy.
The jacket is made from countless textures with a fantastic look. The off-white color stands for the rebirth and a new beginning, hence a “spring collection.” The collection is next level and could easily see Lady Gaga or Beyonce in this. In his “Aphrodite Collection, Nicki Minaj wore his red custom-made corset for her music video. Ciara has graced one of his crystal head crowns.
Many people do not know that Bjorn Van Den Berg is a wonderful collaborator in that he is a stylist, creative director, and designer. Therefore he truly understands the technical side of fashion as we as the artistic aura. I can’t wait to see what is next. Bjorn definitely keeps us guessing. I know it will always daring, unexpected and a bit fragile.
Additional Credits:
Photoshoot credits: Photographs by Hans Mooijer | Fashion & Styling by Bjorn van den Berg | Makeup by Juliette den Oude | Model: Loiza Lamers | Hair: Marc Sew-Atjon
I want to personally thank Bjorn Van Den Berg for allowing me to be a part of this beautiful process and creative campaign. If there is someone who can make you shine — it’s Bjorn Van Den Berg! You can follow Bjorn on the following social media platforms.