Today’s Botter show opened with a model whose hybrid beanie-baseball cap boasted “Caribbean Couture” in the style of the Carlsberg beer logo. Although designers Rushemy Botter and Lisi Herrebrugh are based in Antwerp, it’s a unique and authentic claim that reflects their shared background (on his side, Curaçao; on hers, the Dominican Republic), but also the caliber of their workmanship, which shone throughout this collection.
The duo typically address pressing concerns such as ocean pollution or species extinction through poetic, colorful flourishes. With this lineup, they made the clothes their main message, achieving a polished outcome without surrendering their youthful elan. Chalk this up to dynamically styled looks in which suiting appeared dressed down and sportswear appeared dressed up—from tailored tops tucked into trousers, or ties worn under cut-and-sew hoodies, to their signature polo shirts newly spliced with bands of sartorial fabric. While a few men’s looks comprised one layer too many, the women wore airy, draped pieces, often topped with handsome trench coats (the weathered leather was a winner).
“We felt like we needed to be grounded on earth,” said Herrebrugh after the show. “We defined and redefined our silhouettes and this made us focus on the details.” As in, raw, saw-toothed edges; a traditional needle punch technique that visibly merged materials; and a ballooning construction that gave bounce to the garments. There were threads galore; but far from unfinished, they projected cut-and-sew cool.
If describing a collection as more grown-up can sound condescending—as though anything prior was immature—they anticipated this reaction. “We feel this is the most wearable collection we have made until now,” Herrebrugh said. Even when blitzing a floral jacquard, they paired the suit with sneakers from their ongoing Reebok collaboration so that it felt fun, not fusty. “We want to say Botter is a total look,” she added. As for dropping the S on the Shell logo, Botter said the statement speaks for itself, and that it was an idea they proposed in their very first collection. In other words, they remain playful—and engaged—provocateurs. “We’re still in the same mindset,” said Herrebrugh. “We’re not scared, we’re here to talk about things happening in the world in a relatable way.”
